Arts and crafts Vélo Pays Basque

The makhila is a walking stick, a Basque emblem created over 300 years ago. In the village of Larressore, the Ainciart-Bergara family has been making makhilas for 7 generations. The technique used to create a l'Atelier makhila is ancestral: it is made from medlar wood fetched from the forest. Each one is unique in the way it is personalized. The workshop has been recognized for its exceptional heritage value, being listed in the inventory of rare crafts under the Unesco Convention and awarded the EPV label.

In this workshop-boutique, Patricia, ceramist, and her daughter Laureline (training in applied arts), will explain to you the different stages of working with clay. Some pieces are questioning and their colours and roughness seem to come from chance, whereas in reality it is a matter of mastering the material before firing. Lamps, some of which are embellished with driftwood, crockery, decorative or everyday objects are waiting for you. The pieces are unique and each week's production reveals the talent of the two artists.

In Louhossoa, glassblower Jean-Marie Rimbault ("Jmeu") devotes all his time to the art and technique of transforming glass. The glass deforms, gradually taking on aesthetic forms and becoming an "artistic jewel". Lighting fixtures, sculptures, carafes, stemware... His artistic creations reflect the true language of glass (colors, distortions). The studio is open to visitors, with introductory courses and an online shop window for orders.

There's no stopping Jean-Jacques when it comes to creating contemporary designs that revisit ancestral stained-glass manufacturing techniques. Light fixtures and so many other 100% handmade glass objects, for both private individuals and decorating professionals, are the product of his imagination. Drawing on the heritage of a painter grandfather, he combines the knowledge of the ancients with the modernity of today's design methods, integrating wood and metal.

Bruno has a few strings to his bow... As a surfer, his playground is the ocean. A renowned art photographer and graphic designer, creator of urban furniture lines, osteopathic energy therapist and sculptor, he's a true "jack of all trades": all materials, with an interest in both the useful and the superfluous. A prolific artist and lover of the cetaceans that inspire him, he magnifies them with masterly sculptures of pure lines that can be found all along the coastline.

Lena, who has lived in Guéthary for the past ten years, began her career in pottery in 1995, having previously worked in weaving, decorative painting and sewing. Her uncluttered, unadorned style creates functional pieces in stoneware or porcelain, mainly for the table. Mugs, mugs, salad bowls, plates, vases, etc., whose simple, unadorned shapes reflect the Scandinavian influence of our Swedish-born artist. Unique creations, from the simplest to the most sophisticated.

In 2020, on the initiative of Daniel, a journeyman carpenter, the Maison Zabaldu was created in a former warehouse, bringing together craftsmen and craftswomen, and thanks to the association that promotes creation in all fields. The association's DNA is to promote and transmit these talents by bringing them together. Today, 7 artisans have set up shop in these "échoppes", while the other members have their workshops in the Pays Basque, Béarn and southern Landes. It's also a lively place, with events and initiations for children.

Erika Sellier is a painter based in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. She offers paintings on glass as well as works inspired by the Basque country. You can also discover them just across the street, at the XAYA gallery restaurant, where some of her paintings on waste paper and canvas are on display. Erika Sellier recently won the PRIX D'EXCELLENCE at Art Expo Paris, organized by Maison et Jardin magazine.

In addition to their boutique in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, you can also find a selection of their creations at other outlets in Paris, Thonon-les-Bains and Annecy.

Erika Sellier is a painter based in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. She offers paintings on glass as well as works depicting the Basque country. They can also be seen at the XAYA gallery restaurant, just across the street. Erika Sellier also exhibits her paintings on waste paper and a few canvases on the Basque country. She recently won the Prix d'Excellence at the Salon Art Expo Paris, organized by Maison et Jardin magazine.