Marcos Fernando Rodrigues da Silva believes his first woodcarving was primitive in style. “It was a countryman taking water out of a well. I made it for a local fair.” Proving the quality of his work, he was immediately invited by Master Cornélio to work as his assistant. “I stayed for 3 or 4 months, and then decided to go my own way.” In no time, he was being called Master Paquinha. “I like regional themes. People say I make altars, but it’s not true. I make multiples.” His first multiple wasn’t sold straight away. “Shops wanted me to leave it and see if it sold, because it wasn’t an altar, but in one of these places a German tourist saw the multiple and bought it on the spot. So the shops began to accept my work. But it took a foreigner to say it was good.”