The ominously dark volcanic city of Catania is nestled between Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea. With the mighty volcano very much alive, this seems a bizarre place to have built a city. Etna's massive form seems omnipresent in Catania, indeed the main street from its port runs straight up to the volcano, and wherever you are in the city, it looms down over your shoulder like a constant threat. But its presence is certainly not all negative. Mount Etna is an integral part of Catania, not just because it supplies the rock for the buildings, but it is a source of civic pride and identity, and of inspiration for artists and craftsmen.
On the outskirts of Catania is the district of Misterbianco, founded on lava rock and clay. Franco Bentivegna is a master craftsman and ceramicist who lives up in the hills and uses both lava and clay in his works.
His relationship with ceramics began as a hobby 30 years ago, when he helped out after school in a local ceramics workshop. And the ceramicist's tradition is clearly safe in his hands: his daughter and his grandchildren are already taking part in the business, and learning the decorative techniques and styles.
Franco is keen to continue the family business, his ambitions focusing on the quality, rather than the quantity, of the artefacts they produce. He is eager to preserve 'lo spazio della manualità', the space for hand-crafting, and is an articulate and passionate advocate for the skill of the artisan.
The designs on the work they produce today are all hand painted, and are based on traditional Sicilian designs, with a predominance of flowers, fruit and symmetric patterns. Clearly the natural beauty of the island inspires his subject matter, and the styles are also influenced by the enormous variety of artistic traditions brought into the island over the centuries by the various European and Arab invaders.
The workshop's output includes tables, tiles, garden decorations and, more unusually, the tiny pieces used to make up the mosaics that local designer Marella Ferrera creates in her haute couture dresses. Proud of the tradition to which he belongs, Franco is happily bringing ancient Sicilian heritage into the twenty first century.
Links
Etna Webcam
Find out if the mighty volcano is smoking today.
Mount Etna
Photos, history, geology and weather forecasts from the famous mount.
Catanian ceramics
Look at examples of fine ceramics from the region.
These links do not constitute an endorsement by the BBC of the companies, their services or products. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 
Terracotta and so much more