Craft is “thinking with your hands”. It is honoring the identity of a place, giving space (and, above all, time) to slow, conscientious, loving and painstaking work of creating everyday objects. In a hyperactive world, crafts are a form of resistance, of meditation, of attachment to the roots.
And yet, that does not mean that it remains unchanged. at least not in Castilla la Mancha , where they understand that the only way to preserve the old trades, those that connect us with our ancestors and with the essence of our land, is bring them to the present.
CRAFTSMANSHIP + DESIGN, THE WINNING COMBO
The region has established itself as a mission rescue classic pieces and reinvent them without giving up the usual laborious techniques , generating synergies between tradition and design. A clear example: the creation of an exclusive series of designs by the Talavera artist Aitor Saraiba, that have been made available to potters in the region who want to bet on incorporating a contemporary aesthetic to the manufacture of its parts.
Tomás Alía works hand in hand with the artisans of his land, Castilla-La Mancha.
Another example? The extraordinary space configured by the iconic interior designer Thomas Alia for the Casa Decor 2022 fair. Inspired by the work of the artisan women of Castilla-La Mancha, Alía shows, with great beauty, a modern way of integrating Castilian-Manchego crafts in our homes.
Currently, in Castilla-La Mancha there are 633 craftsmen and women working and a hundred companies dedicated to this area. They all put collections on the market that recover tradition and are reflection of the culture, people, geography and soul of the region.
THE HANDICRAFTS OF CASTILLA-LA MANCHA VIBRATES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
In the great events of design and national crafts, such as Marbella Design, Madrid Craft Week Spring Edition or Xtant, the spaces featuring pieces from Castile-La Mancha are always at the center of the artistic conversation.
Pottery and ceramics are just two of the trades that maintain their roots in Castilla-La Mancha.
The region has also participated in international events, such as the Fair of Artigliano from Milan (Italy) , and even has its own craft fair, PHARMACY, which has already served 40 years as a benchmark in the sector in Spain. Also, in the National Crafts Awards , the artisans and artisans of Castilla-La Mancha have become the most famous in history of these awards.
In addition, to further boost the visibility of its artisans, Castilla-La Mancha has a market place virtual from which it is impossible to leave without taking something. He himself gathers unique pieces made by hand (ceramics, cutlery, leather, forging, jewellery, furniture, textiles...), which synthesize the values of tradition, identity, effort and mastery that characterize the region.
There are many reasons to celebrate castellanomanchego crafts ; Take a look at our gallery to understand why we are crazy about her…