Adolfo Mendonça

R Goncalves, Vania

Ceramicist

Advocate of Azorean beauty

Adolfo discovered his vocation during his studies in Lisbon
His Azorean roots and love for his island beckoned him home
He transformed his garage into a workshop

When Adolfo Mendonça left Angra do Heroísmo to study Equipment Design in Lisbon’s prestigious Faculty of Art, he quickly felt a need to complement theory with practice. “I explored ceramics during my studies. It enabled me to express myself and materialise my ideas.” After completing his degree, Adolfo returned to his island eager to create handmade ceramic objects inspired by the lush nature and the sound of the ocean. He uses traditional tools, such as the potter’s wheel, but innovates with representative textures and shapes of maritime life such as sea urchins. Winning the best Contemporary Artisan prize at the International Artisanal Fair in Portugal (FIA) is a promising step for this young ambassador whose pieces incite discovering the Azores.

Interview

Do you remember the first object you made?: Yes, it was a sea urchin with the shape of a box. I made it during a plaster moulding class at university. It was a way for me to alleviate my homesickness, "matar saudades" as we say in Portuguese – I really missed the Azores during my time in Lisbon.
When did you decide to follow the ceramic path professionally?: After my Equipment Design course at the Faculty of Fine Art in Lisbon, I went back to my island. I worked as a graphic designer to save money to buy the necessary equipment to set up my workshop. It took me two years to transform my garage into a multifunctional atelier.
Are there any surprising aspects about your work that people don’t realise?: Many people don't realise that the sea motifs I recreate are made manually in clay and they are not simply painted creatures. They don’t always realise the amount of time that is spent finding the best technique – rollers, moulds or ballasts – to make a specific piece.
What do you love most about being a ceramicist?: The freedom to be myself, to see my ideas materialise and to feel complete. It is true that it involves long hours of work and persistency to get the result I want but it is worth it when I see the accomplishment and also the appreciation of my work.

Adolfo Mendonça is a rising star: he began his career in 2017