Rui Pereira
The starting point was how weather impacts our daily life, affecting our mood. As a reflection, I proposed ‘Ask the Cock’ an ode to an object that always fascinated me: the traditional Portuguese meteorological cock. This hanger / umbrella port, aims to avoids the typical question ‘How’s the weather today?’ Before leaving the house, the user just needs to check the colour on the cock and dress accordingly – when the cock is blue the sky is clear while if it changes to pink, the possibility of raining is really high.

Rui Pereira
The contact with the artisans was done by Show me gallery in Braga (city in the north of Portugal). The fact that the project is composed of three elements (wooden dish and chicken being the last one coated with cobalt chloride, iron structure) allowed me to work with two different techniques: carving and metalwork.

Rui Pereira
By developing several projects with artisans from different areas I realize the priceless mastery of this men acquired over generations that must be stimulated and revisited in order to avoid there lost.

Rui Pereira
The small production of handcrafted items is undoubtedly a process to be taken into account in the upcoming economical future. In a society that values more and more handmade and zero environmental impact products, the synergies created between designers and craftsmen are essential. The development of projects that merge these two realities is the key to create a parallel economy able to satisfy new niche markets.

Rui Alves
Taking the traditional Stool from Minho as a reference, two pieces were made whose names refer to an ancient tradition in which an “art” young apprentice would have to carry with him, to the Mestre’s or Mestra’s house, his or her own seat or table.

The wood, Portuguese chestnut tree wood from Minho, was used in the manufacture of furniture in that region in the north or Portugal. It’s quality is extremely good compared to others from other regions.

Sara Lamúrias
The traditional “paneiro” used on the table is one of the traditional objects that impresses me the most in terms of construction and with which I had already worked. The genuine simplicity of the construction starts from 3 concentric overlapped circles sewn in pairs in a different order. The circle closes, getting together three equidistant points, creating one organic shape with several pockets. Revisiting this piece, its concepts and utility, I pretend to bring it back to our daily lives by adding value through the nobility of the materials and techniques used on its construction.

Sara Lamúrias
Vasco was recommended to me for a personal project just before this one. I felt a great empathy from the beginning , for his way of working and admiration towards his work. Besides being a great artisan by the way he dominates its art, he does it with passion and perseverance. Both characteristics are very important for a designer that looks for someone to produce his ideas.

Vasco Luz
Sara is a generous person with an enormous creativity and visual sensibility. Her ideas are technically challenging for me . It’s always a pleasure to collaborate in her projects for the reason that there are direct consequences on the promotion of the individual and group work.

Sara Lamúrias
Vasco has received the project idea in a very positive way, understanding immediately that it would not be easy to make. Tirelessly he looked for solutions always having in mind a big respect for the project’s concept, the objects integrity and its value concerning the used materials and finishing.

Vasco Luz
As an artisan/artist I always feel a big motivation on my capacities when I’m involved in Sara’s proposals. Besides the practical side of her ideas there’s always one direction of art understanding and a notion of the impact of the originality that impresses me.

Sara Lamúrias
It’s important that the contemporary crafts lives from the designer-craftsman partnership for not loosing the best of the designer project methodology and the knowledge and unique domain of the artisan in order to give value and preserve our identity.

Vasco Luz
The technology allows the creation of great pieces but removes the
manual component that I appreciate so much. We must be intelligent on the ideas we propose and perseverant on their promotion. The future has to be integrated and sustainable. This will be the main label of arts in general.