Raquel Hoshino is a Brazilian designer of porcelain that is influenced by the roots of the various countries of origin of her ancestors.

Granddaughter of Japanese, Raquel has a pinch of Portuguese in her blood since her maternal grandmother was the daughter of Portuguese, a genetic and cultural legacy that influences her work today in china. The design by Raquel Hoshino is the result of a melting pot of various cultures that can be enjoyed through the various collections signing. An unpretentious design with influences of Kawai aesthetics, combined with fun patterns inspired by nature without tarnishing the whiteness of the porcelain. Beyond the obvious influence of the Japanese concept of beauty in her work, the Portuguese tile is one of her key references for the recreation of everyday objects that are part of a kitchen. An inspiration from the collection of porcelain and colonial tile panels own by her grandmother.

A journey that took place in Portugal, in order to know the culture and origin of her ancestors was also essential as a reference for her creative process. At the Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon, she found the result of the intersection between Eastern and Western art, fruit of the Portuguese colonization. A hybrid that has influenced so markedly that he created a collection called Lisbon.
Her connection to Portugal, however does not end here, Raquel Hoshino despite being one of the most influential designers of  her country, producing in its own name, works in partnership with Teixeira porcelain. The owner of this company based in Sao Paulo is a Portuguese from the city of Aveiro that, had his initial training, before emigrating, in the equally famous Vista Alegre in Portugal. That is to say that the world is small.

www.hoshino.com.br/

http://www.porcelanateixeira.com.br/.

http://portugalbrasiljapao.wordpress.com/

Maria Landeau marvels us with her design pieces that reflect the division of space, the separation of visible and invisible at the same time tell a story to delight ...

Why the choice of glass?
Maria Landeau: It was always a material that fascinated me the duality between stiffness and whether it is a very sensitive material. It is also very tough. It is the visible and invisible. There is a story beyond that which is being counted. Create multiple interpretations, the private and the public, so to speak, of division of spaces.

We see that as well in the lamps?
Yes, The ones I created for the Reina Sofia Museum, about the work of Paula Rego, I used this very concept of transparency, visible and invisible, the idea of ​​stories being told at the same time. And it gives room for different interpretations. Also because in her work, there's this space for many interpretations.

I noticed that in the lamps there is always a story that was originate in a book, there is always that worry?
Not always. Other times are based on stage plays in here I do a slight change in the characters of the early twentieth century to become a robots of the future. That is, there is a slight twist on the characters. Often they are also stories, parts of moments, things that I heard ,that I see, or that interest me.

How's the acceptance by the public?They are unusual? Portuguese are sensitive to the concept of design?
There has been great acceptance. The Portuguese public is open to the design and is sensitive in that area. Often what happens is not easy for designers to present their pieces to be seen by the public. This is sometimes difficult. The way to achieve the end. But, yes the Portuguese public know what they are seeing and values.

It is one of the most successful Portuguese designer abroad. Much of his work stems from a profound reflection coupled with a great imagination that he develops into objects for the everyday life.

Even today he dreams with his childhood games. And driven by a need to create every day he goes back to his studio in New York, to carry those memories and transforms them into objects that brings us to a memorial drawn in chalk where there was room for a top-wells and springs and a mysterious world full of strange insects that astonished his childish look. This is the universe that Rui doCouto, who tries to duplicate in his work entitled, "childhood memories", art installations and sculptural pieces of furniture for private clients and residential and commercial spaces that transport you to the Azores of his younger days.
When it became clear that you wanted to be a designer? And what motivated you to do so?
I have been creating since I was a child, it was my form of play. Having a career in the creative field was the most natural thing for me to do as an adult.
All your inspiration is based on your child memories, was it difficult for you to introduce your personnal "vision" in the american market? I ask you, becouse you are foreigner and the competition is fearless in NY.
When you have a passion for creating, you do just that and let the work do the rest. My inspiration comes from the past, present and an idea of the future.

Is the american market for design diferent from the european? Are americans more open minded about new concepts?
Yes. My observation is a broader European market embraces the visual/experimental innovation more while geographically the American might embrace the functional more.

Wich steep is more dificult in the process of designing the lamps and the chair?
The leg configuration was the most challenging because they all had to be individually shaped and re-shaped, positioned and re-positioned multiple multiple times before I reached where the pieces had a sense of movement.

Wich of your lamp "insects" is your favorite? And why?
Lucana, was the most challenging because of it's 48 legs and I spent the most time with this piece to reach the momentum. Nymph, brings a smile from the old to the young almost without exception!

Do you have an environmental concern when you created your design objects, is the choise of materials casuals?
I was limited to work with certain materials due to the nature of the concept.

In this point of your career, you feel more of a designer or more like an artist?
I personally don't seperate the two. When you are creating/designing a project it's done by the same one person wheather a sculptural lamp/furniture piece or a whole commercial/residential project, it all has to come together harmonously.

Cristina Costa signed  and creates a collection of t-shirts with a purpose, bringing humor and a bit of rascality to our lives.

The project of  Mau Feitio comes in the life of Cristina Costa, "almost by chance, was not a planned thing, nor have any specific training in design or illustration, I have graduated in Modern Languages ​​and Literatures, but I've always liked fashion , and drawing. " A taste that led her to create pieces for herself  T-shirts, tunics y dresses, always with a touch of humor and irony that is characteristic that distance  her work from the concept of standardized fashion collections.
After a trial period creating just for friends and family, decides to make the leap and implement its limited edition for the Portuguese market. But before he had to give a name to this project, "at first I thought of foreign names, but then one of those days when nothing goes right, somebody told me you're with a bad temper today, I liked it and stayed."

The commercialization of the product itself started with  a blog as a way of disseminating  her work and later, "I started looking for stores gto sell my limited  series. First of all, was the Muuda in Porto, to my great joy and satisfaction they bought  the entire collection and from there began to take the project, which started as a hobby, more seriously. " However, the designer intends to "expand the range to other parts, including pillows, tote-bags, wallets, finally, is what is dictating the imagination."

Mau Feitito is born, fruit of the imagination and persistence of Cristina Costa who, inserts in her fashion objects craft ideas also apply, with the most diverse materials, from "the application of wool, recycled and some toys almost always applied in order of telling a story. "
The illustration, however, is another technique widely used, " drawing and painting in the piece itself, sometimes painting after another fabric that is sewn by hand in the final piece. Turns out to be a rather lengthy and detailed, hence the reduced number of parts made, which, moreover, gives a stamp of uniqueness to each piece. "

"What can never lack is the irony and humor. I  like you to enjoy my pieces of art in itself but it gives me greater satisfaction to see people smiling and find jokes sometimes hidden "she said.

http://maufeitio-crafts.blogspot.com/

http://maufeitiozinho.blogspot.com/

Patricia Sumares assumes the direction of  an artistic sphere that is not limited only to the art itself. It seeks to foster a space with new themes that unincorporated her sensitivity and creativity. Galeria of Prazeres defies the conventional with artistic provocation using the surrounding nature and beyond. It is also a cultural center that helps streamline the educational farm

The exhibition is intitle tea time why?
Patricia Sumares: The idea had been arisen for some time. I had in mind to do this exhibition. Everything has to do with the educational farm, the herbs and gardens. Incidentally, the first exhibition of the gallery was a collective exhibition with flavored boxes, whose contents were herbs, which people could open and smell in addition to seeing the artwork. For a long time I’ve been thinking in the design of cups of tea, and we have a small studio as a way to get to know the space to people and artists. So adding all these elements I could make this third exhibition, which is Tea Time. 26 artists participated in this show, two of which were abroad. The first is John Fadeff, who has been exposed in our two area, the cup had to be sent to San Francisco to be developed. The other guest artist with a great curriculum is Rico Sequeira. He has exhibited in various spaces not only in Portugal but also in various parts of the world, specially Luxembourg. And it was his work that was chosen to be played, this being an objective of this group exhibition. Each artist chose a plant for tea and after that gave rise to their imagination and artistic creativity in a pre-defined support by the gallery in A3 size. Then came the realization of this study. Some of these projects were displayed, and the cups and only one was selected as mentioned earlier.

The selection was made in what form?
Most artists are locals and they were concerned more with the aesthetics and not with the more functional intention. And to reproduce we can not choose any study. Or any project. Must match the characteristics of reproduction through the decal that was the choice and at the end of the day we have to make about 100 cups. Then I selected taking into account the shape, color and simplicity of the project.

It's hard to have a gallery far from urban centers?
It’s not difficult for that same reason. I think the parish, the town stands to gain from it. If it were in a city space was one more. There's nothing here, because it is unique, the Gallery of Prazeres rages into its third birthday and have held several exhibitions regularly with high quality. And those who come here, pass through our educational farm space. There are also people connected to the arts that we take the opportunity to visit and do a walk at the same time, they come all the way from Funchal to see the exhibits that are display in this space.

What was the genesis of this project?
Before inaugurating the gallery of Prazeres, I open a blog. It's not enough to have a space without thinking about other issues, such as the promotion work. When the space does not emerge in a city with all conditions and therefore, I thought from the beginning as how I do the marketing and advertising with limited resources? And the blog was the answer. It was a way to release the space at no cost, no money. And much has been made of this cheaply, very connected to nature. But, always intending to quality. And after two years, to mark the anniversary of the gallery already have a website.
The beginnings of the gallery were connected to Father Rui Sousa, who was the mastermind of the pedagogical project and he asked me to give him a little help in creating the museum site of Padre Manuel Nobrega and that was when I suggested the creation the Gallery of Prazeres with changing exhibitions. First, they appeared in a small area and after a year with a great dynamic and adherence by people, we got this house that was in ruins and has been restored and thus create a new space for the gallery.

What has been the public reaction?
When is new people are more curious and more are coming. But it is not just for this reason. Marketing developed helped to boost the quality of exhibition space and has contributed greatly to this effect. We also managed to draw the attention of the media. At first people of this area reacted with a certain skepticism, a gallery here? Not very well perceived, as is natural. But people keep coming and coming and disclose that interest and those that are closer began to appreciate this space.

All future shows will always have a background in environmental issues associated with educational farm or not?
No. I lost the account of number of exhibitions that has been done here. We also invite artists for solo exhibitions, there are in group. This exhibition of Tea time is the third in its kind, for the artists of  Madeira and not only participate in a particular event that often has a greater connection to nature, but not always. Its marvelous, but turns out to be restrictive in terms of creativity. It is good to make the connection, but there is room for other areas.

http://www.flickr.com//photos/zyberchema/sets/72157626004678489/show/

http://galeriadosprazeres.blogspot.com/

www.galeriadosprazeres.com/

Annika Väyrynen may not be a Portuguese gem, but is inspired by the natural beauty of the island of Madeira to make jewelry. A choice that results from his passion for flowers and everything that surrounds it, a trip to the pearl of the Atlantic.

How does a citizen from Finland ends up in Madeira?
I was working at a travel agency in Finland and made study trips to sell the best destinations. I came to Madeira and liked very much, indeed the entire Portugal in general. Then when my professional and personal life has reached a certain point, I decided to live in a warmer country and then I liked how it came here.

When does appears the idea to make jewelry inspired by the island?
As I worked with the Madera tourism stands were always filled with flowers, and still puts them to sell the island as a tourist destination. And I always enjoyed it. So I took a course here for women entrepreneurs, I was the only foreigner in the group, but was allowed. And this was my business project, mine was selling jewelry made with this kind of materials related to the nature of Madeira.

And the rolling stones and lava?
The island is volcanic and originally did not have precious stones, everything is imported. All we have is basalt and lava. What we do is mix with other stones. The result is in sight. Are we doing here parts. For example, earrings, bracelets and necklaces are handmade, the pieces with silver ordered the goldsmith in Portugal, or in Switzerland.

The idea for these pieces?
The flowers were the first. But after a time many customers ask me to do more pieces, that I decided to expand. The original project was only the flowers and local crafts. People here sell embroidery and such things, but there's plenty of that, I decided to specialize in this particulary part, the jewelry, that is innovative.

There is much demand for what I see ...
Yes, right now I have many clients, but everything is seasonal. When there is more tourists there's more bussines when we are in the low season, just like all businesses we sell less. I do a lot of publicity. The customer who comes in here already know, already has this information, what they want.

www.orchid-gifts-madeira.com

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The painting exploded in his life after motherhood. However, he always felt the need to express this passion since childhood. A first love that accompanied it throughout life and has florish in ther maturity years.

Let's start with the begining, why design first?
Helena Nunes: Indeed, art was a loved I had since childhood, by drawing, so I drew, drew and drew. Actually my tendency was to the artist. I ended up going to a design course.

Did you specialize in a specific area?
At the time, when I graduated I was generic design. Interior, graphic, or industrial all at once. I was actually a very intense training at the level of drawing techniques. The study of color. The history of art. It was a very comprehensive course in IADE, for which I've graduate and I ended up also doing the fine arts in painting.

And there lies your taste for painting?
It's a passion. Since childhood I like to draw and paint, the colors. It's something that comes with us. Throughout life one has more opportunities than the others and in fact always been connected to art, collecting. It is a family area. When I finished the course, I didn't started working on painting. It was this dream I had, but I was not prepared, nor were any future in this area at the time, early twenties when I finished. I have a brother architect who encouraged me very little. He said, leave it when you reached the fifties paint some furniture for your home. Now you have to have a real job. And because of it, I was linked at the beginings of rhe eighty, early ninety, to advertising. I made an interesting career at an international level. I worked in the world's largest groups. I lived in Madrid, an agency that was the third in world ranking. It was a great experience and where I won money at 25 years and had been extremely fortunate and for merit because I worked a lot . I came to work for Mercedes corporation for the Iberian market. Experiences have been very enriching. Art was a hobby for me at that time. But I always worked with art. Instead of gym class, my classes were drawing and painting. There was also the collectors, where I traveled, I always saw exhibitions in major museums around the world, where I visited the biggest art fairs in the world.

When you decided that now was the time of painting?
The painting was after been a collector, after represent artists from Spain and Portugal. I felt very prepared with great knowledge, after twenty years of dealing with art. And I felt I also wanted to show my work to the world, although I did, I never had the courage. It came with motherhood. It was the birth of my child, the flowering of a Passion. I also wanted to slow my pace, it have been always professional advertising. Later, I wended through the production of television juveniles series, the adventure written by Isabel Appeals, current Minister of Education. I have always been associated with people connected to the highest level of painting, major collectors. My own ex-husband was always connected to the area. And my house looks more like a museum. So I felt very prepared and wanted to show the world my art and I am satisfied.

It is a young men looking for the perfect picture . Likes the spontaneous. Of the moment immortalized in the frame of his lens. Wants to capture the essence of people without them realizing it. It is a freelancer and is always seeking the next adventure ...

João Mendonça doesn't defined himself as a photojournalist or photographer, not even as an artist, he interprets his work, "as a person who sees, what looks around and tries to discover new things." What interests him are the people, the subjects of his lens because he considers that "there is no equal and each one has its essence, has something special, I just find it interesting that for each can be different at various times . I try to capture their souls. " He is like a chameleon who tries to confuse himself with the landscape that surrounds it to "catch the right moment, the key moment." He likes this feeling of invisibility because he doesn't appreciates the forced smiles, even says that "having to interact with people is not my forte, I want to go unnoticed, be discreet because I know that I interfere with the picture, and when people notice the existence of a camera they tend to be the image they want. " And becouse of this demand for the rawness and reality in its naked photos, he seacks the image always bearing in mind the light, or rather lack of it, " the images live of light and shadow." He illustrates this demand with a black and white photo of a girl lost in the crowd, someone who tries to look and not found. It is perhaps she is a lost and scared girl, and is this instant, this captured moment that he consider to be this preferred image. She did not see him. And he caught her anguish on the split of a second that was immortalized forever by the lens of his camera.
Nature, on the other hand, he approaches it with caution, as someone who trespasses an area other than their own. Find it hard to shoot it as if facing a unique identity in constant motion, as if being too exuberant and lush its a flaw. It's beautiful, but "is not that special look." There is a joyful natural disorder, and he looks for the perfect frame image. A well-defined geometry he learned from the master Cartier-Bresson, which he identifies in style, but does not hit in quality however. Search the threads, looking for the symmetry of objects and recalls the captured photo of a man on the run, the date of February the 20th, 2010. Is someone trying to escape the fury of nature, we see him back to photography, he flees. The image that captured the tragedy of the wild waters that ripped everything appart and eventually the man is nothing but a puppet. Not bossing around, he is not tolerated. "The lines of the table that slides," he says, "give a sense of continuity and that the idea of ​​escape is reinforced by this guy in the corner." John Mendoza is not cold when he describes the scene, he sensed the distress of the man and decided to frize this instant. For posterity, the man did not died. But for history book we have the record of João Mendonça of a period of time we dont want to remember. That's his destiny to be the silent eyewitness of history. And that's all he wants.

http://www.joaomendonca.daportfolio.com/

Mafalda Casais is one of the emerging names to keep in mind in the industrial design. A young promise that recreates vessels that are part of our daily lives, a different approach to our kitchens. The inspiration comes from the necessities of day-to-day for new consumers. Definitely a designer to remember.

Why the choice of the domestic world in general?

I did a study last year on the domestic landscape, "the taste for everyday cooking and in particular," and I chose that topyc for my first year for my master project. The results showed that this type of project I liketo do, and turn out to be a passion. The following year I decided to continue the approach related to the kitchen.

And the kitchen utensils?

It was an academic exercise, we had to choose from a list given to us and as I like the kitchen space,so I decided to choose the cookware. The materials used are only traditional. Copper, iron and clay. But I chose to investigate how could compose the layers within these types of materials to optimize their use.

And the cutlery?

One of the first projects I did during my graduation, is an exercise in style, is not improved, because it is based on the physical form of Western cutlery. I tried to give it a more modern look, with more design, its more suitable for young people, something they would like.

Do you tried to introduce in your concept the issue of ecology?

There is always an environmental concern in all projects. I find myself currently developing a Master's thesis on the theme "The small green design kitchen for the new consumer" in which I explore not only the ecology in the design, as the emerging trends in lifestyles. This is a green kitchen for a minimal space. It is designed for people who rent T0, or studios, young people who have little space at your disposal and want to feel comfortable. This project is not innovating, I wanted it to be compact, one with the essential equipment. They are also traditional materials, with the most real potential to have a recognizable identity, passing the concept of consistence and warm. Are almost integrals, without being refined.

The Portuguese designers Jorge Moita and Daniela Pais created a bag that has revolutionized the way we see clothing. A creation of the group KRVKURVA that won a major projection abroad. However, in 2002, both won the national trophy Sena da Silva, CPD, to the area of product design. A success of this pair of designers who have been repeated through various limited editions of La.Ga all over the world.

How did the concept of La.Ga began?
Daniela Pais: The concept of the bag came from a final project at college. I begin to address the issue of the texture of a material inserted into a fashion collection. It was a collection with the theme "under the hightrope without a net" in 2002. Surrounded by a booming world of information provided by the Internet, I choose to explore and present as a final theme for my studies of Architecture Fashion Design the subject of information and entropy. Using satellite images from the Amazonian river and microscopic images from the human eyes to print in Tyvek and after to destroy and reassemble in a different order a new textile was created. In the collection the patterns and the imaginary are playing with points of references and looking for the possibility of a new balance.

Why the choise of this material?
DP: It seems like a piece of paper, is light, are 50 grams that support 55Kg, is resistant to chemical and radioactive particles and can be machine washed. At first we used the tyvek for parts of the collection, however, is not suitable for clothing because it was a very hard material. So we decided to use it to make accessories. The format, unlike what is said, is not a tear, the underlying idea is used like a garment, it is something you wear when using in the shoulder. The idea is to always use unconventional materials.

How it began the success of La.Ga?
DP: It was with our first order, by Gala Fernandez, the project manager of the factory features of Benetton. She was in Portugal and I decided to take the prototype that was originally white with me, she saw it, liked it and made an immediate order for 200 units, which were sold out in Italy. We owe our success to her vision, so we honor her thru the name of the bag, it's Gala, only reversed. The chart patterns have emerged only later, when people began to wonder if it was not possible to use another type of color and illustration, and so in 2003 KRV KURVE developed several projects for the development of this product, "you turn at her service "was actually an invitation to several international artists for an intervention that was done on the graphics product. The collection "To love is not a option" was done by various Portuguese graphic illustrators to give new life to La.Ga in visual terms. The idea is to always innovate, with a social conscience, but without forgetting that this is a piece of design.

And in Portugal? How did you achieve success?
First it was abroad and only after that it was here. It was curious because at Expo 2005, we were invited by the Portuguese government in Japan and the success of this bag was huge, as you know the Japanese are fanatics of beauty in all forms, people bought La.Ga and simply put it on the wall like a work of art. The La.Ga most recently edition in August 2010 with a partnership with the Knowledge Pavilion / Live Science (the purpose was their aniversary) was the target of a new edition. It's called "Love is Science /" Science is love "and is done graphically with mulecules that our body releases when you're in love. This issue for me has a special meaning because it makes a transition in my view of the use of graphics in terms La.Ga, given more importance to the contents of the message and attempts to transmit knowledge in the first place rather than a visual image.