The sea and the universe on a bottle
- Josep's first teacher was his father
- He has received several distinctions for his works with crystallisation
- He teaches courses all over the world
The son of a potter from whom he learned the craft, Josep María Mariscal began as a turner in 1992 when he was just 16 years old, passing through several workshops. In 2003, he opened his own workshop and deepened his knowledge in different techniques such as engobes, fugitive copper raku, raku un, and sigilatas. In 2010 he acquired an electric kiln with which he started to practise his crystallisation technique. Josep has received several awards for this work. "I try to find crystalline glazes with the perfect amount of crystals between the background and the surface. My forms are classic and conservative and I can control the placement of crystals on the surface. I cannot stop researching crystalline glazes," he says. "The skies, sea and landscapes, along with the multitude of flora, are a constant source of wonder, inspiration and delight for me. The sea and the universe, especially, have fascinated me since I was a child."
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INTERVIEW
I did not like studying very much and when I was very young I joined the workshop where my father worked as a lathe operator in La Bisbal d'Empordà. I was good at it. I learned quickly from my father and the head of the workshop. Little by little I changed workshops, moving from making gardening pieces to more decorative pieces.
Porcelain, with its fine texture, purity and whiteness, allows me to explore the relationship between form and surface in a more rewarding way than any other clay.
The forms of fired clay pots offer endless opportunities for subtle variations, but my particular concern, while trying to achieve harmony and balance in the work, is to express my feelings for the natural world through the positive radiation of light and colour.
In 2013 I organised together with my wife an International Congress of Crystallizations in La Bisbal d'Emprodà. Together with Dolors Ros, director of the school, we gathered more than 50 artists from all over the world. From that moment I was recognised for this technique and I started to give courses more regularly.
