WHO IS
SILVIA
GUILLEN

Interview with Sílvia Guillén for ARTISANIA

2min. 29/05/2025

Sílvia Guillén is an artist, designer and consultant specialized in branding and communication, with more than twenty years of experience in art and design. After building a solid career in the strategic and visual field, she embarked on a profound personal transformation that led her to reintegrate art as an essential tool of expression in her life. Based in Igualada, where she was born, her work leaves no one indifferent.

How did you first get started in art and craftsmanship? What was your very first project?
Art has always been part of me. I formally began Fine Arts in 1998 and later continued my artistic and design studies at La Gaspar. That’s when I started painting and experimenting with different techniques. I also participated for the first time in the art markets organized at Ateneu Igualadí. Later, as an adult, I trained and specialized in Artistic Ceramics.

Let’s talk about your present work. You currently have an exhibition at the Leather Museum of Igualada. What does this project mean to you?
This exhibition is a milestone for me because it brings together the artistic research I have been developing in recent years through ceramics. Under the title The Art of Rebirth. The Journey Back Home, it reflects a process of transformation and of personal and artistic grounding. Having the Leather Museum host this exhibition is a true recognition, and there could be no better place to present this “journey back home” than my own city.

Which piece or project makes you feel most proud, and why?
Rather than a single piece, I am proud of the overall outcome of this research. The works and processes are alive, interconnected, and part of a single project that opens a new stage in my journey.

How does the landscape and culture of the Anoia region influence your work?
My work draws inspiration from many sources, especially ancestral artisan traditions from Abya Yala, as well as other regions of Catalonia such as Vic, where I trained in ceramics, Menorca, Portlligat, Perpignan and Morocco. Anoia took on a new dimension after the performance Skin to Skin, held at the Leather Museum during International Museum Day, where I created a symbolic dialogue between skin and clay. That experience opened a deep connection with the territory and my own history, which materialized in an artistic action that was recorded and will soon be presented.

I’ve also built synergies with local creative projects such as Sita Murt, with whom I initially collaborated on brand campaigns. Later, they lent me pieces from their collection 100 Years Knitting and from the latest season for photographic actions linked to The Art of Rebirth. The Journey Back Home. These collaborations allowed me to expand the narrative of my work through other disciplines like photography, audiovisuals, fashion and architecture.

If you could collaborate with any artist or artisan, past or present, who would it be and why?
I have always felt an unconscious bond with Salvador Dalí. His dreamlike universe, his multifaceted creativity, and the world he shared with Gala in Cadaqués and Portlligat have deeply fascinated me. I even did a stage in Perpignan, a city marked by his influence and that of his contemporaries.

I also admire Joan Miró for his symbolic and chromatic universe, and Antoni Gaudí for his symbolic sensitivity, genius and connection with nature.

They all share a worldview, a visual and conceptual language that transcends the object itself and creates an entire universe. This ability to generate meaningful worlds rooted in intuition, symbolism and territory resonates deeply with me.

At the same time, I feel great admiration for artisans who keep ancestral traditions alive in their native territories, carrying a wisdom that connects profoundly with the land and the collective spirit.

Can you describe your creative process, from the first spark of an idea to the finished piece?
My process combines projection and intuition. I put myself at the service of the material and let it speak through me. The pieces have a life of their own and often continue to transform even after they are “finished,” especially in terms of meaning and narrative. It is a living, organic and deeply symbolic process.

In what ways do you think your work contributes to the local community?
I believe I help enrich the creative fabric of the region. My work also raises questions and reflections that can inspire both personal and collective growth. I like to think I encourage others to connect with their essence and to value the transformative power of art.

How do you see the future of craftsmanship in your region?
Our territory is rich in creativity, with artisans, artists, designers and companies that value excellence and attention to detail. I see great potential, and I believe Igualada and the Anoia region have everything it takes to become a reference point as a creative hub.

Have you always had your workshop in Anoia? If not, what brought you here?
I was born in Igualada but lived away for many years. Since returning, my studio has always been here. First in the Rec neighborhood, at the creative coworking La Maca, and later in my own space.

What’s the most challenging part of your work? And the most rewarding?
The hardest part is having the patience and perseverance to follow such an idealistic path as art. The initial investments and financial pressure can be challenging. The most rewarding part is dedicating my time again to my passion and experiencing such a fertile, creative moment.

What impact would you like your pieces to have on people?
I would love my pieces to invite pause, connection and inner listening. To awaken emotions, memories or questions. To inspire people to reconnect with what is essential and with their own creativity. Each work carries a deep, symbolic and living process. Hopefully, they can accompany others on their path or bring warmth and presence into their spaces.

What does being part of the ARTISANIA collective mean to you?
It is a way to support and give value to creative and artisan work. I’m interested in being part of a movement that promotes the talent and potential of our region, giving craftsmanship and art the place they deserve through direct actions for creators, as well as strategic initiatives inside and outside the territory.

Which ARTISANIA values do you identify with most?
For me, one of ARTISANIA’s essential values is highlighting both art and craftsmanship in the region. Since I work with artistic expression through ceramics, I see craftsmanship as the foundation for connecting inwardly. It can manifest in the beauty of everyday objects as well as in artistic and conceptual expressions. This integrative approach, which unites art and craft, is essential to nurture the region’s cultural and creative richness.

Would you recommend other artisans to settle in Anoia? Why?
Yes. Anoia is an ideal place to work from presence and deep listening, surrounded by cultural and landscape richness. The region is increasingly investing in creativity, and its human scale makes it easy to build close ties.

Would you encourage other artisans to join ARTISANIA? Why?
Yes, because it’s an opportunity to join forces, give visibility to creativity and promote craftsmanship from a contemporary, committed perspective.

I also believe it’s important to promote artisan and artistic work outside the Barcelona metropolis, encouraging cultural and artistic decentralization, as seen in initiatives like Manifesta 15. This strengthens local communities and highlights the creative richness of the territories.

Finally, what headline would you like to read in the press?
As I mentioned in another interview, I would love to read: “The Rec neighborhood of Igualada becomes an artistic benchmark in the country. Different spaces host local and international artists who are granted free-use studios to foster art and promote artistic and artisan activities, with workshops, shops and galleries.”