Sonia Pueche & Jaime Mato

Época

Ceramicist

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Ceramics made calmly

Sonia and Jaime embrace the concept of slow making
Their pieces are characterized by natural textures and the absence of enamels
They find inspiration in nature and earthy colours

Photographer Sonia Pueche and chef Jaime Mato started working with pottery out of sheer curiosity. There was a ceramics school opposite their workshop and photography studio in the centre of Madrid, and they signed up to experiment with the material. After two years, they decided to open their first ceramic workshop in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, an inspiring place for them because they lived in the middle of the forest. From the woodshed of the house, they began to create and then sell their pieces online. After four years they moved to the city of Ávila, where they have transformed an old barn dating back to 1800s into their home and workshop to continue to handcraft their unique pieces. From here, the talented duo respect their motto “ceramics made calmly” with slow production processes and a calm philosophy.

Interview

What are your main skills?
Sonia: We have always worked independently, we like to give ourselves our own space for creation. Curiously, the results complement each other for the Época line, but it is not something sought. We are immersed in our own tastes.
What are your sources of inspiration?
Jaime: Everything around us inspires us: the city where we live now, our natural environment, our own experiences, our travels and the artists we admire. We produce ceramic pieces under the motto "made calmly" as this way of creating slowly allows us to be creative and feel good.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?
Sonia: We do not feel innovative. We are curious to learn and make new pieces. We do not think about innovation. We do something that pleases us and allows us to enjoy our time. For us, tradition is the place we constantly turn to as an endless source of knowledge.
What would you suggest to aspiring young artisans?
We suggest for young artisans not to be afraid of challenging themselves. We advise them to make mistakes and learn from them. We encourage them to persevere and to love what they do.

Sonia Pueche & Jaime Mato are rising stars: they began their career in 2016