Spain, and Andalucia particularly, are large rural areas which, at times, seem to have only just entered the 20th century, let alone the 21st (excluding the coast of course). This has definitely contributed to the survival of a range of artisan type skills and cottage industries that aren’t found elsewhere –especially in Northern Europe.
Most villages in Malaga province have at least one example of an active artisan workshop with skills that have remained intact and passed down through the years, often since the Moorish times. The moors were brilliant craftsmen-think of our legacy of tiles, silver and gold work for a start. Often a variety of goods can be purchased more cheaply directly from the craftsman than from their town based outlets. So visits are the order of the day especially if there is the chance to see the craftsmen or women actually at work.
The ceramic industry must still be one of the biggest survivors-not all the pottery you see is produced in large factories: a good deal comes from small family potters working with kilns that seem to come from the 19th century. In Jimena, near Sotogrande, the local potter and his wife operate as a team. He throws, she decorates. Some is fairly basic but the more detailed pieces such as gazpacho and fruit bowls are exquisite. A chance to buy something original at a very reasonable price.
Unfortunately, the next two generations are not expressing much interest in carrying on what must be at least a 200 year old family business. Any offers? Malaga also has a number of potters and the town is famous for its metallic–type glaze.
Moving onto the difficulty named “mimbreria” –wicker and cane work- you will find this is still a very active craft. Most of the weekly markets (try Puerto Banus or La Linea) have at least one or two stalls selling baskets, chairs, cradles, mats, hampers and many other hand made wicker items. These are often made in small businesses and, even to this day, if you walk around the back streets of any town or village you will see old men seated in the sun weaving baskets. It seems to be mainly men- I don’t know why! You can buy all this stuff in shops in Marbella but why not give your money to the craftsmen? Espadrilles, our favourite summer shoes, also used to be made by local craftsmen using the tough fibrous inside of the Agave flower spike, but this skill does seem to have died out and nowadays jute is the material of choice.
Spain is renowned for its beautiful leather and if you pay a visit to the leather town of Ubrique you will certainly see the finest selection. Ubrique is a small sierra village near Ronda (so you can get there in less than 2 hours) and virtually the whole village gain their living from leather. Women stitch and cut in the house, men cut and buy, and the shops all sell leather goods. You wonder where they buy their food! The purses and bags are particularly pretty. Ubrique has some great restaurants and the countryside is unspoilt so it’s a great outing. Saddles and riding boots are still made by hand in Spain and workshops can be found tucked away in backstreets in most places. The doors are always open so pop your nose in and admire the beautiful tooling!
Small furniture workshops are to be found in every town but Ronda has really given its name to its own style”rondeña”. This is traditional Spanish furniture but with a bit of solid class. Just wander along the main street and the smell of newly made chairs and tables is divine! Cork is a rather underrated material in Andalucia but just recently small workshops and collectives have been opening up to produce very pretty furniture, knick-knacks, tiles and mats from it. I must admit the chairs always look very clumsy to me but there is no accounting for taste.
The list goes on but I must mention the artisan food products of the area, the olives. Farmhouse cheeses, black puddings and salamis and of course Jamon Serrano!
