Raquel Garcia Martinez (Spectacular Pakistan)

by Faiza Sherjeel
(Lahore, Pakistan)

Raquel Garcia Martinez from Spain (Spectacular Pakistan: An International Sugar Art Collaboration hosted by Faiza Sherjeel)

Event: Spectacular Pakistan
Participant: Raquel Garcia Martinez
Location: Tarragona, Catalonia-Spain

Raquel Garcia Martinez from Spain - Interview

Hello everyone!!!

My name is Raquel and I am of Spanish nationality and I live in Tarragona (Catalonia). I am 39 years old and I am mother of two children of 9 and 6 years old who pushed me to make this dream come true 4 years ago. I started to work with 16 years combining the studies with the working area to face the expenses of the studies. Nowadays, I am still working part-time for maternity as a sales assistant job that I combine with this other sweet world that is my passion!!!

I have always liked everything related to handicrafts and painting since I was a child and about three years ago my oldest son wanted a cake decorated with fondant from the angry birds. It was his biggest dream and it was what he wanted for his party with the most enthusiasm, so, without thinking it twice and without knowing anything about how to do it or have any suitable material, I got down to work!

After that experience, several friends ordered me their children's cakes and that's how it all began...

At the beginning of 2017 I started to participate in different international collaborations and that's where I can really do everything that comes to my mind and where I've had the pleasure to meet great artists and people that today are great friends as well as partners.

I have been part, as a guest, in a virtual way at the Nigerian fair "The Lekki Cake" 2017 and 2018.

What I like the most when making a cake is undoubtedly the moment when I give it life by modelling and shaping that plastic chocolate or modelling paste. That is really my passion, modelling, that moment in which you see that a simple piece of cake becomes a great illusion for someone.... Or when you see that little by little you are creating a human face from nothing... I enjoy a lot. It is the best moment without any doubt. I have to admit that the worst part is all the preparation, I hate it: structures, creams’ preparation, rkt’s preparation... The whole beginning makes me desperate. I suppose that it is for the desire to start doing what really fills me with passion ... Sculpting dreams!

Normally, I do not make any outline of my projects, I do not have the patience for it... when something comes to mind directly I have to capture it. I am unable to draw first and then do the piece unless they are complicated and with some kind of structure more complex than usual, then with previous time I put on a sheet what I have to elaborate. I would like to finish perfecting the hyper-realism in the figures. I am a self-taught person who has been learning everything that I know based on mistakes, of playing with pieces and starting over and over a thousand times until I find the balance. I still have a lot to learn, so we will continue trying new techniques to achieve the goal ...

The best lesson I have learnt throughout these four years is that one never has to lose the self-confidence. I think that it is the true secret to fight in this life. I learnt to breathe deeply and to have patience where hope disappears... And you never have to give up, if you like something and it is your dream, you have to fight for it!!

The main thing is that you never throw the towel. If you like what you do, you always have to look forward and fight, never be satisfied, you can always improve everything! Try new things, sometimes in the least you think you find your comfort zone and your specialty... The secret is not to always win, but to never give up! In hard moments, take a deep breath, lift your head and move on!!!!

Greetings and hugs from Spain!