🍷 Of Wines, ArT Toys in Spain & Hidden Truths

Chronicles & Confesional Legacy.

The Story behind Art Toy Gama Collective

The other day, we read a Story in a Newsletter we love: one of those stories that stops you mid-scroll and makes you feel something bigger.

In 1927, eleven winemakers in Peñafiel, Spain, decided to do something no one had done before:
create a winery to showcase the quality of their region’s wine.

They called it Protos, Greek for “the first.” And they were.

Years later, when the official designation Ribera del Duero was created, they gave up the name “Ribera del Duero” to the governing council; for the good of all.

They chose community over ego.
Long-term vision over short-term pride.

And the question at the end was clear:

How often do we see something like that today?

Not often.
But we did.
In 2014. In Tolosa. With ArT Toys.

🤖 Cristina Gave Up Her Show. And That Changed Everything.

That same year, Cristina A. del Chicca had been offered a solo show at GKo Gallery. It was meant to be a deep dive into her world; a showcase of her characters, her process, her brand Mageritdoll.

But something had just begun:
Art Toy Gama.

A few months before, we (Cristina and Sergio) had shared the idea of creating not just an artist Brand, not just a Store, but an artistic and professional Collective, a platform, a Movement. One that gave the ArT Toy Scene the voice, the respect, and the visibility it deserved.

We didn’t want to go alone.
So Cristina did what most wouldn’t:
she gave up her solo spotlight to create a collective spotlight.
To turn a solo show into a Group Exhibition.
To make room for others.

She chose the long road. The harder one.
The better one.

😶 But Good Intentions Don't Always Lead to Good Reactions.

Back then, we had a clear idea: build a real, professional Art Toy Collective and Movement, born in the Basque Country, Spain, connected globally, and committed to a standard of artistic and ethical excellence.

We spoke with other artists in Spain.
People we respected.
People we admired.

We even traveled to meet some in person.
Shared the plan. The vision. The heart behind it.

And it failed.
Completely.
They didn’t believe in us.
Worse; they didn’t want us in their circle.

Some of them banded together and built something of their own; without us, without conversation, and sometimes, against us.

That’s okay. That’s life.
But what hurt most was the dishonesty. The whispering. The “friendly” smiles that weren’t so friendly after all.

Even during that first exhibition in November 2014, titled

"The Truth of Pinocchio: A Different Way of Telling Tales",
we could feel the questions behind the smiles of these Spanish artists whom we thought were friends:

“Who are these other artists You’ve invited?”
“Why do they get to be part of the Collective?”
“What’s Your real plan with them?”

That unease… stuck with us.

And it taught us.

And the truth is, the energy they were putting out was bad; really bad.
In the weeks that followed, it became clear they didn’t like our plans… or us.
But they were never direct about it.
Instead, they whispered, they questioned, they talked behind people’s backs,
the kind of talk that poisons a room before anyone notices.
And honestly… what for?

💔 Not Everyone Wants You to Build Something Real.

What we eventually realized is that there are people who…

Some want to keep things small.
Safe. Familiar.
A circle of friends, not a Movement.

And the truth is, it’s often the most insecure ones who end up dragging down others…
people who you’d think were smarter, or had a broader vision.

The fact is:
we weren’t here to make a group chat.
We were here to make a cultural shift.
And most of the ones who doubted us?
They’re not around anymore.
They never believed in the long game.

And even some of those artists — the ones we first shared our vision with — went on to form their own Collective shortly after.
Curiously, it didn’t last long. One by one, they faded out.
Because building a team takes time.
Nothing comes for free; everything demands effort if you want to do it right.

🛠️ Who Stayed?

A few did. And they were enough to build something real:

·Cristina A. del Chicca, of course.

· Judas Arrieta, who was not only open, but enthusiastic.

From Spain, also from Basque Country like us.

· Sergio Pampliega Campo...writer of this very post.

· And of course, artists we admired from afar and now call friends:

o 🇨🇱 Antu Bocca Valenzuela (Chile)

o 🇨🇴 Iván Darío Espinel (Colombia)

o 🇦🇷 César Zanardi (Argentina)

We all consider ourselves co-founders of this Movement.

And yes, We didn’t start with many.
But we started with conviction.

🌱 The Truth of Pinocchio Wasn’t Just a Title. It Was a Metaphor.

Back then, in 2014, the ArT Toy Scene in Spain felt raw. Splintered. Unstable.

Just like our Exhibition set;
built of unfinished wood, like a puppet in progress.

We were carving something imperfect, but honest.
And that honesty is what made it grow.

This is the real truth:

Our beginnings weren’t glamorous.
They were hard.
Full of rejection, false promises, and second-hand smiles.

But Cristina’s decision…
to share the space, to elevate others, to believe in something bigger,
is what made Art Toy Gama possible.

She didn’t choose the easy path.
She chose the Movement.

🚪 Some doors close. Others you build with your own hands.

We’re sharing this now, just 11 years later,
because every Movement begins in silence.

Not in applause.
Not in likes.
But in the invisible choices that make visible change.

We live in a time where personal gain, personal branding, and short-term wins often dominate the narrative.
But Cristina’s decision — like those eleven winemakers — wasn’t about being first.
It was about being generous enough to open the door for others.

And honestly, that matters even more.

As the quote says:

“What we do for ourselves dies with us.
What we do for others remains and is immortal.”
— Albert Pike

📩 Stay with us. Stay close.

Because what we’re building now still holds that same spirit.
The one that believes in artists. In community. In honesty.
Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

👉 Subscribe to the Newsletter.
And be part of the next chapter of this imperfect, rebellious, beautiful story.

The First and Only Art Toy Newsletter Society in the World here: https://emails.arttoygama.com/l/email-subscription

Art Toys. Paintings. Fine Art Prints. Not what You expect.

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