Helena Gamos

My name is Helena Gamos, I studied philosophy and sculpture. I have just returned to my homeland, Galicia, after having spent several years training and working in Italy. There, in Pietrasanta, a village at the foot of the Carrara mountains, I learned to work in stone carving. I am still landing in Galicia and starting again, so we could say that my project is at a very early stage.

I hope to be able to develop my project in the form of a workshop and under the name of “Taller de líneas curvas” within a year. My project consists of the creation of stone boards with incisions and reliefs. These boards can be used for tables, countertops, shelves, etc… Sculptural works with a decorative function.

My first contact with stone sculpture was in 2016 studying the sculptures in the Musei Capitolini in Rome. After studying those Roman sculptures in depth, I took the leap to study sculptural techniques at the Escuela de Arte la Palma. I completed my training at the Academia di Belle Arti di Napoli and in the artisan workshops of Pietrasanta in Upper Tuscany. As I got to know more about the different techniques and ways of working, I decided that I wanted to train in relief and incision in stone.

In my pieces, incision and relief always predominate, seeking to establish a dialogue between line and material through touch.

My business objectives are:

My target is to carry out a project in Galicia that allows me to develop a workshop, to be able to continue researching the material and to offer users a close way of relating to incision and relief in stone. I would also like the laboratory to be a laboratory specialized in stone relief techniques.

My learnings from the Crafting Business Programme:

I have learned which are the necessary tools to take into account when starting a business. I think that now I understand more clearly the place of finance, marketing and commercialization when it comes to carrying out a project. In addition, the course has given me the keys to learn how to relate to areas of the economy of which I was unaware of their value.

I also believe that the course gives us the keys to clarify the ideas we have about what we want to do or what our project consists of.

Now I know how important it is to know the customer, to know who is the type of customer for your product. And how significant it is to offer products that are understood. Honestly, I had not given weight to the client, for me all the weight was in the piece that I created.

For me, this course has given a very big turn to the business idea I had. Before, I wanted to offer a thousand combinations of products. I think what has changed the most, in my case, is to be able to offer a clear and simple proposal.

My 5 top tips that I have learnt on this journey:

1. Have a clear idea of your value proposition.
2. Know the customer.
3. Marketing in a way that does not confuse the customer.
4. Collaborate with other artisans and create networks.
5. How important it is that the workshop is really profitable. That is, to understand the money in the business, how it works exactly, how much I earn.