Sardinian Natural Artistry

My last travel adventure outside the UK was to the mountainous and scenic island of Sardinia.  The second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, the kindly Sardinian people are known for their longevity and for following a gentle pace of life.  This perhaps contributes as to why Sardian traditional crafts have survived the modernising world better than many cultures.  The production of cork is a particularly thriving industry and Sardinia produces 80% of Italian cork - around 20,000 tons per year.  Quercus Suber trees with their stripped red bark trunks as far as the eye can see are a sight to behold in the Northern Sardinian Region of Calanganus.  As soon as I saw my first Quecus Suber tree, I wanted to know more!

A material that has been used functionally for thousands of years, cork is now worked in an increasing array of functional and creative ways.  

The Museum of Cork in Calangianus located inside an 18th century monastery was an excellent starting point for my learning fest.  The friendly English speaking guide explained the cork production process from the point of extraction - I was relieved to learn that the process of stripping bark every 9 to 12 years does not cause trees any notable damage.

There is historical evidence of cork has been harvested as far back as Roman times and perhaps even by the ancient Egyptians.  Forests of stately Quercus Suber trees still cover around 90,000 hectares in Sardina.  

The cork is stripped from the trunks in layers and seasoned in outside vats for up to 2 years.  The first extraction from a tree is for the male cork - sugherone and this lower grade cork is used most frequently for loft insulation.  The extractions are for the higher grade female cork have greater value and it is these 2nd and 3th extractions that are used functionally and creatively.

The product that first comes to mind for most people thinking of cork is of course the wine stopper.  A small and rather understated item, the quality of cork stoppers vary enormously - the highest quality is reserved for those vintage bottles that we keep for special occasions.  Metal screw tops have rather overtaken of recent years, however, happily cork stoppers are returning to vogue and we can return to that wonderful popping sound as they come out of the bottle and the fun of trying to get back into an unfinished one!

The capability to make cork into a layer thin enough to be used as a textile has been around for quite a few years.  I was lucky to have the opportunity to visit a cork production factory, TP Cork Solutions in Tempio Pausania.  With lots of good will and gesturing (my Italian is very poor) I was pleased to learn how cork is pared into wafer thin lengths and is then attached to various backings - cotton, leather and man made backings are all used.  The resulting product is surprisingly supple and stable and the possibilities for using as a textile were quickly evident.

I was delighted to learn that there are also artisans in Sardina who are looking to push the boundaries on working creatively with cork.  A good quality cork 'fabric' has many possibilities and is surprisingly stable and easy to work with.  Cork with a cotton backing machine stitches very easily and it can be beautifully combined with all matter of other materials.  Better still, cork fabric is environmentally friendly, waterproof, stain resistant and bio degradable.

Weaving in various forms has also continued in the face of modernisation and mechanism.  It was a happy hour when I met the weaver of these 'asphodel' baskets, Maria Antonia Sechi, in the pretty village of Flussio. The flower of the Asphodel plant is an an emblem of Sardina and grown on Sardinian wetlands, it is dried each Spring into metre or so lengths that can be woven into all manner of beautiful items.

Flussio is a particular centre for this weaving art and weavers like Maria Antonia Sechi will start working in earnest after the harvesting of Asphodel each Spring.  A good number of weavers can still be seen weaving in the entrances of their delightful Flussio houses and their creations drying off in the Sardinian sunshine can be enjoyed first hand - best to go after midday or all that can be see is shuttered doors!  There is an added delight to be found in this village too, in that the houses of Flussio and the adjoining village of Tinnura are painted with the most delightful murals depicting rural and village Sardinian life - the talented and hard working lady weavers of Flussio take pride of place.

I was delighted by my visit to Sardinia and to find that it has maintained a passion and the means to continue with natural artistry in a way that is being lost around the world at speed.  With stunning landscapes, vistas at every turn and flora in abundance, it is easy to see how the Sardinian people are inspired to continue to make this happen.  With picturesque journeys to be savoured without rush, I left Sardinia with a lengthy list of further explorations.  Here's hoping that the day that I can safely do so and add to my Pinterest Gallery is close at hand.