Joan Montero - Joan Montero

WHO I AM

I am a sculptor and artist specialized in wood sculpting located in the city of Olot, Girona.

I have more than 30 years of experience in wood sculpture. During my professional career I have created thousands of pieces of high quality and high artistic level.

I create pieces within different themes, such as religious sculptures, profane, figures for nativity scenes or purely ornamental pieces. In any case each one of my works is elaborated in a methodical way, working actively to give it expressiveness and character.

The quality and uniqueness of my work has made my art is recognized in many fields: from museums, parishes, fraternities, cultural entities, private collections …

I graduated as an artist at the renowned Escola de Belles Arts d’Olot (School of Art of Olot), founded in 1783.

Years of experience

HOW DO I WORK

Appearance at TV Ripollès

In 2012 the team of the program The Art of the Craftsman of TV Ripollès went to my workshop to know the secrets of my way of working.

I work each of the pieces by hand, using 90% of the time the classic tool of a wood craftsman: the gouge.

Creative process: a 100% artisan work

Each piece is treated with the corresponding affection, from the beginning of the project to the delivery of the piece to the client. Below are two examples of the evolution of two pieces throughout their creation process.

Creation of a figure of an altar boy

Process of initial carving, fixation of extremities and final works of creation of small details and complements of a wooden figure representing an altar boy.

Creation of a cart pulled by two oxen

Process of carving a typical countryside scene: a wooden cart pulled by a pair of working oxen

RELIGIOUS IMAGERY

Religious images are commissions from churches, confraternities and religious institutions or organizations in general. The great majority of figures elaborated within this category are virgins like the Virgin of Montserrat, Virgin of the Mercy, Virgin of the Immaculate Conception; and figures of Saints, Saints and Patrons.

MANGER FIGURINES

Hand carved manger figurines, finished in different shades of wax or polychromed with oil painting. All of them can be created in different sizes.

ROMANIC IMAGERY

Romanesque art was the first great artistic style clearly Christian and European in character, which between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries brought together the different artistic options of earlier eras. I have experience in the manufacture of pieces of Romanesque form and style.