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Nené Cavalcanti says her life has been full of stories, but with a happy ending. She was born Maria das Neves Cavalcanti in Lagoa Nova (PB), in 1948. She has always made toys, which were her life. In order to keep the children under control, her father hired a teacher to educate them at home. “It was like a prison. I used to tell myself that there was a world out there, and I would get to know it.” Eventually her father got ill and passed away. One of her sisters got married, had children and went to a big city to study. Nené went with her to look after her nephews. “I ended up studying with them. My sister went to São Paulo but I didn’t. What would I have done there? In order not to go back home I got a job.” In the end Nené also got married, had children and studied nursing. But it was in an Arts class that she found herself, through clay. “My first piece was a woman, which everyone liked. I knew there was a lot more to be made. I started making women and angels inspired by my daughter and I knew they were made with all the strength I have in me. My sisters also started working with clay. I don’t want my life to become stressful, I want to make each piece with a lot of care. Repetition doesn’t work well. People want everything to look the same, but I don’t like following orders. I want to be free to create. I know life has granted me that” |
