Artist's Statement | Art Portfolio

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Raised in a Portuguese household, I was immersed in a tradition of fabric arts – sewing, knitting, embroidery, and crochet – practiced by women around me who worked with fabrics, thread and yarns. This influenced my art, helping me to understand texture, colour, shape and form. Hands make beautiful artworks. I believe that in the creative process, hands work with mind and soul.

My art attempts to draw the viewer into my world. Whether a still life, a landscape or a portrait, I tell a story without saying a word. Making a connection that resonates is very important. When I reflect on my mother and grandmother’s creative works, I am evoking a longing for something that feels lost: their presence, traditions and the deeper significance of their craftwork. Nostalgic memories are concealed within the fibres of domestic fabrics. Emotions, family ties and narratives are embedded in the physical objects. I constantly seek new ways to honour these traditions. Reflecting on memories and making art heightens my awareness of the deep, unspoken connection between art, memory and identity.

The bowl, a recurring motif in my work, serves as a metaphor for femininity and is a symbol of fertility and creation. My bowls are receptables of memory, personal history and family narratives. Simultaneously, tissue paper bowls displayed on the wall, denote the fragility of life, almost like they will float away if not grounded.

My exhibition explores the concept of a tenuous intergenerational transfer. The bowls rest on plinths and move up the wall in one continuous movement. Some bowls are damaged, alluding to the effects of trauma. The collage emphasizes the vital role of women in shaping artistic heritage and is an homage to my maternal lineage. It includes a family photograph and crochet in an autobiographical journey highlighting the importance of women in art.

My exhibition spans various media includes wooden bowls, clay, paintings, collage, and paper mâché. Some bowls are made from air-dry clay, some are encased in fabric, while others are crochet doilies reinforced with fabric stiffener.