The metamorphosis of natural materials to the state of the art

In a world of copies and so mechanized, being authentic is increasingly rare and, at the same time, the differential for brands and professionals to succeed in their respective markets. In design is no different and, the more unique, best. Like this, O Handmade, o handmade – handmade in Italian and English, respectively - gains space and, oftentimes, is elevated to the level of a work of art – yes, there is a fine line between design and art – if it differs from copies, maintaining the superiority status of the one who does it, as well as the product and whose purchase and sale value only grows. Three different artist-designers, each in a different area of ​​activity and raw materials, live in this field of the singular, of the only, and tell a little about the processes and highlight the importance of handmade work.

organic forms, asymmetrical. Inaccurate cuts and contours, imperfect. This is 'handmade'. Irregularities that are the identity of designers and artists and that, the more they are present, more are perfect, as the designer and artist says Rapha Preto. “Such works bring in imperfection the affection. We are all born imperfect and we go in search of evolution throughout life.. And it's the same with the works made by hand.: each one brings a story and a phase, and that's the perfection of life, is something unique.” In front of the studio that bears his name, Studio Rapha Preto, the artist, working with raw materials such as corten steel, for example, difficult to handle, brings its inspirations in the natural forms, which makes him create even more organic and exclusive pieces. “Even though it is a more resistant material, I can't look at corten steel as an item that offers any kind of difficulty, but as a learning. I always search through forms, folds and finishes, express myself and reach a connection with the feelings of the people who will have contact with the work.”

On the other hand, malleable and fully moldable, a argila, a mineral derived from sedimentary rocks composed of very fine grained aluminum silicates, associated with different types of oxides that give it different shades, it is a very rich material, versatile and ancestral – the first known ceramics date back to the prehistoric period, with archaeological finds that show objects manufactured more than 25 thousand years BC – which can be used in aesthetic and health treatments as well as in the manufacture of day-to-day utensils, like glasses, plates and cups and of course, the ceramic coatings. E, using clay as a base, professionals from different areas of expertise use this raw material to offer well-being and it is through cognitive processes that talented hands materialize what is inside the brain, turning ideas into products.

This is what happens to the ceramist Natália Uchôa Netto, who had her first contact with ceramics in 2008, in a class he took as a hobby. Years later, in 2014, revisited that feeling of touching clay and started producing pieces, without pretense, at the request of friends. “I started working on the balcony of my apartment and, gradually, orders were increasing. So, I needed to look for a new space and I never stopped”, reports Natalia. Like this, was born the Studio NOW. Inspired by pebbles – those small rounded stones that rest on river beds – the first creations were vases that brought the shapes of the stones stacked in a more balanced way.. “I am always inspired by nature and its organic forms, but, sometimes something comes from architecture with its curves or even its geometric shapes and I try to insert them into my work.”

On the other hand, the designer and plastic artist Jacqueline Terpins has been developing its creations inspired by the 'existence', as she herself counts: “the theme inspires me and permeates my work, in its different forms and scales. I express myself from my personal experience, bringing issues inherent to every human being.” Along 21 years of work – it is worth noting that Jacqueline Terpins Studio has been at the same address since the beginning, in the Pacaembu neighborhood in São Paulo – the artist moves very well through different raw materials, but mainly with glass which is formed by a basic composition between silica sand, sodium and calcium and that several steps later, to have the necessary shape and consistency, undergoes burning at very high temperature – about 1400 degrees Celsius. By the way, according to jacqueline, this is not just one of the most delicate points in the process. “In addition to the high temperature, I consider time a fundamental element. When dealing with masses of different temperatures, the demand for accurate movements arises, the technique has to be performed very precisely.”

Glass is one of the most commonly used materials in the world and is one of the few that are fully recyclable.. Its malleability allows the most diverse creations ranging from a simple glass to a work of art., that is, the function and creation separated and united by the inspiration of the one who makes it. “Regardless of the purpose, art or design, in my process, first comes the expression and the truth in what I want to communicate. In this way, I believe that the work ends up existing in a fluid and natural way in my work”, scores Jacqueline, one of the few Brazilian artists who works with this technique. And keeps going: “The starting point of the creative process is the need for expression. Ideas take shape through clay models, lead plates, sketch; the repetition, the exercise, the activity of seeking the desired form defines the path and the goal”, finaliza Jacqueline Terpins.

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