In 2025, I had the honor of being a finalist in the National Craft Awards, in the Entrepreneurship category, a recognition that highlights the project I’ve been developing at pazmesa.art. These awards recognize individuals and workshops each year who are committed to high-quality, innovative crafts that are also environmentally conscious.
What this recognition means
Being among the finalist projects in the Entrepreneurship category is a great boost for a rural textile workshop like mine, which is growing step by step, starting from a small village and with limited resources. This recognition reinforces the idea that solid, contemporary, and forward-looking initiatives can also be built from local and artisanal sources.
Finalist in the 2025 National Crafts Awards in the Entrepreneurship category: an impetus to continue working in the future from the rural environment
A rural textile workshop with local wools
At pazmesa.art, I work with local wools, especially Xalda sheep wool, and natural dyes, weaving unique pieces on a loom that are born from the landscape and the memory of the region. Each scarf, shawl, or blanket is crafted slowly and carefully, with attention to animal welfare, environmental impact, and the relationship with the rural community that sustains this craft.
Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas
Submitting this project to the National Craft Awards in the Entrepreneurship category was also a way to highlight that entrepreneurship in rural areas is both possible and necessary. Crafts generate local employment, help retain population in villages, and offer more conscious consumption alternatives connected to the land.
One More Step Along the Path
Being a finalist in the 2025 edition is not the end goal, but rather another step along the path of continuing to research, weave, and experiment with colors, shapes, and formats to bring Asturian wool and textile creation closer to more people. It is also an invitation to continue championing crafts as a form of innovation rooted in the land, connecting tradition, sustainability, and the future.
All photographs are by Pablo Morquecho (Rod&Cone) and have been provided by EOI-Fundesarte
