Next Saturday 17th of September, Manises will celebrate its long trajectory as one of the key points in the history of ceramics with the Ceràmica Oberta event. This event is also framed within the events that were held on the occasion of the town being appointed as a Creative City by UNESCO in the modality of Crafts and Popular Arts. Ceramica Oberta is a day in which workshops, demonstrations and visits will take place around the ceramic world of Manises, activities aimed at all audiences and is totally free. A day in which the ceramic and the ceramists are the big protagonists. The initiative’s objective is to demonstrate and put value into the artisanal activity characteristic of the town, as well as highlight the work of all the ceramists and ceramic workshops.
As indicated by the Councillor for Tourism of the City of Manises, Angel Mora, “during these days we open the doors to both citizens of the town and tourists to understand more closely the great work of the artisans ceramists of Manises. Keeping this tradition of ours active is one of the main priorities of our government team”. Xavier Morant, Councillor for Ceramic Promotion of Manises also indicates, “with the appointment of Manises as Creative City of UNESCo we managed to position Manises on the world map and we continue to value all artisans as they are one of the main reasons that have allowed us to be granted this recognition. They continue the tradition so that this heritage of ours is perpetuated in time”.
The schedule of this festive day is from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00. During this time, about twenty workshops and ceramic companies will open their doors to the public to show their work, techniques and processes. All activities are free and those who want to participate in the workshops have to sign up on the website: https://ceramicaobertamanises.es/ since the spaces are limited. These activities will have three zones in Manises: Calle València, Calle Torrent, Calle Oest and Calle Mestre Serrano. More information about the event: www.manisesturismo.es and www.ceramicaobertamanises.es ; our social media as well: @visitamanises y @manisesceramics
Workshops and Activities:
Ceramic wicker workshop:
Workshop given by Vicente Martínez and Rosa García in which attendees will learn to weave different ceramic pieces with clay churritos.
Ceramic jewellery workshop with microwave cooking
The objective of this workshop is to approach and awaken curiosity about the handling of clay in a pleasant and playful way, focused on the design of jewellery.
Porcelain flower making workshop
In this workshop attendees will be introduced to the elaboration of porcelain flowers, you will learn to make different types of flowers, both large and miniature.
Ceramic decoration on sponge cake
Ceramic decoration workshop on sponge cake given by Antonio Cordero. Participants will be introduced to the ceramic decoration on sponge cake, that is, modeled clay, and subjected to a first cooking.
Creative modelling workshop with clay
In this workshop, participants will be introduced to clay modeling, which consists of adding fragments of a malleable material such as clay in small portions.
Socarrats style tile decoration
This workshop will introduce the decoration of tiles with the technique of socarrat, an essential decorative element associated with Valencian ceramics.
Visit to the Avec-Gremio store
Visitors will be able to know the products made by the master craftsmen linked to Avec-Gremio, as well as acquire exclusive pieces of craftsmanship from the Valencian Community.
Modeling workshop for children by Isabel Cortés
The workshop will introduce children up to 16 years old to clay modeling. It is a family activity for children to develop their manual skills.
Workshop: get started in the world of mosaic by Encisar-te – AVEC
Participants will learn about the ceramic technique of mosaic making.
Visit the treasures of the Museum of Ceramics of Manises
The Museum of Ceramics of Manises will have its doors open throughout the day of Ceràmica Oberta so that visitors can enjoy the permanent exhibition.
Visit to the factory-museum of José Gimeno Martínez – La Cerámica Valenciana
The José Gimeno Martínez factory-museum is the oldest ceramic factory in operation in the Valencian Community. Its doors are open to the public exceptionally for this day.
Visit to the workshop of Pepe Royo
Activity to get to experience a traditional ceramic workshop inside and by the hand of the master craftsman who manages it.
Pottery workshop for all audiences by Pepe Royo
Participants will learn about the process of creating pieces around the lathe and will be able to experience the sensation of molding a piece in their own hands, following the advice and instructions of the master craftsma.
Transformer Demo by Pepe Royo
Master ceramist Pepe Royo will teach participants how to create sculptures from vessels and pitchers.
Workshop to create your ANPEC amulet
Attendees will learn to make jewelry pendants with ceramics, using self-hardening clay
Ephemeral exhibition of ANPEC ceramists
Selection of pieces by associated ceramists of ANPEC, National Association of Ceramics Professionals, a non-profit organization that works in the defense of ceramists, both in the technical and artistic field.
Demonstration of firing pieces in Raku and blowtorch on fugitive copper
Master craftsmen belonging to ANPEC will perform live cooking demonstrations using the traditional technique of Raku Obvara, originally from the twelfth century in Eastern Europe.
Guided tour of Arturo Mora’s workshop and exhibition
The attendees, accompanied by the ceramist himself, will discover a collection of pieces of metallic reflection all of them elaborated in the potter’s wheel, painted freehand and cooked.
Pottery: children’s workshop for introduction to clay modelling
It is a didactic session in which participants will be introduced to the realization of characters and landscapes modeled in clay.
Demonstration of lathe work given by Eugenia Boscá
Introduction to pottery, through demonstrations of pieces made on a wheel and decoration of pieces transferring images to clay.
Visit to the Vicente Díez factory
The facilities of the Vicente Diez factory are opened to offer a detailed explanation of the manufacturing of ceramic pastes, being able to understand first-hand the products of this company, an international reference in the manufacturing and distribution of ceramic pastes and clays for the artisan and tile sector.
Demonstration of assembly and operation of Cart Oven
Demonstration by Jaime Romero. The ceramist will offer a master-class on the preparation and cooking in an oven-cart at the facilities of Vicente Díez.
Exhibition of Jaime Romero pieces in Vicente Díez
The Vicente Diez factory in Manises has a shop and show-room in which works of master craftsmen from all over the world are presented, this time the artisan will be Jaime Romero, presenting his latest works.
Ceramic Lathe Demonstration by Drac Ceràmic
Conxa Arjona and David Sánchez will participate in Ceràmica Oberta with a series of demonstrations of the work around with ceramic pastes.
Guided tour of the workshop and exhibition of Maribel Martínez
Participants will be able to visit the workshop and the exhibition of works by Maribel Martinez, in the company of the ceramist and sculptor, who will introduce visitors to the materials and techniques used in each of the pieces, and the work processes that are developed in this workshop.
Demonstration and elaboration of ceramic sculpture on Las Meninas
In this demonstration of the elaboration of a sculpture, participants will be introduced to the processes and techniques of working with ceramic pastes and modelling, as well as work on volumes and abstraction.
Guided visit to the Aliarte Cerámica workshop
Meet a contemporary ceramic workshop inside the hand of the artisan who manages it. The workshop opens its doors with the complementary activity of ceramic modeling workshop taught by the ceramist herself.
Visit and demonstration of yellow earthenware manufacturing
In Ceramicas Palanca, participants will be able to visit a traditional workshop specialized in the manufacture of yellow earthenware, and in particular, in traditional kitchen utensils, maintaining a manufacturing process inherited generation after generation.
More information about the event
The following websites outline more information about the event: www.manisesturismo.es and www.ceramicaobertamanises.es; our social media as well: @visitamanises y @manisesceramics
In the events section appear all the activities scheduled for September 17, where the public individually can register for all the proposals planned for that day.
There will be a tourist train with four stops that will tour the different ceramic points of Manises. It will allow participants to move around and not miss any scheduled activities.
Participants: Aliarte Ceramica, Maribel Martinez, Ceramicas Palanca, AVEC Gremio, Isabel Cortés, Porcelanas Mercedes, Vicente Martinez, Rosa Garcia, Antonio Cordero, Encissar-te, ANPEC National Association of Ceramics Professionals, Pepe Royo, Arturo Mora, Eugenia Bosca, Clara Martinez, Xavier Monsalvatje, Rafaela Pareja, Vicente Diez Factory, Drac Ceramic and Valencian ceramics.
Ceramic Passport: The Ceramic Passport is a document that allows participants to obtain unique benefits by participating in this day. It can be obtained at the Ceramica Oberta information points or at the Tourist Info of Manises.
That same day, each purchase made to the participating ceramists will be stamped in the passport of the person making the purchase. These are limited units and will only be available until stock is out.
Depending on the purchases made, you can obtain exclusive products of Ceramica Oberta: Aprons, hats, special articles of ceramists, etc. The exclusive products will be collected at the Tourist Info office of Manises presenting the passport and the sealed purchase tickets.
