Sa Buttega is committed to facilitating art exhibitions, workshops and meaningful exchanges between local makers, skilled practitioners of the territory, visiting artists and the local community of Villasalto.
Workshops are key to the life at Sa Buttega. Meetings between visiting artists and local artisans and skilled practitioners are organized to give visiting artists a real feel for the territory. This spans a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to carpentry, stonemasonry, blacksmithing, traditional building techniques (stone and mud bricks), weaving, culinary, traditional music-making, and botanical knowledge of local herbs and medicinal plants, to name a few.
Visiting artists also get a chance to contribute to the local community. We believe it’s important to give back to the community, which is why we encourage visiting artists to share their own artistic practices and techniques with the local community during their residency, especially through labs and workshops run within the Art Gallery for the children of Villasalto
Skilled Practitioners + Specialists
Below is a list of specialists, artists and skilled practitioners we collaborate with to combine the best of all worlds: ART + Education + Nature & Environmental Awareness + Local Craftsmanship.
Angelica Manca
Co-Founder Sa Buttega, Education Specialist
Angelica holds a degree in Psychology and has worked in education since 2006. In 2014, she founded Hoopla Education, a nature-based education company was awarded the ELTons award for most innovative curriculum for The Garden Project in 2020. In 2020, she and her husband Paul moved to Sardinia and started their organic farm Azienda BLE. In 2025 they opened Sa Buttega to celebrate the beauty of rural living.
Paul Frank Wagner
Co-Founder Sa Buttega, Artist
Paul is a French-born, NYC raised, contemporary artist known for his innovative use of natural materials. His art draws inspiration from his travels and the Land Art movement, especially since he moved to Sardinia. In 2017, Paul wrote Sticks & Stones Land Art program for kids and has run numerous workshops with children around the world, using Art to teach and advocate for a more sustainable lifestyle.
Alessandro Nonnoi
Bioligist & Botanist
Alessandro Nonnoi is a biologist, focusing on native plant species of Sardinia. He has studied at & collaborated with the Dept. of Botanical Sciences at the University of Cagliari, contributing to the identification of the native flora of the island. He and his wife Tiziana manage a botanical exhibition in Villaputzu, where they organize workshops on the dyeing prosperities of native plant species.
Francesca Placido
Artisan of Candles & Natural Incenses
Francesca Placido is an artisan born and raised in Sardinia. In 2022 she founded Agrochic, after 20 years of customer care and a journey of Spiritual growth. She is devoted to celebrating beauty through craftsmanship and nurturing a connection with the Soul. Francesca creates candles, natural incense, fragrances, and small home décor pieces, that bring the scents of Sardinia to life. Sustainability is at the heart of her practice.