Espedito Seleiro

Leatherworker

A lifelong voyage towards bold and colourful designs

Espedito learned leatherworking from his father
He is committed to keeping the tradition alive by passing on his knowledge to many around him
Leather craftsmanship has been his family's legacy for many generations

Mestre Espedito Seleiro learned the craft of saddler from his father at the young age of eight. His father passed away when Espedito was still young, leaving ten children and a few craft tools. Espedito, the eldest of ten children, began to support the whole family by making saddles. Later he made other leather pieces, such as sandals and handbags and started to use colours to further decorate his pieces. He became a specialist and keen investigator of natural pigments and leather dyeing techniques. He discovered the angico plant that creates a brown dye, the annatto that makes red, the grass ash that produces white. Over time, Espedito created his own aesthetic language that celebrates patterns and colours, reminiscent of the gypsy heritage which he admires and of the people who fascinated him when he was young with their clothes and adornments.

Interview

How did you choose this path?: It was not much of a choice. The craft was passed down to me by my father and before I could understand, I was left in charge of my family and the workshop. It was thanks to the craft that I was able to support them. Luckily, I discovered later that it was also my passion, and today I could not imagine doing anything else.
Do you think your profession is in danger of extinction?: One day I realised that with my father's death, the knowledge that had been passed down from his great-great-grandfather could disappear. So I decided to teach leatherwork to my brothers, then to my children and more recently to my grandchildren and other apprentices.
What was a remarkable moment of your career?: Establishing Espedito Seleiro School Workshop is one of them. The school passes on to younger people the idea that this know-how is part of a broader culture, and that it can continue to be alive within each one of us. Another proud moment is when I was officially recognised by the Government as a Master of Culture.
How is your craft connected to the territory?: Leatherwork is extremely important for the local economy of the Northeast of Brazil and it is part of tradition since colonial times. The handcraft has become a great attraction for tourism in the region and for the Kariri culture.

Espedito Seleiro is a master artisan: he began his career in 1949 and he started teaching in 1986