Maria Alice Gordino

Maria Alice Gordino

a life embroidered with strength and resilience

First Embroideries

From the age of ten, Maria Alice was taught the traditional embroidery techniques by the women in her community, in a region where the art of stitching was a common practice, ``door to door,`` as the artisan describes. After losing her father in her youth, she abandoned her dream of becoming a teacher and, after turning 20, dedicated all her attention to embroidery, committing herself entirely to the craft of needles.
It would be impossible to depict the daily struggle and dedication of this artisan in the designs of a large quilt. Her home, turned into a studio from an early age, never knew idleness. Maria Alice worked more than 15 hours daily, every day of the week, and considered any moment not dedicated to embroidery a waste. Her two children grew up in an environment filled with embroideries and designs, becoming accustomed early on to the motifs of carnations and birds that, for many years, constituted the family's livelihood.

The Value of Art

A quilt with Castelo Branco embroidery is created in about six months in the hands of Maria Alice, without rest, and can be worth more than seven thousand euros in the market. Throughout her life, the artisan cannot even imagine how many quilts she has produced, but none remained with her or her children. At a young age, she made a single quilt for herself and used it only on her wedding day, but fifteen days later, she sold it to a woman who dedicated herself to reselling embroidery. The piece that stayed with her the longest, and that accompanied her to various exhibitions, also had to be sold, as money was more necessary than art at that time.
Throughout a life marked by personal sacrifices, Maria Alice transformed her love for embroidery into a prosperous career. During the golden years of embroidery, when many quilts and large panels were still sold in Castelo Branco, she taught and employed up to six people simultaneously in her studio. However, changing times and the diminishing appreciation for traditional embroidery led her to adopt a more solitary and independent work style.
Faced with the challenge of maintaining the relevance of traditional embroidery, the embroiderer sought to adapt to new market demands. With unparalleled technical skill, she began producing cork embroidery and diversified her works, creating smaller pieces and panels that fuse tradition with contemporaneity. These products, which demonstrate her ability to anticipate and meet current trends, are marketed by order through her social networks and in the Jardim do Paço, in the city centre.

Stitches of the Future

Maria Alice looks to the future of traditional embroidery with concern. She worries about the continuity of her art and the training of new generations, emphasising the need for proper appreciation and greater promotion of independent artisans. For the artisan, the quality of work is not ensured by certification but by the experience and dedication of the embroiderers.
This artisan is a beacon of inspiration, not only for those who appreciate embroidery but for all those who seek to find passion and purpose in their professions.
Her story underlines the importance of self-sufficiency and determination in the face of life's challenges, as well as the beauty of dedicating oneself to an art that requires patience, precision, and above all, a lot of love for what you do.