Open Call for an Internship with Empar Juanes at PEDRA casa estudi 2026

You will live in my home, share my studio, and work alongside me to develop my new series of work. Besides this, you will have the unique opportunity to help on organising and assist the Week-stone carving retreats at PEDRA casa estudi I am planning during this period. My home-studio is a 250 year’s old traditional mediterranean house, with around 250 m2 to live and create surrounded by nature in a small village situated 30 min drive from València called Llombai.

**Check my instagram profiles @pedra_casaestudi @emparanoia to have an insight of what I mean ;).

This is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience, refine your skills, and immerse yourself in the world of contemporary jewelry art, creating a series of pieces from start to finish, gaining a deep understanding of the creative processes of an artist, who won the Herbert Hofmann Prize 2024, and is a finalist of the Loewe Crafts Prize 2025.


You will learn:

• Knowledge and practice of all techniques related to stone carving.
• What it means to make a living from art today, from the perspective of a young person with significant recognition and professional experience.
• A deep understanding of my artistic vision and creative processes.

Main tasks:

• Assist in the artistic production.
• Keep the spaces of the workshops and the common spaces of the house clean and organised.
• Assist in PEDRA week workshop— helping with everything related to the workshop-retreat; from organising the content, setting the bedrooms, the workshops, building up furniture, machinery, .. to go last minute groceries shopping and assist cooking. If the participants are beginners, you'll have the opportunity to teach them basic techniques.
• Create content for Instagram — process videos, reel editing, and educational content about artistic jewelry and creative processes.

Skills required :

• Jewelry-making skills: Basic knowledge of goldsmith techniques is preferred.
• Stone carving knowledge (or willingness to learn).
• Artistic sensitivity: Understanding of design, aesthetics, and creative processes.
• Content creation: Basic skills in photography, video editing, and social media.
• Communication skills: Ability to interact with participants in workshops and collaborate effectively.
• Keeping workspaces clean and organized.
• Proactivity and flexibility: Willingness to adapt and take initiative.
   

Included:

• Accommodation, including a private room with a personal desk.
• Free access during free time to the stone, goldsmithing, and enamel workshops.
• The opportunity to experience life at PEDRA Casa Studio, building a creative community with other jewelers.

Previous Intern experience:

I spent a little over two months living with her in her house and studio. From the very beginning, she welcomed me with a big smile and infectious energy.

These two months were an invaluable opportunity for me to grow both as an artist and as a person. Helping her plan her next workshop brought me closer to my dream of becoming a teacher one day, allowed me to view the creative process from a different perspective, and enriched me with the knowledge of each person who participated in the workshop.

Waking up every day in Llombai was an unforgettable experience; surrounded by nature and in such an authentic, Valencian place, it renewed my energy every day. I had never worked with stone before, and those months with Empar not only gave me the opportunity to learn her technique up close but also to discover the magic behind each piece. From the inspiration, the way she approached the material, which led her to new ideas, to how she interpreted the material at each stage of the process, how her essence was embedded in every piece, to even how she contacted galleries and planned how to show her work.

I had always heard that living off contemporary jewelry was almost impossible, but seeing someone who does everything for their passion, who breathes art with every action, was truly motivating. Empar is a multidisciplinary woman, knowledgeable in music, art, jewelry, and architecture, and working alongside her gave me the chance to see my own work from that same perspective. It was an opportunity to bring all my outside knowledge from different disciplines and give more value to what I do.

In conclusion, my internship with Empar allowed me to be in direct contact with the world of artistic jewelry, understand its processes from start to finish, learn new techniques and materials, and feel like part of a collection by a renowned artist who trusted me. It allowed me to question and improve my own processes as an artist and taught me that discipline can take us a long way. I leave with a great teacher, mentor, and friend.
/María José Jaramillo


Application:
Send your motivation letter, CV and short portfolio to emparjuanes@gmail.com, and I will invite you to an online interview. Besides the technical skills, a personal level understanding is important for me, as we will be living together :).

Ah! and I have a 1-year-old dog, Boira, so you would live with her as well! <3