Cristina Badillo Castillo

Religious textures

• Cristina is from Málaga, a city with a rich past in embroidery
• At 18 she found her vocation
• She works with gold and silk to create details and ornaments for fabrics

With a degree in fine arts, Cristina Badillo Castillo was impressed by gold embroidery from the first time she went to the workshop of an embroiderer friend. She was 18 years old. "After graduating from my degree I decided to learn this craft because of its beauty and the variety of works I could achieve with this technique," says Cristina, who affirms that art has always been part of her life. She began training as an embroiderer first with Juan Rosen and later in the Sevillian workshop of Fernández y Enríquez. In 2009, Cristina opened her own workshop and her first creation was a scapular. Her specialty now is gold and silk embroidery. One of the highlights of her working life was making the banner in gold and silk for the brotherhood of Mary Magdalene of Velez Málaga.

Interview

©Cristina Badillo

©Cristina Badillo

What do you enjoy most about your craft?

I enjoy everything. But perhaps what I like most is to see how a project becomes a reality little by little, how it grows from my hands. I am inspired by art in general and current trends in all areas.

Does Málaga influence your work?

Yes, Málaga is a city where embroidery and design in gold and silk are very present both in the religious field and in fashion. It is a city open to both tradition and avant-garde designs.

When do you consider that a work is well done?

I think when the necessary care has been taken to ensure that the work is perfect from the outset of the design to the final product, taking into account materials, techniques and the client's priorities.

Do you have a piece of advice for young embroidery artisans?

I would tell young people not to be in a hurry to learn everything in a short time. True craftsmanship is a slow but very rewarding process.

Cristina Badillo Castillo is a master artisan: she began her career in 1998 and she started teaching in 2011

Works

©Cristina Badillo

©Cristina Badillo

©Cristina Badillo

©Cristina Badillo

©Cristina Badillo

Where