Clara Martínez Muñoz: From fine arts to ceramics

Valencia-based Clara Martínez Muñoz has spent six months as a trainee to master ceramicist Arturo Mora, a descendant of a family of ceramicists, he specialises in the lustreware technique which dates back to the Medieval period. Arturo works alone in his workshop in Manises and as such was delighted to have the chance to pass on his skills to the younger generation. A fine arts graduate with professional experience in conservation and restoration, Clara was looking for more hands-on experience when the opportunity to take part in the traineeship arose. Here she reflects on her time as a trainee.

Why did you choose the traineeship?

I chose to participate as it was a great opportunity to learn from an experienced master ceramicist. My hope was to gain the confidence and skills required to make a career as a ceramicist more certain. By working with an established master artisan, I felt that I would benefit from the guidance of someone who has already been through the evolution process, speeding up my existing approach of learning by doing.

What did you learn from Arturo Mora?

I've gained an insight into every step of the ceramic making process, especially wheel throwing and the hand painting technique. But the most important thing I have learned is to work quickly and produce series of pieces. Arturo has taught me that repetition is a very good master and the importance of good time management and consistency.

What did you bring to Arturo’s way of working?

I think I was able to bring a fresh perspective and some contemporary ideas such as modifying the design of a piece to show the lustreware technique in a new light and how to photograph and promote his pieces on social media channels to find a new audience for his creations.

What is your vision for the future of ceramics in Spain?

I'm very optimistic about it. I think more people are paying attention to handmade products. They prefer to have unique objects that are good quality rather than cheaper mass produced imitations. At the moment, there is a growing demand for pottery classes. I find this very positive as people will come to understand the complex work process better and therefore see handmade ceramics in a new light.

What are your future career plans?

I want to open my own studio where I can create my own ceramic pieces. I would like people to come and see the creation process and also learn how to do it. I enjoy teaching and sharing my passion. This experience has given me the confidence to be independent and taught me how to embrace the challenges of life in a workshop and being a craftsperson.

Is craft a viable career for young people in Spain?

It is, I think. Craft is full of possibilities to explore and it is a valuable area because it results in the creation of high quality timeless products. But the limitations of the economic support for artisans in Spain make it difficult to keep a workshop running.

Notes for editors

michelangelofoundation.org

@homofaber

The Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship is a non-profit institution based in Geneva, Switzerland, which champions contemporary craftspeople worldwide with the aim of promoting a more human, inclusive and sustainable future. The Foundation seeks to highlight the connections between craft, the wider arts and the design world. Its mission is to both celebrate and preserve craftsmanship and its diversity of makers, materials and techniques, by increasing craft’s everyday recognition and its viability as a professional path for the next generations. From engaging educational programmes such as the Summer Schools, to its signature digital project the Homo Faber Guide and the international exhibition Homo Faber Event, the Foundation is fostering a cultural movement centred on master artisans and rising stars. michelangelofoundation.org

Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte is a private, non-profit institution founded in 1995. Based in Milan, it promotes cultural, academic and educational initiatives for the protection and diffusion of Italian artistic crafts. The Fondazione Cologni’s mission is to inspire a “new Renaissance” of the artistic crafts and rescue them from the threat of extinction. Many of its initiatives focus on young people and training future generations of artisans. fondazionecologni.it

Asociación Contemporanea de Artes y Oficios (ACAO) is an association that promotes both traditional and contemporary Spanish crafts. They seek to protect Spanish craftsmanship, and use it to foster the development of culture, history and art and boost its economic benefits on the environment and tourism industry. Their main targets are to ensure an environment in which Spanish craftspeople can thrive and to aid them in having further commercial reach in Spain and internationally. The ACAO collaborates with similar institutions to ideate best practices; they assist with the development of commercial platforms for craftspeople; they organise seminars, forums and talks. Beyond this, they use media for widespread visibility for arts and crafts; they launch programmes that promote crafts and engage in research projects. Their collective expertise enables them to provide consulting services to artisans and ateliers. forodeartesyoficios.com

The Craft Project is a French non-profit association born out of the podcast which goes by the same name, which has been promoting French craftspeople and craftsmanship since 2018. The association has several aims: firstly, to create a community of artisans who collectively think of innovative strategies to build the futures of their crafts. Secondly, to raise awareness of craftsmanship among the general public by introducing them to materials and to beauty. Lastly, to encourage vocations by shedding light on exemplary destinies and adventures in the arts and crafts. thecraftproject.fr

La Tecnocreativa is a fashion and design school based in Madrid that focuses on entrepreneurship, management and sustainable development. It seeks to preserve the traditional crafts linked to the creative industries and marry them with new technologies. The school revolutionises training with a model that combines online learning, thanks to televisual technology, with in-presence seminars for certain courses. A month-long course tailored to the Trainee to Professional programme was created with partner Assocíacion Contemporánea Artes y oficios for the participating students. latecnocreativa.com

Costa Crociere Foundation was created with the aim of disseminating and developing the values of the Costa Group through the management and financing of environmental and social projects with a common interest. A commitment that manifests in supporting and developing projects to assist communities they encounter on the Costa ships’ journeys, and which focus on environmental protection and the eradication of social inequity at a global level investing. They invest 100% of the donations they receive into projects to transform the daily work they do into a promise of happiness. costacrocierefoundation.com

Download pdf