Umbria: a land of rolling green hills where nature is infused with spirituality. It is in this region that St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy, was born and lived. This region is also home to the city of Deruta, known for the ceramics produced here since the Middle Ages: from household tools to true works of art. These days the task of teaching this craft to successive generations is entrusted to the Istituto d’Arte per la Ceramica, which trains talented young men and women for over 200 companies in the region.