Craftmanship is often a skill passed on from one generation to the next, cherished and nurtured as if it were a family treasure that children inherit from their parents and guard with enthusiasm for posterity. At the same time, however, there are others who are attracted to craftsmanship without having family roots in the sector yet embark on such an adventure with equal enthusiasm. The regenerated Ta’ Qali Artisan Village will be giving space to a unique combination of both.
Malta Stone stands as proud as it stood in the artisan village just when it opened in the 1970s. As soon as you enter the newly refurbished shop, you are greeted by the sounds of sliced agate wind chimes brushing against each other. Yet the main specialization is the golden yellow local stone – calcite – which the business focused on when it opened back in the 70s.
Visitors are greeted by siblings Angele and Reuben, who have taken on their father’s legacy and exhibit their craftsmanship skills in their shop at the artisan village.
Apart from the locally sourced mineral, at Malta Stone one can find a large variety of gemstones and crystals of various sizes. These can be incorporated into bracelets or necklaces in a short time by Angele and Reuben. The shop is equipped with over 200 different types of stones from around the world, including amethyst, emerald, obsidian, jasper, labradorite, and many more.
Malta Stone also has a large selection of polished gemstone surface tables made of petrified wood and bright calcite cheese boards. Apart from the crystals one can also find a selection of fossils such as a 110-million-year-old ammonite.
Scic Crafts Studio was founded in 2010 by Jana and Jurgen Scicluna, who share a great interest and passion for handcrafted and tailor-made products. They started off with a small cutting machine and then later moved on to laser engraving and cutting, expanding the range of items they offer.
Scic Crafts Studio produces personalised gifts, mainly wooden items like frames, keepsake boxes, hanging decorations and many other products for various occasions such as birthdays, baptism, weddings, Holy Communion and Confirmation, Christmas, and other special occasions. All items can be personalised and manufactured according to clients’ needs and requests. The focus of Scic Crafts Studio is to be innovative with the help of modern technology and different painting techniques. Jana and Jurgen are always trying new ideas and trends. They rely on traditional craftsmanship but always try to keep abreast with new products in the market. They also put a lot of love in their products and take much pride in their work.
Their current working space is quite limited, and this is the reason why they have decided to invest in new premises at the Ta’ Qali Artisan Village, where they plan to start operating by the end of this year. This will give them the opportunity to add products promoting the Maltese islands to their already wide range of items.
Malta Stone and Scic Crafts Studio can be contacted via e-mail on reuben485@hotmail.com and info@scicraftstudio.com respectively or by following them or contacting them via Facebook or Instagram.
The Malta Crafts Foundation