The ceramist José Angulo from Mijas received on Tuesday 1st in the Provincial Delegation of the Junta de Andalucía the so-called ‘Carta de Maestro Artesano’ (Master Artisan Card) , the highest recognition granted by the regional administration to prove the knowledge and practices of these professionals in the craft trade. The embroiderer Joaquín Salcedo and the glass artisan Jonatan Díaz, both members of the Mijas Artisan Association, as well as the ceramist Alicia Guerrero, also received this distinction. 

“The Andalusian government would like to thank you for your work, which I know is very hard work. Behind your work there is a lot of creativity, effort, tenacity and technical knowledge”, said the Delegate of Employment and Labour of the Andalusian Government in Malaga, Carmen Sánchez, also pointing out that “you help to recreate in your pieces the idiosyncrasy of our land, even if they are small pieces, but they are differentiated by that Andalusian touch”. 

 

The mayoress Ana Mata (PP) also accompanied the award winners during this important moment, as three of them belong to the Mijas Craft Association, a group that, she said, is an example of traditions and knowledge and a source of pride for the municipality. “They are a source of recognition for the public administrations but also for the citizens, who should support this sector by buying their crafts, especially in Mijas, where we have this association which, for 11 years now, has been shining brightly in Andalusia, and which is currently represented by around 40 artisans from the municipality and other parts of the province”. 

A sector with a strong presence

There are 149 artisans from Malaga registered in the Andalusian Register, 13 artisan companies, the association from Mijas, as well as the Area of Craft Interest in this municipality. “The 46 crafts in the province reflect the cultural identity of the area in which they are developed, contribute to preserving the ethnological heritage and promote other activities that generate wealth and employment, which is why we must defend their existence and promote them”, concluded the delegate.

Design and painting of ceramic tiles and signs

José Angulo, from Mijas, has almost 40 years of experience in the ceramics sector, 27 of them specialised in the design and creation of tile murals and ceramic signs.

He studied Artistic Ceramics at the School of Applied Arts in Malaga, where he graduated in 1989. In his company Angulo Ceramic Art, he creates designs, recreations of photographs and any type of work, always in tiles, by hand and in an artisan way, to the client’s liking, to decorate houses, premises, communities and public buildings. His murals have travelled to almost all of Spain, a large part of Europe, the United States, Canada, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil and even Australia.

Regarding the awarding of the master artisan card, he pointed out that “other merits are also valued, such as teaching the trade, maintaining traditions or adding innovative techniques within our possibilities”. During his extensive career, José Angulo, specialised in the majolica and dry rope techniques, has also been awarded other distinctions such as ‘Andalucía, Calidad Artesanal’ (Andalusia, Artisan Quality) in 2017. 

 

Hand embroidery

Joaquín Salcedo is one of the most established embroiderers on the current scene due to the originality of his designs, the brilliance of his workmanship and the quality of his finishes.

With almost 40 years of experience, his works are a guarantee for the quality of their execution, materialised thanks to his mastery of the most complex and varied embroidery techniques. Embroidering Holy Week elements such as ‘Estandartes’, ‘simpecados’, ‘guiones’, ‘mantos’, ‘palios’ and magnificent ‘sayas’, Joaquín Salcedo recreates his style and his personal aesthetic universe, receiving commissions from parishes and brotherhoods from all over Andalusia, as well as from other parts of Spain. His sacred scenes, in which he recovers the very ancient art of flat silk embroidery, as well as his restoration work, stand out.

In addition to numerous awards from brotherhoods and confraternities, Salcedo has been awarded the certificate of quality craftsmanship by the Junta de Andalucía. “This card is something very important for artisans, especially for those of us who love our profession so much that we spend hours and days working on works that have no end, but we really enjoy it”, he said.

 

The art of painting with light

Jonatan Díaz, specialised in contemporary artistic stained glass and is the author of the Reflektium line, sculptural pieces in glass with a kaleidoscope inside, halfway between science and art. 

Jonatan Díaz is lucky enough to do what he loves without considering it a job, “although there are always nuances and a lot of sacrifice. In any case, working in what one is passionate about has enormous rewards and is very satisfying”. As a child, he was fascinated by the coloured rays of light coming through the stained glass windows in historic buildings, so at the age of 14 he became interested in traditional stained glass construction techniques. Since 1997 he has run his own workshop in Estepona, Vitromar, a national benchmark in the contemporary design of handcrafted artistic stained glass, cutting each glass piece by piece and assembling them with traditional leaded glass or copper tape (Tiffany), among other techniques. 

From his workshop, he also researches new formulas to apply advanced technological processes to his handcrafted work. As a result of his research with high definition mirrors and optical laboratory glass, Jonatan has developed a line of sculptural pieces in glass with a kaleidoscope inside, Reflektium, which can also include, upon request, other metals, precious stones and other materials. This line made him the winner of the 2022 Singular Work of Craftsmanship Award.

 

More awards

In addition to the ceramist José Angulo, the embroiderer Joaquín Salcedo and the glass artisan Jonatan Díaz, from the Mijas Craft Association, the ceramist Alicia Guerrero was also honoured. She is well known in her field for combining the use of modern digital tools in the design and preparation phases, with the more traditional craftsmanship of glazing and firing clay. “I consider us artisans to be lucky because we make such wonderful things that it pays for itself”, she said.

Artisans from Málaga with a Master Artisan Card

Only eight artisans in the province of Malaga have the ‘Carta de Maestro’ distinction (Master Artisan Card), which certifies their commitment to maintaining traditional crafts.

In addition to the four recognised on Tuesday 1st, the following also hold this distinction: embroiderer Juan Rosendo Rodríguez, glass artisan Montserrat Puñet, as well as the master of textile printing and ceramics María Jurado and the glass artisan Alberto Cascón, both from the Mijas Craft Association. Jurado, an artisan for 20 years who combines ceramic modelling with textile creation. She uses 100% natural fabrics to make everything from scarves, shawls and foulards to clothing, seeking functionality, comfort and originality. Cascón, Owner and manager of Viarca, a company that has been creating and restoring artistic stained glass since 1985, creating works in different styles, from classical to avant-garde. They also create high quality portraits in glass.

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