TRAINING AND CAREER

-1951 (21 May) Apprenticed in the workshop of Luis Serrano at the age of 13 years.

-1951-1953 Enrolled in the Toledo School of Arts and Crafts, where he studied drawing and modelling.

-1953 Began working in José Martín Tofiño's workshop under Pablo Vega.

-1955 Joined the staff of Mariano Moragón's damascene workshop, where he continued his training in the Renaissance style.

-1959 Founded his own workshop.

-1961 Named Master Damascener by the Damasceners' Guild of Toledo.

-1969 Joined my workshop to produce and market its work.

-1984-2008 Design and production of the Tarascas de Honor of Corpus Christi in Toledo, given annually to outstanding persons.

-1989-2003 Master Craftsman of the damascene workshop for Toledo Provincial Council's workshop-school.

-1999 (June) Named Master Damascener of Castile-La Mancha.

-2013 (October) Selected as a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and Historical Sciences of Toledo.

 

AWARDS

-1984 & 1987 First prize in the Crafts Competition organised by Toledo City Council.

-1987, 1988 & 1989 Finalist in the Crafts Design Competition organised by the Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha.

-1990 First prize in the 4th Crafts Design Competition organised by the Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha.

-2004 First prize in the Masterpieces of Craftsmanship of Castile-La Mancha Competition organised by the regional government.

-2007 Plaque of Recognition for a life as Master Craftsman dedicated to damascene work, awarded by the Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha.

-2008 Finalist in the National Crafts Award for his distinguished career.

1^er. Prize in the Masterpieces of Craftsmanship of Castile-La Mancha Competition

organised by the regional government.

 

(prize-giving ceremony at the Ministry of Industry and Tourism attended by Infanta Elena)

 

EXHIBITIONS

-1957 First joint exhibition.

-1966 'Escuela Virgen de la Paloma' exhibition and International Craftsmanship Competition.

-1967 Exhibition at the Dublin Spring Fair in Ireland.

-1968 Exhibition at the first Crafts Bazaar in Toledo.

-1986 'Toledo and its Damascene Work Today' exhibition at the Palacio de Benacazón in Toldedo.

-1993 Exhibition in Cuenca.

-1993 Exhibition in Ciudad Real.

-1994 'Damascene Work Today, Techniques for the Future' exhibition at the Palacio de Benacazón in Toledo.

-1994, 1995 & 1996 Exhibition at Spain Mura in Japan.

-1998 Exhibition at the 5th Spanish Regional Centres Fair in La Coruña.

-2000 Exhibition at the 7th Spanish Regional Centres Fair in La Coruña.

-2004 Joint exhibition at the San Clemente Cultural Centre in Toledo.

-2005 'Todo Quijote' exhibition at the Las Tornerías Mosque Foundation in Toledo.

-2007 'From Craft to Art in Toledo Damascene work' retrospective at the Palacio de Benacazón in Toledo.

-2008 Participation in the exhibition of finalists' work selected for the National Crafts Competition held at the Ministry of Industry and Tourism.

-2008 Touring exhibition for the finalists selected for the National Crafts Competition held in January and March in Toledo and Barcelona.

-2012 Exhibition on the new inlay technique used for damascene work 'Damascene Work:

the Art of Inlaying Gold'.

-2013 'The Alcázar: a Dazzling Dream' exhibition of damascene work at the Toledo Alcázar Army Museum.

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE OF MY WORK

Creation of the 'Damascene work Magna Carta' for King Juan Carlos I of Spain for the Mayors' Association for the 5th Centenary.

Design and crafting of the damascene work 'Keys to Toledo' presented by the City of Toledo to:

-Her Majesty Queen Sofia

-Don Juan de Borbon, Count of Barcelona;

-the President of the Council of Europe.

Donation of a piece of damascene artwork to the Toledo Army Museum for its permanent collection of damascene works.

Other pieces:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Ciborium-paten presented to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI by the Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Velazquez's Christ on a Dominican cross given to the Archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares.

 

2009.

-January 2009 Presentation of the Work 'Don Quixote, journeying through La Mancha' at the Guanajuato Iconographic Museum in Mexico.

-El Cid sword, Toledo Provincial Council.

-Damascene work chalice, Church of San José Obrero in Reus, Tarragona.

-Portrait gallery.

-Misericord dagger.

-Damascene work cross 800 x 500 x 100 mm, Venezuela.

-Damascene artwork of the Divine Providence, Mexico City Cathedral.

Institutions and entities that own pieces of my work:

-Government Delegation in Castile-La Mancha.

-Office of the President of the Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha.

-Toledo Provincial Council.

-Toledo City Council.

-Infantry Academy in Toledo.

-El Quijote Iconographic Museum in Guanajuato (Mexico).

-Indonesian Embassy in Spain.

-Caja Castilla-La Mancha bank.

-Caja Rural bank in Toledo.

-Pro-Corpus Association of Toledo.

-Spanish Anti-Cancer Association.

-Exhibition and talk on the new method of inlaying gold in damascene work.

-Acknowledgement from the Mexican Banamex Foundation in the publication of the book:

”Great Masters of Folk Art of Spain and Portugal' (Damascene work)"

My work can be found in various countries, such as the USA, Japan, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Mexico, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Israel and Indonesia.

Mariano San Félix

 

Master Damascener

 

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