CRAFTSMANSHIP IN THE REGION OF MURCIA
In the Region of Murcia clay, wood, straw, wicker, iron, sugarcane are worked with. Silk, silver and gold are used to embroider. Nativity figures or cardboard toys are created and drums are built. In Murcia, the artisan touch is present in each of its geographic corners. Old time techniques, procedures and products have been recovered and have brought back an aspect of our personality that was about to dissappear.
And it is precisely this movement that gathers and increasingly significant support recently, allowing the opening of the Regional Centers for the Arts, located in Murcia, Cartagena and Lorca which display and sale the most representative creations of the current production. During weekends, the artisan markets offer us the chance to meet or taste traditional products of different regions.
POTTERY
The evolution of pottery comes from its historical activity in Aledo and Totana, 2 of the most traditional places.
Formerly, potters combined water with mud and clay obtaining a mixture of certain characteristics and texture that they removed with long poles, a process that nowadays is done with an electric mixer. Once the water was removed, the mud mix passed through the "sobadora", a special machine that ensured homogeneity, and, after being filtered it was ready for the wheel, where the potter waited with wet hands to smooth up the surface while the wheel turned in order to create the desired piece, which was afterwards glazed in arab, electric or gas ovens.
Here are some types of typical products elaborated by potters: jars, pots, mortars, and pans, etc.
NATIVITY FIGURINES (Belenes)
The fashion of decorating homes with these figurines at Christmas reached Spain in the seventeenth century, coming from Italy and spreading rapidly, to this day being used still.
The nativity figurines are made of clay, molded and decorated thanks to the art of polychromic brush painting.
Our region is the largest producer of such objects on national level and, therefore, the most popular craftsmen are locals. Francisco Salzillo is one of the most notable craftsman; his work stands out for its baroque originality, reflecting the customs, clothing and architectural habits of Murcian past ages.
In Murcia you can enjoy the sights of the nativity displays in the streets, churches, institutions and cultural centers such as the traditional exhibition of Cajamurcia located each year in C/Almudena, the Franciscan nativity display of Santa Catalina del Monte, the nativity set in the Episcopal Palace courtyard, the one in the chapel of San Juan de Dios, the one of La Pava Association or that of the Barrio del Carmen Merchants Association located in the Floridablanca Park.
EMBROIDERY
The settling in our region of professionals dedicated to this type of handcraft began in 1550, expressing tradition and folklore of Murcia through the garments made as flags, banners, coats or dresses. These were embroidered with gold and silver thread and rhinestones or sequins that represented festive or commemorative events of the local cultural heritage, with floral and animal motifs used to make silk or wool suits and representing scenes, faces or symbols of saints.
CERAMIC POTTERY
Working the clay to turn it into products requires a process that begins with kneading the mixture of water and clay, then crushing the material piece by piece for uniformity and afterwards washing and scraping off the surplus to clean the edges.
Initially, classic forms of figurines were modeled such as fruits, baskets or containers.
The local pottery artists are popular for their techniques of developing popular designs as jugs, cooking pots, coffee sets, bowls or plates decorated on white backgrounds or glazed with animal or vegetable details.
Murcia is currently one of the leading producers of parts and garden pieces such as pots and flower stands, vases, jars or bowls.
ESPARTO
Until the twentieth century "esparto" was used to make housework utensils, tools for animals, farming or threshing work, which have, in the meantime, been replaced by plastic, rubber or synthetic fiber.
In Murcia there are villages that still preserve this tradition of craftsmanship in which straw is used, along with hemp, jute or pita fiber to develop products such as sandals, espadrilles, baskets, cordage, or bins.
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Craft Center is located in Murcia at:
C/Francisco Rabal,8, 30009
Telephone: 968 357537, 968 284585
Fax: 968 284564
Web: www.murciartesana.es
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