Stories That Inspire
Cida Lima
Cida Lima's artistic journey started as a child, shaping clay to assist her family. In 2005, her path shifted when she met the visual artist Ana Veloso, who was leading a project to revive handicraft production in Belo Jardim, Brazil. With Ana's guidance, Cida and her 11-year-old son, Jailson, began crafting distinctive pieces, including the renowned ceramic heads, which quickly gained widespread popularity.
Marcos de Sertânia
Marcos Paulo Lau da Costa is an important representative of wood sculpture, born in Sertânia, Pernambuco, in 1974. He belongs to a new generation of masters in Brazilian folk art, with his own style and language.
His creations are part of collections in Brazil and abroad and have been compared to the works of Portinari and the Italian artist and sculptor Amadeo Modigliani.
Mano de Baé
Evilásio Leão Machado, known as Mano de Baé, is an artist from Tracunhém, Brazil, known for his unique clay and ceramic creations. Inspired by everyday life, his works portray fertility, dance, courtship, companionship, and dreams. His distinctive style features flattened faces and bodies, adding a personal touch to his art.
Beto Pezão
José Roberto Freitas, known as Beto Pezão, is a Brazilian artist born in 1952 on the São Francisco River banks. His art features expressive strokes and rich details, portraying life's adversities in the faces of backland characters. The distinctive large feet in his pieces have become his signature style. With six decades devoted to clay art, he continues to captivate at 70 years old.
Nil Moraes
Nildyvan dos Santos Morais, known as Nil, is an artist from Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará. His journey began unexpectedly when he was challenged to create a wooden chessboard for his living room. What started as a hobby soon turned into a passion, and within a month, he had crafted all 32 pieces.
Previously a baker, Nil dedicated his free time to sculpture, gaining recognition in 2017 when his works were featured in the "Raízes" exhibition by Ai Wei Wei in São Paulo. Today, Nil continues to innovate, releasing a new piece each year, striving to reach diverse audiences with his unique creations.
Zé Crente
José de Tertulina, known as Zé Crente in Ilha do Ferro for his colorful wooden animal sculptures. His work combines tradition and creativity in the production of multicolored pieces that are a true representation of Brazil. His colored or natural wood artworks have become a reference and today he is considered a genius in sculpting trunks, branches, and roots.