Repairing the past
- Maite believes that good restoration is like good health
- She has been painting since she was a child
- She is good at dealing with the challenges of her craft
Maite Béjar's deep knowledge of art, history and chemistry, together with commitment, drive and an open mind, have enabled her to become a restorer, to preserve, care and bring to life once again a piece of art. From her Sevilla workshop, opened in 2006 she restores easel paintings on canvas and wood. She carried out her studies in Spain and Italy, and has worked on several important projects in both countries at cultural sites, including Florence’s Galleria degli Uffizi and Museo del Bargello, and Plaza de España in Sevilla. Her mission is to repair the past, cleaning the pieces and bringing back the original colour and splendour, respecting the historic integrity of the piece and its composition.
Interview
How would you define your craft?
I like to think that I recover and resume the memories and the heritage of people who lived before us, and had the necessity of telling their story and communicating what their world looked like through the works of art they created and handed over to us.
Did you learn from a master?
When I was studying in Florence at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure I would visit museums and chapels, that’s when I decided to become a restorer. I joined the studio of well respected restorer Anna Monti, as an apprentice first, then becoming her assistant. I owe everything to her.
What else made you choose this career?
I used to paint since my childhood, but I later realised this was my vocation. I am passionate about art, history, chemistry, materials, and how the human being expresses creativity. Restoration allows to me to cover all of these. Cultural heritage and monuments are like an open book to me.
What inspires your work?
I believe you have to have an open mind, I am inspired by those craftsmen who value the making of things and carry on tradition, and by the craftsmanship of villages in the countryside, by traditional materials such as clay, plaster, limestone, but also architecture and urban spaces.
Maite Béjar is a master artisan: she began her career in 2001 and she started teaching in 2008
Where
- Address: Address upon request, 41003, Seville, Spain
- Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 - 14:00
- Phone: +34 617596229
- Languages: Spanish, English, Italian
Maite Béjar
- Address: Address upon request, 41003, Seville, Spain
- Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 - 14:00
- Phone: +34 617596229
- Languages: Spanish, English, Italian
