My interview with Bussoga – part 2
The more designers I interview, the more I realize what they have in common: Tremendous drive, a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done and a the ability to think outside the box. The same goes for Josep Motas, the talented Catalan ceramist and founder of Bussoga. I…
The more designers I interview, the more I realize what they have in common: Tremendous drive, a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done and a the ability to think outside the box. The same goes for Josep Motas, the talented Catalan ceramist and founder of Bussoga. I visited Josep recently at his home in the rustic village of Sant Jordi Desvalls north of Barcelona, a region with a rich tradition in ceramics. This is part two of my interview with Josep. You can read part one here.
My interview with Bussoga – part 2
What I like about your work is that you can combine different tiles into new combinations.
Bussoga tiles are sold in packs of two, four, ten or twenty. You can combine different packs to create decorative murals. You don’t need cement to glue them. We supply the back tags to stick them to the wall – it’s all very easy. You can combine whatever tiles you want in any composition you like. All tiles are 15 x 15 centimeters – so you can even use them as accent tiles in a kitchen or bathroom, even though Ididn’t primarily design them with that purpose in mind.
What is the biggest challenge for Bussoga?
Things are pretty hard right now in Spain, so for me the biggest challenge is to expand to the rest of Europe. I sell a lot through FAB in Germany, which is nice of course. Then again, money is not the most important thing. I’m very happy when the alarm clock rings and the first thing I think is: Wow, I make a living doing what I like! My girlfriend Irina and I have to do everything ourselves, though. Marketing, designing, producing, accounting – even calling shops when they don’t pay in time, which is one of the few jobs I don’t really enjoy.
Do you have any advice for starting designers? You seem to have learned so much since you got started!
Financially, it’s not easy to work as an independent designer. However, it does really motivates you to go for it. If your work is good and it gets picked up by the press, it feels so great. I love it when people ask me what I do for a living and they know my work. I may not be rich and I may not have a Mercedes parked outside, but I’m very happy with what I do. Maybe that Mercedes will come in twenty years or so, but right now I have something that I’d never get from working for a company.