Café, paintings and wool

Miguel Solans

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
I’m working on a series of paintings as well as a large-format tapestry using the tufting technique. I also regularly combine painting and producing my own work with other projects such as album covers, posters, T-shirts, etc. For example, one of my latest projects has been a seasonal fruit and vegetable calendar in collaboration with my friend Claudia Polo.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on it?
Working with wool is relatively new to me. I suppose I’m learning about the technique and the material. But I’m also realizing how important it is to know a material in order to work with it. I feel like I need several lifetimes to do it.

What’s been the most difficult thing you’ve faced recently in your creative process?
Organizing everything I need has been quite a challenge, as I’m kind of chaotic, and coordinating all those things that had to happen at the right time to carry out the project has been a real feat.

What is your favorite coffee shop and why do you like going there?
Acho Coffee, located in Zaragoza, is the best! Delicious coffee, and the owner is a really cool guy. He knows a lot about coffee and will give you his best stuff. Also, you’ll soon be able to see some of my artwork in the shop.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
This February I’ve felt a bit like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. The Magnetic Fields for the soundtrack.

Which studios, laboratories, or workshops have you collaborated with recently or would you like to collaborate with in the future?
My most recent collaboration was last year with Handshake Fun, a studio from Valencia. They made a four-color screen-printed T-shirt using one of my paintings.

I enjoy collaborating with others and sharing ideas. Two heads are better than one. Actually, that’s not always the case, but sometimes interesting things come out of it.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
I really like Danny Fox’s work. I like his way of observing his surroundings and how he translates them into his paintings, very direct paintings that show the everyday, laden with symbolism. Martin Parr’s photography reflects society as it is, showing you its rawest aspects and making them beautiful. I recently discovered Maruja Mallo’s work. I really like her compositions, which feature many characters and are full of events, and how she blends folklore and surrealism.