It became clear to us that an artist’s surroundings can serve as both inspiration and a guide, a sentiment perfectly embodied by ceramic artist Madalena Telo. Residing and creating in the Serra de Monchique, nestled in the hills overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in the Algarve, Telo finds creative energy in this unique setting. We visited her in the cozy studio she shares with her father, a renowned ceramic artist, to explore how the positive energy of this place fuels her artistic growth and enriches her life. Our conversation delved into her experiences of living and creating in the hills.
IRMA: You switched from fashion design to sculpture at the Porto Art School and now you work in ceramics. Tell us how each step has defined your creative language and in what way?
MADALENA TELO: When I was growing up, I always expressed myself creatively through the way I dressed, spending long hours drawing and illustrating characters with different clothes and patterns. The idea was to work in fashion and I was accepted to one of the best fashion design schools in Portugal, in Porto. But I quickly realised that the world of fashion design was not just about designing new clothes and creating new patterns, the competition and the fast pace of always having to predict future trends was a pressure I did not enjoy. Also, my growing environmental awareness was not compatible with the fact that fashion manufacturing is one of the most polluting industries in the world. I didn’t want to be associated with that reality and contribute to increasing textile production. Then I discovered that I wanted to experiment with different artistic and more sustainable materials, so I started studying sculpture at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Porto. This allowed me to work intensively with more natural materials and to explore the conceptual and literary side of the artistic world. During this time at the Faculty of Fine Arts, I felt an immense desire to return to clay, the material of my childhood, which I used to materialise my childhood dreams and where I found refuge.
IRMA: You are now showing your work in a gallery in Osaka, Japan. What does that mean to you and has it changed the way you work?
MADALENA TELO: It is a great recognition of my work and I am humbled by the opportunity to be associated with a culture that values the richness of manual work and has an ancestral tradition of great ceramic masters.
At the same time, it is an interesting experience to contribute with a different approach that expresses my side of the world with a vision that represents my surroundings.
IRMA: Tell us about your colours, which are all very subtle and earthy.
MADALENA TELO: They are the colours of Monchique in endless landscapes, from the greens and browns to the blues of the Atlantic Ocean. The pigments I find in the mountains are incorporated into my pieces through a deep alquimist process.
IRMA: You grew up in a family of ceramic artists, how does it feel as an adult to have had the benefit of a creative childhood?
MADALENA TELO: Very, very privileged to have parents who did not limit my creativity and gave me the tools for expression and expansion.
IRMA: What medium do you look to for inspiration?
MADALENA TELO: Old illustrated books, architecture and decoration magazines.
IRMA: Tell us about a place in the Algarve that you always return to.
MADALENA TELO: The Algarve is an ancient territory of cultures and religions, always open to change and new winds.
It is a place where the soul regenerates under the sun, where the inner elements can be aligned and where time slowly nourishes the body, mind and soul. There is a lightness and ease that is inviting and welcoming. I feel very safe creating my art in such a nest.
IRMA: A plan for the future or something you really want to do in your career?
MADALENA TELO: One of my future plans and achievements (hopefully not too far away) is to have full creative freedom to express my art at my own pace, rather than being limited by deadlines or other people’s preferences.
One of my dreams that is about to come true is to have my own shop/gallery in the charming village of Monchique.
