Araceli Iranzo - SPAIN

“In 2007 Araceli Iranzo, till then a publicist, left Madrid and her career to go and live in the countryside of Mallorca, to connect with its nature and with herself. In her new rural life she came to know ‘Llata’, a traditional basketry practice from within the island, and ‘Ses Madones de sa Llata’ the oldest continuous all-women group of artisan’s who kept it alive.

In 2009 she went on to create the palmito bag brand ‘Antic Mallorca’ with which she allowed herself to explore her artistic drive through this practice. She began to design palmito bags, innovating their form and contour in ways that strayed from Ses Madones de sa Llata’s purer, more traditional style and over which she’d embroider colorful abstractions of Mallorca’s Landscapes.

As the years went on, the artisan group thinned in number, their calloused, tired hands not as nimble as they were in years past and the passing down of their “Know-how” was in danger. In order to maintain and spread it, Araceli brought together a group of artisans from many disciplines so that they all could learn this trade from Ses Madones, and pass it down to new generations, creating “L’escola de l’art de Ses Madones de sa Llata” in 2018.

After various years overseeing the teaching of ‘llata’ the cultural, sustenable, creative, and community, benefits of teaching artisanal techniques propelled the creation of ‘La Escuela Artesana’ (The Artisan School.) in 2021.

In it over 23 artisans undertook training courses in the many diffrerent artisanal disciplines of Mallorca and other parts of the world. Sharing and passing down traditional know-how, fomenting innovation and creativity with intent. ‘La Escuela Artesana’ supports the local community of artisans, trainees and apprentices dedicated to the preservation of traditions, Innovation in artisanry and the caring for our natural enviornment.”

- Translated from :@anticmallorca  @laescuelaartesana