Tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? Where are you located?

I was born in Valenza, Italy, which is one of the most important centers for the Italian jewelry design. For the last two years I've been living in Enschede in The Netherlands, a place where I can find new inspiration and live with more international and multicultural influences.

Design, nature, art, people... everything that surrounds me is an inspiration. Sometime it is just like a flash in the night, before I sleep, an idea that it comes so quickly, just a suggestion, then I have to make some sketches and drawings. I then let them sit for a while, to mature like a good wine.

One year ago I thought to myself, it's time to think about my own ideas and designs. I thought that Shapeways was a nice place to start to produce and testing my designs. I like that I am able to experiment and test ideas and new materials.

When I was studying set design at the Accademy of Arts and Crafts Teatro alla Scala in Milan, I started using Alias Studio Tools. Then I went back to my hometown, where I started to work as jewelry designer using CAD and 3D printing.

I like magazines and the internet which is faster of course, but I do love the real world. I like to see people's faces reacting to my designs and to hear their comments and questions. I used to show my designs in different fairs, exhibitions, galleries and design shops but most of the time people are finding me.

There is not enough space here for my list! Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Picasso Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Giorgio Armani, Santiago Calatrava, Renzo Piano, Kusuma Yayoj.

Electrobloom alias Mark Bloomfield, I like his work and his way of playing with colors and movable parts. Kevin Wei and his lovely silver objects. Michael Muller, his Pookas designs remind me of Alice in Wonderland as they seem to be from a fantasy world.

Leonardo da Vinci was convinced that man could fly when started to design his helicopter, but was limited by the technologies of that time, so just wait and we might see a real Enterprise spaceship yet!

Check out Dario's work on his Shapeways Shop or his website www.darioscapittadesign.com