Matthew Micallef is a 31 year-old candle designer and candle-maker whose products are more like pieces of art! His family business, Coronation Candles, dates way back to 1925, yet his range of hand-carved waxworks have brought the company bang up to date.
As interiors pieces, Matthew's candles are unique and eye-catching, and are a far cry from your average factory-produced candle. By constantly adapting to the market by including methods such as carving and painting within his wax working, Micallef is quite literally making his mark on the local arts and crafts scene with his creations. We caught up with the artist himself to find out more about his vocation. Here's what he had to share with GuideMeMalta.
Hi Matthew! We love your original candles! Tell us, how did Coronation Candles start off?
"Our earliest documents show that the company had been established in 1925, and seems to have been handed down through the generations until it was acquired by the previous owners, Joseph and Edward Micallef (no relation), who had moved to the factory from the heart of Zebbug, to just outside Zebbug in Mdina Road."
"We initially used to manufacture the plastic containers for the votive candles, and had acquired the company back in 2012 when the previous owners retired. Since then we've incorporated the production of candles into our portfolio and are currently the last remaining candle company open in Malta."
Wow! What does the company do now?
"Coronation Candles still manufactures the common red candle which most people run to when the lights go out. Since then we have been introducing novelty candles in order to tap in to new markets and provide a platform to showcase innovative techniques to revive the craft of candle-making."
And you're doing great at it! When did you get into wax working yourself?
"After spending much time working on the production line in the factory making the red candles, I noticed that lots of people contacted us for all sorts of candle-related questions for making all sorts of candles. The diversity of products that our company made was very limited, and our knowledge was also very limited when it came to the diverse range of candles available on the market. So I initially started making basic scented candles, and worked with local glass makers to merge our traditions together to create a product."
Great stuff! How and where did you train in wax working?
"I was self-taught at the start, and made very basic candles, learning what I could from the Internet. In 2015 I discovered an interesting course by an artist named Gary Simmons, who resided in Grasse, a beautiful city dedicated to fragrances, who was a candle designer and offered a unique intensive week's course, which really inspired me to pursue this as a career. Since then, I've spent most of my time experimenting myself with this interesting material, and have developed a lot of innovative products and techniques which are totally unique to candle making."
You've definitely come a long way! What is your speciality?
"I am currently focusing on creating scented candles housed in entirely wax vessels. Recently I have been practising with textures and designs on the candles themselves in order to merge traditional techniques with candle making. This has the effect of creating a very artistic and innovative look on what would otherwise be an ordinary product."
Whereabouts do you sell your work?
"I sell my work on my Instagram page Coronation Candles. However, I have pieces available from stores like Niu Mee, Gallery 42, Corinthia Palace, Studio 104 gallery and Mdina Glass."
What has the customer feedback been so far?
"Customers are typically surprised to see what can be done with paraffin wax, and each individual has their own preference as to what they would like to see in the finished product. In the end it's the time that goes in to making a piece that the customer is appreciative of, and the fact that they have never seen anything like it before is what encourages me to keep experimenting with this material to see what can come out of it."
Lovely! What are your plans for Coronation Candles?
"I would like to see Coronation Candles moving towards a more vocational direction, as since our market for competitive goods gets consumed by foreign imports, we need to stand out by being competent in our work. This has the added effect of sharing ideas in candle making which might inspire more people to become creative. Only time will tell what will happen, but whatever does happen, candle making will remain a part of my life."
Thanks Matthew! Keep up the great work with Coronation Candles!