M
allorca is full of talented artists and makers, many of whom use the island as their muse in their creative practice. These illustrators and designers are using printmaking to bring to life their love of the island and its many different facets – from the mountains to the sea to village life and the simple, everyday pleasures of being in Mallorca. Prints and postcards are a great way to bring art into your home or office as well as to support local talent. For visitors, this is a perfect way to carry a piece of the island home with you.
Belén Pez
Belén Pez is one of Mallorca’s most beloved printmakers. Her distinctive style – marked by vibrant colours and colour-blocked imagery – captures a sunny slice of the island in all its fresh beauty. A glass of lemonade set against a blue sky and flowering lemon tree, a bright red bicycle leans against a stone wall overlooking a charming cove beach, a pop of pink bougainvillaea hangs over a royal blue door, a cat sweetly looking outward, and in almost every image, a big yellow sun hangs brightly in the sky. Some of her prints have a Japanese-inspired feel in their flattened surfaces that feel modern and retro at the same time. Pez makes postcards and prints and also works on commission for larger projects.
Leo O'Donnell
Originally from Derry, Ireland, Leo O’Donnell has been living in the Sóller Valley for nearly a decade. Inspired by his walks in the mountains, he began making detailed drawings of the landscapes he was discovering – from the wildlife to curved stone walls to the ancient, gnarly olive trees. He then began to trace his drawings onto a sheet of lino to create relief prints, trying to “create as much texture and drama as I can”. They are typically black relief on a slightly brown or cream paper, but he also uses red frequently as well. While his prints are picturesque images of the Sóller Valley, there is also an element of humour. (He is Irish after all). Cackling chickens or cicadas playing the drums are a few of the characters that make regular appearances in his work.
Raccontin
Designed by Agustin Osta, Raccontin designs calendars, prints, postcards, stickers and other related paper items. His use of soft, earthy tones and washes of muted colours are perfectly suited to his images of the picturesque facades of Mallorca stone houses, with their green or blue shutters or the traditional windmills that are found around the bay of Palma. His style is almost sweet or slightly naive, but purposefully so, to best capture the quiet beauty of a traditional interior, the front of a typical outdoor cafe or a cat napping on a table. He also makes drawings of people and animals or everyday objects such as a vintage teapot, a plate of croissants and a jar of jam.
Molta Muntanya
As their website states, Molta Muntanya is “two mountain lovers who want to convey their love and respect of nature through art”. The team uses traditional screen printing to apply their unique designs onto organic cotton t-shirts, tote bags and sweatshirts, and they also make a range of prints and posters. Avid hikers and passionate about the Tramuntana Mountains in the northwest of the island, Molta Muntanaya’s prints feature topographical images of certain mountains, linear outlines of popular hikes, and native flora and fungi. Nature is their inspiration. Compared to the other artists on this list, their prints are often black and white, enhancing the graphic appeal of their designs, which reflect the mountains and natural elements of this world such as the sun, moon and stars.
Lara Granqvist
Lara Granqvist is an artist and musician whose work includes performance, painting and printmaking, among other things. Much of her work has a surreal, if not slightly punk edge to it. She recently began creating a series of monochromatic silkscreen prints and postcards of some favourite places around Mallorca. She uses bold colours such as red or neon pink for iconic island scenes such as the Soller train, a donkey in the Tramuntana Mountains or a birds-eye view of the simplified shapes of a beach. The style is linear and geometric, contemporary with a slight retro flavour making for some amazing prints.
