In conversation with Minx Factory, artists, Barcelona
Borneo and Michelle: Minx Factory
I am very pleased to present Minx Factory - Michelle and Borneo who make the coolest ceramics. I have admired their work for a very long time and we worked together in 2022 on the second Arddun Stores Ceramics Edit. I finally got to meet them face to face at the Independent Ceramics Market in February 2025. Read on to find out more about them and their work… Make sure you follow them on Insta! I’ll let them introduce themselves…
“We're Michelle and Borneo, a couple of artists based in Barcelona, together we are Minx Factory. Our work stems from a desire to turn the everyday into something special by bringing awareness to the present moment through the incorporation of beautiful objects. We like to challenge the codes of traditional ceramics.
We like to break the rules, explore new forms, and play with colour, with designs that reflect who we are.
More than decorative objects, our pieces are little explosions of character and authenticity, infused with a strong personal style. We offer a fresh take on contemporary ceramics, where function meets art, and craftsmanship meets urban culture. Every piece comes from a collaborative creative process where we both offer our best ideas.”
Who - are you?
Michelle: I was born in Mexico and raised between Colombia and Argentina.
After studying graphic design in Argentina, I soon realised I simply enjoyed being away from screens and spending more time with my hands in clay. That’s how Minx Factory was born in 2016 — a space where my love for bold colours, playful forms, and graphic aesthetics could come to life in ceramic pieces. One year later Borneo and I moved to Barcelona.
I've deepened my practice with ceramists like Tortus (2016), and through formal studies in ceramic arts and surface decoration at Escola Industrial in Barcelona (2018). Ever since 2020 working with my partner has brought a whole new perspective to the project :)
Borneo: I'm a multidisciplinary artist born in Caracas, Venezuela, and currently based in Barcelona, Spain. My work has always revolved around character creation, but over time it has taken on a more abstract focus. Patterns, shapes, and gradients have become part of a more mature visual language — one that reflects a constant search for new layers of beauty and meaning.
Why - do you also have a thing with ceramics?
Michelle: There’s something very grounding about working with your hands in a fast-paced, digital world. The calm vibe of a ceramic studio is one of my favourite things. Hanging out with people who might have very different lives but then you all find a common ground in ceramics feels amazing. Clay is alive. It teaches you patience, humility and presence. Plus, after lots of trial and error, I'm in love with the results we're able to achieve now. There's no limit to learning in this craft.
Borneo: I like getting my hands dirty, feeling the clay, and watching an idea turn into something physical and lasting. For me, ceramics is a form of therapy — and definitely a way to push the boundaries of my artistic practice.
When - did ceramics come into your life?
Michelle: I have been connected to clay since the age of seven, when my mother signed me up for a local pottery workshop in Bogota, Colombia. From that moment on, working with my hands became second nature.
Borneo: I started out painting murals and developing characters, but my need to keep exploring new materials eventually led me to ceramics — in a small workshop in Buenos Aires, Argentina. That’s where clay became a natural extension of my work.
Borneo and friend in the studio
Where - can we find you on a typical day?
Both: We like to start our days by exercising, those after-workout endorphins set the tone for the day :) Monday through Friday, you’ll find us at the studio in Barcelona, covered in clay, with music or a podcast playing in the background. We split our time between making pieces, teaching, packing orders and doing some computer work. We're also taking a weekly jewellery class together, learning a new skill in a completely different craft feels super refreshing. Now that we're in summer we go to the beach on Saturdays and try to spend some time chilling at home on Sundays :)
Michelle in the studio
What - are your plans for the future?
Both: Right now, we're working on expanding our connection to new shops around the world, and looking to connect with interior designers and architects to involve our work in projects that impact people's environment through lighting, murals, tiles, and furniture. Long-term, we look forward to continue enjoying what we do, to have a supporting community, to being present every moment and have the least amount of worries possible, is it too much to ask for?
