Fernando Masone

Under the peaceful portico of Santi Cosma e Damiano on Giudecca island, surrounded by a cloister brimming with quiet spiritual and artistic energy, Fernando Masone has found an ideal place for his industrious, creative life. Originally from Benevento, Fernando found his way to Venice after studying ceramics, graphics and printmaking in Rome, ultimately dedicating himself to papermaking. At his Renaissance-like workshop, Cartavenezia, he skillfully combines his talent to craft three-dimensional artworks of great depth and beauty.

To Fernando, paper is more than a medium—it’s a tactile, transformative art form. Using high-quality cotton sheets sourced from select mills, he breaks them into pulp, shapes, drains and presses the material with two different presses––including a self-designed press and a historic heirloom from the Marciana Library. This meticulous process produces textured, one-of-a-kind sheets of paper, which he often transforms into high-relief prints, notebooks, lampshades and figurines using intricate negative molds. Each piece reflects his mastery of material and technique as well as an uncontainable creative spirit, drawn to experimentation while influenced by classical and neoclassical elements.

Relentlessly curious and eclectic, Fernando continuously pushes his craft’s boundaries, earning recognition while staying grounded in his artisanal practice. His creations, celebrated for their tactile richness, timeless appeal and functional aesthetics, offer a profound connection to traditional papermaking while embracing a modern desire to engage with daily objects––and life itself––through the senses.