Samuel Reis

Glassblower

©Eneida Tavares

©Pedro Cá

©João Azevedo

Continuing the cycle of life

Samuel likes to explore the characteristics of natural materials
Works include a glass bottle using a rotten Carob tree trunk as a mould
He uses nature as the root of his creative process

Samuel Reis studied industrial design and product design in Portugal. Although he is a product designer, he loves to put his hands and soul in different materials and techniques. For this reason, he has also taken courses in glassblowing, pottery, ceramics and glazing techniques. He likes to observe and collect things from the natural environment, which he studies and experiments with, trying different techniques. “I love to explore different features of living matter – whether it’s rotten, burned, twisted or cracked – and implement that in my objects. With me, matter that would normally be discarded becomes a new artefact, with a new life.”

Interview

How is what you do linked to where you live and work?: Caldas da Rainhas, the city where I live, has a great tradition of ceramics, while Marinha Grande, the city nearby, has a historic and relevant glassblowing industry. The region of Leira is the greatest pine forest in Portugal, and thus important for woodworking.
Do you master any specific techniques?: I think it requires many years to master something, it takes a lot of repetition and dedication. Working with different materials and techniques gives me some good knowledge, and I see this as a skill.
How do tradition and innovation feed into your work?: I use traditional hand blown glass techniques, which allows me to combine the knowledge of a master with the exploration and experimentation of a designer who is always enthusiastic to learn.
What inspires your work?: Trees are my main source of inspiration. They represent the cycle of life: their fruits fall, they decay, they leave their seed to create a new tree and a new beginning. My work continues that cycle, since I use matter from falling trees, or gathered from a timber merchant or a sawmill.

Samuel Reis is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2015 and he started teaching in 2021