Severino Silva de Souza signs his work as Verino. Maybe because there are so many Severinos in Ceará that it’s better to identify oneself with a single name, and a short one at that.
“Today, August 1st 2005, it’s exactly 18 years since I started working at the Father Cícero Craft Artists Association. I was born in the area in 1969, and had a brother-in-law who was a craft artist. One day he said that sculptor Francisco Araújo needed a helper. I talked to him and started working sanding his pieces. I watched him at work and learned. I think I have a knack for it because when I was 15 years old I used to make figurines in epoxy. Today I work with wood and really enjoy it. It’s my way of life. It has allowed me to support my family and raise my son. The most important thing for me is being able to say each morning: I’m going to work. From Monday to Saturday, whoever wants to see me can find me at the Association.” |
