Ceramic plaques of folk scenes
(Maria de Lourdes Cândido Monteiro and daughters, 2002)

From an early age, Maria de Lourdes Cândido Monteiro worked with clay under the tutelage of her uncle and sister, producing toys and small pots and figurines. She began making decorative "plaques" in 1985. With her two daughters, María and María do Socorro, she now runs the well-known studio of the “Cândido Marias” in Juazeiro do Norte. The plaques feature scenes from folklore and daily life.

—Félix Ángel, Curator, IDB Cultural Center