About

Raquel Quelhas was born in Maia in August 1970 and graduated in Visual and Technological Education in 1993. Since then, she has combined her passion for art with teaching. Her journey in ceramics began in 1995, at António Pires' (Didier) studio in Algarve, where she developed a strong connection with this art of fire. In 2015, she furthered her training with ceramist João Carqueijeiro at his studio in Senhora da Hora, where she remained until 2018. Her artistic practice focuses on contemporary ceramics, exploring the transformation of clay into unique pieces, marked by the fusion of technique, creativity and a deep connection to the raw materials of the earth.

Driven by a passion for ceramics, she channels her unlimited creativity into her work, putting a unique blend of inspiration and artistic talent into each piece. Her creations are proof of her dedication to her craft and her innate ability to evoke beauty from the raw materials of the earth. In her artistic practice, she finds deep satisfaction in the alchemy of transforming clay into captivating forms that resonate with the soul. Through her distinctive approach to ceramics, she invites us to immerse ourselves in a world of tactile beauty and timeless expression.

"My artistic journey is built on my relationship with colour, matter and the serene contemplation of nature. It is in this encounter — where light, shapes and textures dialogue — that I find the impulse to create. From careful observation of natural elements, organic surfaces and the rhythms of the world around me, I transfer emotions, memories and the harmony I discover in the natural environment to ceramics. Composition, the integration of textures and chromatic harmony become my language — a way of transforming sensory experiences into pieces that invite contemplative viewing and reflection. Each work is born from this dialogue between what I observe, what I feel and what the clay allows me to reveal, in a constant search for balance, expression and authenticity."