Isa Silva
an artisan with the resilience of reed
Text and photographs by Ana VascoSea rush is a durable plant, with robust stems that, due to their almost non-existent pith, resist well to breaking and wear. But despite being strong, it is also flexible, which allows it to be used to make products with various shapes and designs. Just like the essential raw material of her work, Isa Silva, a mat weaver from Forjães, stands out for her incredible resilience, strength, and adaptability, enabling her to constantly turn challenges into opportunities.
Returning to tradition
Rush crafts have always been part of Isa's life. Her maternal and paternal families have been making baskets and mats for many generations. As a child, Isa helped her mother and grandmother, Gia and Celina Teixeira, and observed all the care her family took with harvesting and processing the material. However, the belief in a vocation for Mechanical Engineering led her down other paths. After completing her course, a severe depression prevented her from pursuing the career she had studied for. It was then that her brother encouraged her to remember her history and essence, finding in rush crafts a new direction for her life, similar to rush that, after being processed, gains a new purpose.
The art of rush
Although the production of rush baskets is an ancestral tradition in Forjães, few artisans continue to dedicate themselves to this art as their main activity because it is a complex work that requires a lot of knowledge. Harvesting rush is a community or family activity, carried out around São João. It is followed by cleaning, drying, sulphuring, dyeing, and finally weaving on the loom. After perfecting these techniques with her grandmother and mother, Isa was invited to give training courses in a space provided by the Parish Council and, later, with the support of the City Council, managed to get her products certified.
The challenge of innovation
In a continuous exercise of healing and renewal, Isa has developed distinct pieces, such as baskets without external handles or with creative designs, fashion accessories, and decorative products. By intertwining tradition, innovation, family support, and determination, Isa Silva transforms the most difficult life experiences into craftsmanship that conveys overcoming and quality. Her work with rush proves that, often, roots hold the strength for great works to flourish and that art has the power to save those who practice it and those who appreciate it with understanding and sensitivity.