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João Pereira de Andrade, son-in-law of Mrs. Isabel Mendes, has been living in Santana do Araçuaí for 30 years, and doesn’t hide his admiration for his teacher. “There are many people around here who work with clay. They owe everything they have to Mrs. Isabel. She was the one who started making dolls and taught anyone who wanted to learn. Before, people only knew how to make pots and dishes. I learned with her, and then got to a point when it was time to follow my own path.” João now works at home with the help of his wife. His pieces are different, very sensual. There are women by windows, cooking, pregnant, brides, as well as poor children. Like João, other artists are likely to emerge in this area which has such a rich clay tradition, seeking a better quality of life, both spiritual and material. |
