Design accessories from ASA SELECTION are not mass produced articles. Piece by piece, the hand crafted items tell us about the people through whose hands they have passed. About their profession, their life and the passion with which they perform their daily work. As have generations before them, these local people in typical ceramic regions put body and soul into what they do.
Precise but nevertheless with artistic flair to the tip of the brush – this is Carla, one of the painters. Many parts require an individual brush strokes in regards to thickness and guidance, that is carefully applied. This art requires a steady hand and much attention to detail.
It starts with the casting – or pressing – of the ceramic lump into the hand worked form. After gentle “forming”, the raw product moves on to the time intensive “polishing”. This means that the leather hard form is released from its casting seams and the rough and angular surface is smoothed. Careful and deft craftsmanship is necessary for the subsequent glazing and/or the artistic decoration.
Considerable experience is also required when “positioning“ the decorated article in the kiln car. After many hours in the kiln heated to over 1100 degrees and then slowly, slowly cooled, the completed article is ready for quality control. No blemishes and no hidden flaws are missed by the “watching“ trained fingertips and eyes. Any negative impression here results in an uncompromising consignment to the “breakages box”.
He is an archetypical example of Portuguese originality – lusty, dry but always charming and obliging – in fact a real cavalier!
For the potting and moulding, José needs good timing and feel to determine when the clay has reached the perfect dryness. He is proud of his experience, flair and instinct with this sensitive material, which for José is more than just a job – it’s his way of life!
Carlos bears his considerable responsibility with Portuguese composure. Completely by hand he creates the “foundation” for new collections. This means that he cannot afford the slightest mistake, as these would then spread form from the prototypes to the whole collection.
But don’t worry: Carlos is fantastic with and passionate about his work. Only at the ASA SELECTION photo-shooting did he let himself get distracted for a moment and posed himself – a real pro-model in fact!
The sun comes up when Conceicao enters the factory. The polisher radiates an irrepressible joy of life, which one values so highly with the Portuguese. Conceicao infects everyone with her light heartedness and has an incredible energy at work. Her task is to smooth the surfaces of the ceramic articles and to eradicate the seams after forming has been done.
One says about Sofia that she gets the most beautiful and even glaze of all. She however remains rather modest.
But it’s true: she manages even the most unusual forms on which others gave up on long ago. Her work requires responsibility, as it depends on her how much work has to be redone again and again. But she smiles serenely.
At the moment, during lunch break, with her colleagues, she is completely harmless. But one shouldn’t underestimate Idalia and her always friendly smile.
Idalia is merciless. Mistakes, hidden faults, unintentional irregularities, just the suspicion is enough to consign an at first glance faultless planter, vase ore plate to the breakages box with a loud crash. Idalia is the quality control manager.
