In addition to the ceramic art classes we have scheduled, another important focus at 137º Ceramic Art Studio is the organization of customized events for private groups in order to offer all participants an enchanting experience and to introduce them to the values of the ceramics and its processes.
In June 2015 Dalia Sofronie and Manuel Estévez, both ceramists and couple in real life, joined our knowledge and resources to give life to the project dedicated to ceramic art that we call 137º Ceramic Art Studio.
For this we have originally settled in a premises in Poblenou, where we have shared for 8 years workspaces, workshops, knowledge and experiences with artists and ceramics enthusiasts from more than 10 nationalities.
In the summer of 2023, with some nostalgia but at the same time with joy and enthusiasm to see our project grow, we parted from the neighborhood that saw its beginnings to move to the residential studio we have in the charming area of the natural park of Baix Montseny.
Here we continue to dedicate ourselves to teaching courses and hosting events related to ceramic art, as well as developing our own artistic work that we present in our online gallery as well as in other galleries around the world.
Struggling to find the logic of beauty, ancient thinkers tried to explain it mathematically, and that’s how they discovered the existence of a ratio, which they called Golden.
137º is the golden angle, discovered by Fibonacci, and we can recognize it in many of nature’s geometries, such as: the provision of sunflower seeds, or in the leaves of each stem, the flowers’ petals, the branches of a tree, etc.
That is why we chose this name, because it helps us to keep present one of our deepest convictions: creating and generating beauty is more than a gift, it is our inner nature.
I was born in Targu-Mures, Romania, in 1979. In 2008 I settled in Barcelona.
With a degree in Decorative Arts (Targu – Mures) and in Advertising Design (Cluj – Napoca), I worked for 11 years as an Art Director in several internationally renowned advertising agencies.
My work in advertising served as a push for creative thinking. It helped me understand the complex mechanisms of communication and direct the focus of my ideas towards a concept.
Today, I apply this knowledge and learning in my artistic work. Since 2009 I’ve worked exclusively with ceramics. My projects are mostly artistic although, occasionally, I also make functional pieces. I create most of my work with hand building techniques and sometimes with plaster molds that I create from my prototypes.
My favorite materials are porcelain and stoneware. My inspiration comes from nature in all its dimensions: human, vegetable and animal – from its complex complementarity and at the same time contrast.
The professional aspect of my life is occupied entirely by 137º Ceramic Art Studio. To have created this space and to manage it is to see a dream come true. Together with Manuel, we have put a lot of love into it, we make it grow and above all, we grow by its side.
I was born in Galicia, Spain in 1973 in a family with plenty of artistic abilities.
As a child I discovered charcoal drawings by my mother. It was the first magical contact that planted the seed of interest in the world of plastic creation. These childhood memories are mixed with the smell of wood in my uncle’s carpentry shop, where I learned the importance of detail and finishing.
Whether it was part of my teenage rebellion or a desire to discover new places and materials, I finally decided to develop my artistic career in ceramics.
I have been involved in the world of ceramics since 1996. I learned and developed my knowledge in Ireland, where I lived for more than a decade. I collaborated with different artists: Brian Macgee, Rob d’Eath, Sinéad Fagan, etc. I also trained my skills with the nuns at Kylemore Abbey, Stephen Pearce Pottery and other small workshops.
My ceramic work is intended for everyday use. It is inspired in part by the work of artists such as Bernard Leach or Richard Phethean, as well as traditional Spanish-Arabic pottery. I love working with terracotta for its warmth and adding engobes of different colors that give my creations a lot of joy.
Since 2015, together with Dalia, we have built the 137º Ceramic Art Studio project. And for me it’s a dream come true. Having the possibility, not only to create, but to transmit the aesthetic beauty together with the “know-how” of ceramics has always been one of my greatest desires. Here and now it is a reality that is helping many people develop their artistic and human potential.
