São Paulo – The members of the Campo Alegre Artisans Association (Associação dos Artesãos de Campo Alegre), in the Turmalina municipality of the state of Minas Gerais, 460 kilometres away from the capital Belo Horizonte, are celebrating the first-ever exports of their clay items. The items were sent to the Netherlands last year, including pottery, vases, cooking pots, dolls, mobiles. Everything is handmade, a feature that attracted foreigners’ attentions to the products. The enthused artisans are hoping to make further contacts abroad, including the Arab countries.
“We have sold 1,450 items to the Dutch,” explains Elenice Gomes Francisco, an employee of the Campo Alegre Artisans Association. “We managed to get good prices, in spite of all the material and shipping costs,” she says.
The products made in Minas Gerais will be sold at a chain called World Store, with units in the Netherlands and Germany. According to Elenice, the exports were made possible through the backing of the Promotion Program for Cultural Tradition Handicraft (Promoart). The initiative comprises 65 production hubs across Brazil.
According to Elenice, the Europeans ascribe great value to the items’ handmade character. “We do it all by hand, we use no machines whatsoever,” she says. Comprising 56 artisans, the Association includes many fathers and sons. “Our work is passed on from generation to generation.” According to her, the men are mostly entrusted with activities such as preparing the clay, whereas the women are in charge of the finishing and the details.
The price ranges from 0.50 real, or US$ 0.13 (little clay flowers) to 250 reals, or US$ 68 (some doll models).
The future goal is to keep participating in fairs and events, domestic and foreign, with an eye out for new clients. “The Arabs are welcome,” says Elenice. “We are open to opportunity.”
Contact
Associação dos Artesãos de Campo Alegre
Telephone: +55 (38) 3527-0025
Email: masterturmalina@yahoo.com.b
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
