Hello, its me Hamza El Fasiki (on the right) and that is my father and Master Haj Mokhtar El Fasiki (on the left). Like most Moroccans, we come from a long line of artisans. My father, Master Mokhtar El Fasiki, was introduced to the brass and copper craft via his maternal cousins and has been engraving brass since 1957, a master since 1968, and head of the brass guild in Fez since 1993. As for me, though my education led me far from the craft, in 2011 I returned — not just to the tools and techniques, but to a deeper connection with my father, our culture, and the language of the hands.
This journey led to CRAFT DRAFT® — founded in 2013 as a revival of our family business, Dar Attamania (est. 1968). While child labor bans slowed traditional apprenticeships, I reimagined the practice for everyone. With the belief that “Everyone is an Artisan,” we’ve turned workshops into gateways for cultural exchange — blending old knowledge with new audiences.
What started in Fez in 1968 with my father took an innovative turn in 20211 and now continues Online and in Seaton, UK. Two studios, one mission: to keep Moroccan craftsmanship alive and shared with the world.
Meet the Team
Master Haj Mokhtar El Fasiki
Haj Mokhtar El Fasiki (b. 1951) is a master artisan based in Fes, internationally recognized for his expertise in brass engraving. Trained from early childhood within a multigenerational craft lineage, he attained master status at the age of seventeen and established his atelier, Dar Attamania. Since the 1990s, he has served as head of the city’s brass guild, where he plays a key role in representing artisans and safeguarding traditional production practices. His work—characterized by geometric precision and ornamental symbolism—has contributed significantly to the preservation and transmission of Moroccan artisanal heritage through apprenticeship, institutional engagement, and intercultural teaching initiatives.
Artisan & Author Hamza El Fasiki
Hamza El Fasiki trained as an apprentice under his father since 2011 at the Dar-Attamania Studio in Fes, Morocco, where he earned an Ijazah in the art of at-Tastir and a guild-recognition in the crafts of metal engravings and leather bookbinding. He also holds an MA degree in Moroccan Cultural Studies from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fes, where his academic work centered on the cultural history of traditional Moroccan crafts. Hamza is an Andalusian oud musician and a published author. His recent publication includes a book chapter titled "Sacred Space: Geometric Patterns in Moroccan Art," featured in the anthology *Perspective: Selected Essays on Space in Art and Design* (2023).
The Ijazah Ceremony
On April 17, 2026, Hamza El Fasiki had the honor of receiving the first traditional ijazah (master's license) in the art of Moroccan geometric layout (tasṭīr) in the history of the Kingdom of Morocco.
This ijazah was granted to Hamza by his father and master, El Haj Mokhtar El Fasiki, head of the brass-smith Guild of the Old Medina of Fes, with the endorsement of Master El Haj Idriss Sakhi, who signed it as a testament to his apprenticeship in the world of geometric ornamentation.
The ceremony took place at Riad Alif in Fes, attended by a distinguished gathering of master craftsmen, scholars, researchers, and artisans. They bore witness not only to Hamza's work, but to a living chain of knowledge passed from hand to hand and from heart to heart across generations.
Hamza's father opened the ceremony with heartfelt remarks about his experience teaching Hamza as his student, recalling that Fes has long been a place where ijazahs are awarded to deserving apprentices. Master El Haj Idriss Sakhi then spoke about Hamza's perseverance and the many years he spent learning under the guidance of Fes's great masters.
Master and author Khalid Essayeb offered a thoughtful reflection on the role of tasṭīr in refining the character of the craftsman. He explained that the discipline shapes not only the hand but also the soul. Professor Sidi Mohammed Serghini spoke about the traditional training of apprentices within Morocco's craft guilds, emphasizing the responsibility of faithfully transmitting knowledge. Professor Sidi Aboubakr El Fassi called for a new era in which artisans sign their own works, while reminding us that the highest form of ijazah is the one passed from father to son.
The ceremony concluded with moving remarks by master calligrapher Sidi Ali Dahia, who graciously penned the text of the ijazah. He reflected on its true meaning, describing it not merely as a certificate but as recognition of an entire journey—one that honors both the student and the sanad, the unbroken chain of teachers through whom this knowledge has been transmitted.
The evening was enriched by a beautiful performance of Andalusian Moroccan music. Omar Bouaouda performed on the oud, Hakim Semlali on the rebab, Walid Zayati on the violin, and Salah Eddine Setti on the darbuka, joined by Yassine Fadil on the oud al-raml and Omar Chami on the rebab. Their music filled the space with melodies that reflected the spirit of authenticity and continuity.
During the event, Hamza also exhibited a selection of his hand-drawn Moroccan geometric designs. Rather than emphasizing the finished patterns, the exhibition focused on the essence of the creative process—the circles and construction lines from which the designs emerge—reflecting his belief that true beauty lies in the foundation.
This occasion was more than a personal achievement. It marked a new stage in Hamza's connection to an unbroken lineage of knowledge, while deepening his responsibility to continue learning, serving, and passing this heritage on to future generations.
