One of a kind
These pieces are the important steps of my journey (re)discovering art.
Today I can see how they evolved with me. They have a story, they are my “aha” moment.
I am a better person today because of clay. I had very little patience, a huge need to control everything (or to know how to control). Making these pieces was an exercise of discovering the unknown, the sense of time, the importance of letting go and trusting the process.
May we all have a way to express our voices and make this, a better world.
Menina-moça: growing up I didn't know my place. Was I a girl or a woman? I would see pictures of women around the world in books and couldn't find someone that could help me build my identity. From the long neck women in Africa, to the clean beauty of Brooke Shields, I was all and none. My head would go to so many places and the US would feel like home although the farm in Brazil was my heart. Decades later, I still feel like this: I'm still a "menina-moça", trying to find my tribe.
Walking: when I walk I can be easily distracted by nature around me. My eyes see things that a camera can't capture. I try, have tried and will continue to try. This goes beyond my knowledge of photography and my hope is to find different ways to translate what I see so I take pictures, I draw them, I paint and sometimes, I also make pottery. There must be a large file in my head with all the images I will never be able to translate. For the other ones, I've been doing my best.
Feed the soul: around the table, family. One side was the "North side". It was all about fun, not having proper manners, being loud. The other end was the "South side" and people supposed to behave while sitting there. Every Sunday, we were all there, around the table. It wasn't just about the food. It was about feeding our souls.
Square in circle: when I first learned the expression "a square peg in a round role" I laughed. That was me! That was how I felt. The pressure to "fit", to be part of, to belong. Ultimately I learned how to live with the feeling that "being closer was enough". I lied. It is not enough, will never be.
The new old: probably the first time I planned a ceramic piece before. All the way from shape to colors. Incredible how we just go with the flow, hope for the best, ignore our own needs to just have the feeling to get something done. Work hard to get where you want. Don't give up.
Imperfections: I admire fluidity. I know how it looks like. I have it all in my head. Why is so difficult to translate that? Because I set my bars way too high, or because I am looking for perfection, or because I haven't worked hard enough? Who knows. I still don't. I'm learning how to live with imperfections.
Jarro da lua: my first moon jar. I love seeing those perfectly done, white, smooth. Then I go there and do the opposite: dark, not perfect, rough. Contradicting to avoid comparison. That's my conclusion. When you don't compare, you avoid failure. I still love this one. Succeeded.
Blue ocean: And then, there’s a moment when the waves run through your toes, the blue ocean finds its way. Peace and calm. Hold tight, tide.
Family:
Eagle: In 2018 we went to Sedona and Flagstaff. I saw devastation. I built this piece in 2019 and for a long time, this piece stayed hidden until I understood what it meant to be: the eagle that I didn’t see flying there. Fly eagle, fly.
Last drink: I’ve been curious about Japan and forgot how many times I dreamed about samurais. If one of them had to have a last drink, would that be the one?
Trap: I always liked pushing the boundaries while working with clay. I built this piece to be a vase with a lid yet, as I know by now, we can’t control everything when working with clay and glaze. Voila! The clay was pushed to the limit, very thin. The glaze found its way and glued the two pieces together. I felt trapped. To have what I wanted, I would need to break it. I decided to save it.
Pororoca: All the stories about the tall waves formed during the pororoca when the Atlantic meets the Amazon river. Fresh and salty. Two powerful forces of nature.
Disguise: A walk with my dog led me to the birch bark and my mind started playing with the idea of creating a mask. Who will be wearing it? Why hiding? From fox to ET, it all came to how we show who we really are, or should we not?
Identity: How do you capture so many things you love in one place? Colors, textures, nature, patterns. These are all important to me. It’s been part of my journey to find my essence as an artist. This plate represents so many pieces of who I am.