Maria Dinis Pereira

Embroiderer

Susanna Pozzoli ©Michelangelo Foundation

An ambassador for a local tradition

Dinis often collaborates with Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos
She is inspired by the flora in the region where she lives and works
The town of Nisa is famous for its wool felt embroidery

Dinis Pereira is a tenacious and hard-working woman. She has always lived in her hometown of Nisa, in the Alto Alentejo, which is famous for its embroidery and pottery. However, her works have travelled as far as the USA, where at the peak of her business she used to supply a shop selling traditional Portuguese wool felt embroidery items for the home. Though the practice of making trousseaux has almost died out, Dinis has never stopped this ancient tradition, thanks to her collaboration with Lisbon artist Joana Vasconcelos, who taps into Portugal’s artisanal heritage and reinterprets it with deep respect for the authentic values it represents.

Interview

Susanna Pozzoli ©Michelangelo Foundation

Susanna Pozzoli ©Michelangelo Foundation

In what way is your work linked to the region you live in?: In the olden days, girls used to create their wedding trousseaux, which included bed covers made with wool felt embroidery applications. Women have been developing and creating new designs over time, and all Nisa handicrafts are based on the local flora.
What skills must be mastered for your work?: The first element is the drawing. There are drawings that simply do not work. The second is using the sewing machine and the third is that you have to be very agile in cutting the felt around the stitches, to create the design. If you leave too much fabric, it does not look good.
What makes your work innovative?: My drawings, which I evolved and transformed in my own way. They are newer and more sophisticated, with intricate designs that are much more demanding, because it takes time and attention to achieve this type of detail.
What has been the best moment in your professional life?: The most memorable moment was without doubt my trip to Venice for Homo Faber! It was the very first time I left Portugal by plane, and I was so proud to be able to show the work I do and all the beautiful embroidery that is typical of my homeland.

Maria Dinis Pereira is a master artisan: she began her career in 1964 and she started teaching in 1964