A number of years ago I stumbled into a small, intimate ceramic shop while wandering the streets of Madrid. Entering it felt like stepping into someone's living room. The space was warm and inviting and was filled with beautiful objects that had been carefully curated by the shop’s owner, Sylvie. On its shelves she had gathered handmade works from artists across Spain, creating a space where people could discover treasures ranging from delicate, imperfect teacups to terra cotta cooking pots that must be soaked for twenty-four hours prior to use. 

My admiration for these pieces wasn’t a product of their beauty. I was more taken with the way that they made me feel an immediate and connection to the people who created them.

I was particularly drawn to one group of works that were unlike anything I had ever seen. Their forms were simultaneously modern while nodding to the designs of older utilitarian vessels. Their textures were varied and rough. At the time, I wouldn’t have guessed that two years later I would be visiting the artist in his village of fifteen inhabitants in the mountains of Northern Spain. Raúl Mouro is the first maker who I collaborated with for The Middle.