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Zenilda, Zenaide and Zeneide Petuba da Silva are three sisters who were always known at school for their gift for drawing and art. “We made up what we wanted to do and how to do it and we always visited Mr. Zezito to see what he was up to. When he was working at the Cultural Secretariat, he invited us for a student showcase. We made some simple drawings on cardboard and won. Then he gave us a piece of sandstone, and we dashed off some abstract things. We didn’t really know what they were”, explains Zenaide. Zenilda (1962), Zenaide (1965) and Zeneide (1967) are known as the “Petuba sisters”. They are very close and work together all day long. But the work of each woman has their own individual style. Their father, who was very strict, always made sure they studied hard. They all graduated from high school and made craft art from doll’s clothes to flower arrangements to earn money without their parents knowing. “One day we took part in a craft art fair in Maceió where we met other people and exchanged information. It was a whole new world. Selling wasn’t important. All we wanted was to show our work and see what else was out there.” |
