Carlos Pinto

Ceramic decorator

A fine arts perspective on ceramic works

Carlos discovered ceramics while studying painting at Lisbon’s Faculty of Arts
He explores intertwining visual art with modern and traditional ceramic craftsmanship
His paintings and drawings are inspired by Portuguese and Mediterranean cultural themes

Carlos Pinto left his native Madeira Island for Lisbon to study painting in 2018. A professor specialising in plaster moulds, in the ceramics branch of the faculty influenced a change of course for Carlos. “The technical aspect of ceramics sparked my interest to explore art, manufacturing and artisanal processes," he explains. Carlos went on to study at the recognised ceramics school in Caldas da Rainha. Back in Madeira, today he fuses his fine arts background in illustration, painting and sculpting with his ceramic pieces. “I like to merge traditional themes with innovative characteristics,” says Carlos. Alongside his artistic production, he seeks to continuously learn and explore the technical aspects of ceramics production to allow more people to experience fine art through ceramic painting.

Interview

What do you seek to achieve with your ceramic paintings and collections?: Visual and functional harmony. I try to keep a certain simplicity in the message conveyed. It is also key for me to work on the innovation side to facilitate the process of production and guarantee a seamless experience for the customer.
How connected to Portugal is your ceramic work?: Portugal’s rich ceramics heritage, from its strong historical Moorish, Oriental and European influences, is blended in the ceramics we see today. On my pieces it is reflected in high and low relief, organic and geometrical designs, or brush strokes telling a historical or daily life story.
Could you share an important ceramics project you participated in?: In 2024, I embarked on my first solo project to produce a limited edition of 260 pieces. Working with professional ceramics craftspeople to make these pieces was very fulfilling, as I witnessed how my project became a part of other people’s lives.
What was your first ceramics piece?: The first piece I made was in 2021, when I was in Madeira using a plaster mould. It was a Black scabbardfish, a common fish caught in my island. It was a tribute to the fishermen in the fishing village of my hometown, Câmara de Lobos.

Carlos Pinto is a rising star: he began his career in 2023