Wood Sculpture: Choosing the right tools

Wood sculpture can be approached in various ways, depending on the tools used. In Cerdeira’s wood carving course, participants have the chance to explore both manual and electric tools, each offering distinct advantages and producing different results.

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Rita Santos
Working with Greenwood by Peter Lanyon

Working with green wood – wood that’s fresh and unsawn – is endlessly inspiring. Each piece guides the work, with its natural shapes suggesting the forms it wants to take, whether a chair leg, a spindle, or a table lamp. This approach demands adaptability and ingenuity, yet it offers an immense satisfaction that I cherish. For me, true craftsmanship isn’t about imposing a vision but about listening to what the wood wants to become.

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Rita Santos
Spoon Carving - Art and Tradition

Using freshly cut, green wood—soft and fragrant—invites a respectful and patient approach. Each spoon begins as a block, transforming through the act of carving into a unique piece, that possesses form and function.  With just a few hand tools, like knives and gouges, each cut becomes deliberate and intentional, creating a rhythm that feels meditative. It’s a practice that highlights our capacity to create through basic tools while encouraging a deep respect for the material and nature.

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Rita Santos
The Ceramics Process by Matthew Blakely

Matthew Blakely creates pottery using locally sourced rocks and clays, emphasizing their geological origins. He meticulously collects and prepares materials, ensuring their provenance. Conscious of environmental impact, he uses non-toxic materials, efficient kilns, and local waste wood for firing. His process involves extensive testing to develop unique glazes that highlight the natural qualities of the materials, with wood firing adding distinctive textures and colors to his work.

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Rita Santos
Carlos Fontales on the Art of Creation and Tradition

For Carlos Fontales, basketry represents more than just a craft; it is a means of disassembling the complexities of a world he neither entirely nor has ever understood. In an era where productivity is often equated with profitability, Fontales finds solace and purpose in the act of creation. He sees basketry as an excuse to research, ask questions, learn, observe, and discover new people, occupations, lifestyles, places, and mysteries. This journey into the world of basketry is not about seeking external validation or profit but about finding sheer pleasure in making things with one's hands.

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Rita Santos
Porcelain on the Move by Patty Wouters

Vulnerability is the core theme of Patty Wouters's work. With porcelain, she expresses her feelings about the state of nature, about people who have to flee from their homes, about unstable balances, and about transformation into new situations.

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Rita Santos
The Allure of Wood Fired Ceramics by Marc Lancet

The blog article explores the allure of wood-fired ceramics, particularly within Japanese aesthetic principles like wabi and sabi. It argues that artists choose wood firing despite its labor-intensive nature for the unique and profound beauty it produces. Wood-fired pieces are seen as embodying imperfection and impermanence, akin to nature itself. Appreciating wood-fired ceramics is likened to tracking signs in a forest, leading to moments of profound contemplation and connection to nature.

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Rita Santos
Sound Masks - an immersive experience of personal transformation

The Sound Masks workshop is an immersive experience of personal transformation. The symbolic language of masks is a form of poetry in clay. In each creation, clay, water, and air dialogue shapes the void, which will be transformed by fire, leaving the imprint of the unpredictable. The fifth element that incorporates itself intangibly is sound.

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Rita Santos
Initiation into Sound Ceramics: A journey that awakens the sounds of the earth

It's an opportunity to delve into the universe of sound ceramics and learn about the history of America, the continent of winds.

Rediscover countless soundscapes that transport us to a particular time and space. Encounter magic, surprise, play, group dynamics, and allow ourselves to marvel at hearing the voice of our creations.

We seek to accompany and contribute to a search for personal visual and sound aesthetics with the archaeological influence of pre-Columbian America.

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Rita Santos
Exploring Overglaze Enamels and Lusters in Ceramics

In ceramic, few techniques captivate the imagination and elevate the beauty of pottery quite like overglaze enamels and lusters. These gorgeous adornments, applied delicately atop glazed surfaces, bestow a luminous sheen and iridescent allure, transforming humble clay vessels into objects of breathtaking splendor.

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Rita Santos
Rediscovering Tradition: An Introduction to Greenwood Work

In the heart of Cerdeira - Home for Creativity, the echoes of ancient craftsmanship come to life in Greenwood Work. A timeless technique that has withstood the test of centuries, Greenwood craft is experiencing a renaissance, drawing attention for its unique characteristics and the harmonious connection it forges between crafters and nature.

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Rita Santos
Slöjd: The Art and Tradition of Swedish Spoon Carving

Nestled in the heart of Scandinavia, Sweden boasts a rich cultural heritage that extends beyond its stunning landscapes and modern innovations. One such tradition that has endured the test of time is Slöjd, which encapsulates the art of handcrafting everyday objects. Spoon carving holds a special place among the myriad crafts under the Slöjd umbrella, embodying a harmonious blend of skill, heritage, and connection to nature.

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Rita Santos
Potter's Wheel: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Are you a beginner on the potter's wheel, eager to mold your creativity into beautiful ceramic pieces? While the journey of wheel throwing is undoubtedly rewarding, it often comes with its fair share of challenges. In this blog post, we'll explore some common mistakes beginner potters encounter and provide valuable tips on how to avoid them.

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Rita Santos