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orking from a small studio in the mountains near Galilea, Paco Romero is deeply connected to his surroundings and the sense of peace that pervades this magical area. Born in Alicante, Romero studied fine arts, focusing on painting and sculpture at university, and then moved to Barcelona, where he worked with a ceramic artist, learning about the basics of ceramics and training in wheel throwing. Around eight years ago, in 2016, he moved to Mallorca, and began his own practice working with clay.  On the island, he began making functional ceramic objects – cups, bowls, teapots, vases, and selling locally in shops and markets, and more recently has moved towards developing sculptural and decorative objects for interiors and site-specific commissions. Since moving to Mallorca, Romero’s ceramic practice also shifted completely, as he began to focus exclusively on hand building techniques, which, he says, he “finds more organic and soulful for me”.

The natural world is infused in Romero’s ceramics – from the rich earth tones of the clay, to the natural tools he uses, such as stones and sticks, to help form his hand-built art works. He doesn’t use any exterior glazing, rather he chooses to keep the colours of clay intact, using local oxides or liquid clay, sometimes he mixes a slip of porcelain to infuse different tones. Everything is cooked in his gas kiln. “I want to create ceramics in a pure state and I like how with time, the surface will naturally change and show the ageing process,” he says.