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Located in the heart of the Huertas neighbourhood, in Cervantes street, this silk painting studio is an extraordinary place where you can (and should) touch their fabulous scarves and shawls. The décor of the shop and its window display are already a delight for the eyes, and the silk, crêpe, velvet or wool textures of their creations are a sensorial wonder for our fingers.
Lola Fonseca started painting over 20 years ago, and ended up abandoning her successful professional career as a broker in the bank market to dedicate herself full-time to silk painting. This decision took her to opening a shop in Santa Isabel street, and after a few years she moved to their current location in Cervantes street, right across the seventeenth-century Spanish author and playwright Lope de Vega's house-museum. It was therefore inevitable that the literary ambience in the so-called Barrio de las Letras (Literary Quarter) would influence Lola Fonseca, so you can commission personalized scarves with a poem or other text of your liking. This thriving neighbourhood is full of quaint shops with Spanish designer and decorators showcasing their work. Lola Fonseca is perhaps unique because you can meet the artists there while they complete their creations.
Claudio, who was trained as an engraver in various workshops in Madrid and Barcelona, has also worked in Barcelona in a wide range of artistic fields: engraving, design and mounting of art exhibitions, design and execution of bespoke and hand-painted furniture, and, of course, painting on silk. His incredible talent as a draughtsman is obvious in both the imaginative designs and the fine detailing of his works.
Claudio perfected his technique on silk with the artist Mitsuo Miura and with his mother. For 15 years, he ran a successful workshop and shop (Atalanta Manufactura) in Barcelona, but he decided to move to Madrid and ended up joining the team at Lola Fonseca. Amongst his professional experience, it is noteworthy that Claudio worked for 4 years at Factum Arte, where he painted for the workshop of the renowned British artist Marc Quinn. His attention to detail results in truly astounding representations of Nature.
Lola y Claudio also find inspiration in Japanese art, in the paintings by Klimt or Velázquez, as well as 1960s fashion or medieval bestiary manuscripts.
Above all, they find inspiration in Nature, which they both know how to represent in amazingly realistic detail. Their creations render homage to the variety of colours and shapes we find in the Universe, from sealife such as fish or octopuses, insects such as dragonflies, flowers such as poppies or roses, to the trajectories followed by sub-atomic particles such as neutrins or the constelations on the firmament above us.
The whole universe fits in this shop where you can find a wearable work of Art representing different details of the magnificent world around us.
If you are looking for something truly special, high quality and hand-made that you can wear wherever you go (silk scarves can be worn both in hot and cold weather), head to Lola Fonseca. Experience this unique shop now- you will find yourself returning whenever you are in Madrid.
They also offer silk painting classes for a maximum of 2 people on Wednesday afternoon and/or Sunday mornings. For further information, contact Lola Fonseca by email:
Location:
C/ Cervantes 20
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 10:00 - 14:00 / 17:00 - 20:30
Saturdays: 10:00 - 14:00
You can follow Lola Fonseca on Facebook.
Thank you, Lola y Claudio Fonseca for your inspiring creations! We share your passion for Nature and we absolutely love your work!
Across Madrid recommends this shop as an independent company, and there are no commissions whatsoever involved in our recommendation. We simply have been there and loved it!
© Almudena Cros, December 2015. Please note that this article may be quoted in editorial contexts only, with source and author.