Ceramic Lava Artwork

Ceramic Lava Artwork refers to pieces of decorated volcanic basalt. The decoration is obtained by using enamels in the same way used in decorating ceramic, and requires cooking on a kiln at high temperature.

Volcanic basalt forms when magma solidifies quickly once in contact with the outside air. Magma comes from fusion and compression of Earth mantle. The resulting basalt rock, usually black or very dark in colour, can contain several different inclusions which makes it varied and suitable to be artistically interpreted.

Basalt is also very resistant to both temperature and the outside environment, making it the ideal medium to decorate and cooking utensils.

Used since the XIX century, this technique was further developed in Sicily in the 1970s. The artist, Fiorella Leani, perfected her original technique in her workshop to produce effect of light, colour and relief characteristic of her original work.