Ángeles de las Heras Compañi

Decoration of tiles

NAME:

ADDRESS:

Calle Vera Nº 23 – 45112 Burguillos de Toledo

Website

DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK

They master traditional techniques from Toledo (of the Hispano-Muslim tradition), such as the cuerda seca technique, the tubat technique and slipware.

For the cuerda seca technique they use as a base an industrial red clay tile, drawing by hand the cuerda seca trace with a mixture of greasy substances and manganese. The enamels which are then applied are done so with a bulb syringe and a brush. They use the industrial format with the aim of lowering the costs of the final product, since the cuerda seca technique is rather laborious and can increase the final price of each tile.

When using the tubat technique they first manufacture the tools and frames which allows them to reproduce the tiles by pressing the clay within a mould. Afterwards the clay tile is fired and it is then enamelled with a bulb syringe and a brush.

Slipware is a technique to manufacture tiles with a frame. They then apply the slipware with a paintbrush and lastly they decorate the tile by means of the sgraffito technique.

APPRENTICESHIP

Ángeles studied at the School of Arts in Toledo and mastered Toledo tiling techniques in the workshop of the ceramist – from Toledo as well – Grego López-Aguado.

TEACHING

She worked at the Schools/Workshops of Consuegra and Belmonte. From the year 2000 to 2011 she was an instructor at the ceramic workshop of the Restoration School/Workshop of the Town Council in Toledo.

SELECTED WORKS

Restoration of the Chapel of El Valle, in Toledo.
Restoration of the Chapel of La Estrella, in Toledo.
Restoration of the main altar of the Chapel of the Cristo de la Vega, in Toledo.
Commemorative plaques and street map of the city of Toledo.