Popular art

Ever since the isolation of the islands forced its inhabitants to use what the land gave them, as a way to overcome some of their daily difficulties.

With the natural evolution of the times that resulted, logically, a great opening of the Region to the outside, which brought it significantly closer to the rest of Europe and the world, much of what was once a necessity of its people, today represents the rich Azorean handicraft , portrayed in interesting works of ceramics, wood, weaving, wicker and embroidery “, where the home textile sector accounted for 3.4% of the exports of the Autonomous Region of the Azores between 1993/95. The companies responsible for the sector have a quality product that is adapted to the increasingly demanding trends of the market “, and the Embroidery of the Azores has already received the name of Product of Origin of Certified Quality.

From the skillful hands of the craftsmen are born remarkable pieces of diverse materials, shapes and colors that make the Azores handicrafts a rich set of authentic works of art, art ingeniously imagined by its craftsmen.

Examples are the graceful and delicate flowers made with fish scales, paper, feathers or cloth, or the colorful mats of corn and spade, which can be found in San Miguel. Also notable are the tremolos, sieves and embroidered flags of the Divino Espirito Santo made in Ribeira Grande.

Likewise, the magnificent and artistic flowers and other interesting works in fig tree or hydrangea, characteristic of the islands of Faial and Flores, are worthy pieces of their crafts.

In the field of ceramics, beautiful hand-painted pieces from the rustic and highly appreciated dishes of Lagoa and Vila Franca do Campo in São Miguel, as well as curious specimens of Marian and Third-century potteries and Graciosa vases, teapots and mugs awaken without doubt the attention of those who are coming.

In the field of weaving, embroidery and lace, from the warm sheep wool sweaters made manually in Santa Maria, to the making, in old manual looms, quilts and quilts with beautiful combinations of colors in squares, lozenges or striations, in the various islands , perhaps deserve a special reference, the well-known “quilts of high” or “quilts of St. George” and the lace crocheted “acaseado” or “crochet of art” of Faial, in addition to the always coveted manual embroidery in linen cloth, white, raw and red from Terceira Island. “The skillful hands of the Azorean women always embroidered and made lace. Perhaps better than any other handmade manifestation, the embroideries embody, in their purity, the softness of colors, harmony, perfection and quiet transparency, the way of being of the Islands – which gives them refined reasons of interest and beauty. ”

Interesting work in wicker, from small baskets to elegant furnishings, especially for summer houses, the use of iron and wood in everyday objects in farm work and fishing and wheat straw as raw material for the manufacture of objects of daily use, or even canned works reproducing artistic pieces that have already been motive for appreciated and attended exhibitions, especially on Terceira island, complete, in general terms, the curious artisan panorama of Azores.