We recently had the chance to connect with Jose Lopez and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Jose, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me as a sculptor begins early, around 6,00 am, usually with a cup of coffee and checking a lot of emails from my inbox. When email work is done is time for paperwork, today any artist is also an entrepreneur, because of that it is crucial to manage your studio as a business to achieve a profitable art studio.
After dairy paperwork it is time for art creation. Firstly, I spend some time observing the pieces I’m working on. I like to start by sketching ideas or reviewing any clay maquettes I made the day before. Once I’ve set a plan, I move into the physical work—cutting, chiseling, shaping, or smoothing, depending on the material. The rhythm of the tools and the texture of the stone or clay guide me through the hours.
There’s a lot of stepping back, studying the form, and adjusting—it’s a conversation between me and the material. Some days are filled with inspiration; others are spent fixing small details or waiting for sculpture material to set. By late afternoon, I clean up, make notes about what’s next, and sometimes photograph my progress. It’s tiring but deeply satisfying work—each day feels like a small step toward bringing something timeless out of raw matter.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I AM A CREATOR OF POETRY IN PORCELAIN!
Poetry has the quality of music and manages to convey states of the human soul in a beautifully evocative and intense way. This is the concept of Porcelain art, like poetry, it is freed from forced schemes to then become a pure form of artistic expression.
MY POETRY IN PORCELAIN awakens deep emotions and allows us to go beyond reality, to observe things that are not commonly considered, delving deeply into the human heart. My artwork in porcelain serves drives you to think, reflect and imagine. They can be large-scale installations or intimate.
As a Western artist I am the heir to a rich cultural tradition. Although this is a great value it was not enough to me. Because of that, nearly twenty years ago, I felt an irresistible need to know further about other ceramic movements all over the world. That feeling drove myself to live and travel throughout South Asia. It was just at that time when the ancient ceramic art tradition developed in the Far Easter, caught all my being. I took advantage of that exciting time to learn deeply about those ancestral ceramic techniques.
I have never taken any formal training in art because I have never needed it. I was so lucky to develop my skills as an artist along with some great artists and craftsmen around the world. Having said that. As an artist I have a simple and effective rule of thumb “If you want to become a great master, you have to create a lot works, as much as you can and even when you are tired of doing it, do not stop creating.” I am not a great master yet, but every day I am closer to achieving it.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
According to my parents, at the tender age of three, they caught me decorating their bedroom walls with a lot of drawings, it was a spectacular beginning as an artist and also my first large scale work. Unfortunately, our landlord did not agree and my parents had to paint over all of my drawings, maybe I was too ambitious… or not. Since then, I have not stopped developing my talent as an artist.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
When I was a very young artist, fear was a constant companion—quiet but persistent. I remember feeling an almost paralyzing mix of excitement and doubt every time I started a new piece. I worried that my work wouldn’t be good enough, that others would see all the flaws I couldn’t hide, or worse, that they wouldn’t feel anything at all. I compared myself endlessly to more experienced artists, wondering if I would ever find my own voice or be taken seriously.
There was also a deeper fear—of failure, yes, but also of exposure. Art felt so personal, so revealing, that showing it to the world meant showing parts of myself I wasn’t sure I was ready to share. I struggled with that vulnerability, the feeling that creating something honest could make me fragile.
But over time, I learned that fear was part of the process, not an obstacle to it. It pushed me to keep going, to experiment, to risk imperfection. I began to see that courage in art doesn’t mean the absence of fear—it means working through it, letting it shape your sensitivity rather than silence it. Those early fears, in many ways, helped me become the artist I am today.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
My most ambitious project as a sculptor is one that challenged every part of me—technically, creatively, and emotionally. It began as a simple idea: to create a large-scale installation entirely from porcelain, a material often associated with fragility and delicacy. I wanted to push its limits, to see how far it could be taken before it broke—both literally and metaphorically.
The project will take years to complete. I am designed a series of monumental porcelain forms that seemed to float and fold like fabric, exploring the tension between strength and vulnerability. Every stage demanded precision and patience—the slightest miscalculation in drying or firing could destroy months of work. There are many failures, many heartbreaks, but also moments of revelation when the material seemed to reward persistence with unexpected beauty.
Working on such a scale with porcelain forced me to rethink what sculpture could be. It became not just about the finished forms, but about endurance, resilience, and trust in the process. When the installation is to be finally completed, standing in that space surrounded by the luminous, almost weightless sculptures, I will feel an overwhelming sense of fulfillment. It will be a reminder that ambition in art isn’t about size or scale—it’s about daring to attempt what feels almost impossible, and letting the journey transform you.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope my sculptures will continue to inspire long after my hands have left the material — standing as enduring expressions of creativity, resilience, and the shared human impulse to shape beauty from the world around us. My legacy is not just the art I leave behind, but the connection it fosters between people, places, and time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lopezmarcos.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joselopezmarcosartist/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-lopez-marcos-international-artist-3a3a92132
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lopez.marcos.144
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
