“Not just another shop”: A collaborative art shop focusing on artistic outreach as well as workshops
– April 5, 2024 | Text & Photos by Eric Roth
What do you get when you put six artists together to collaborate? Simple … it’s ColaborArte.
Welcome to this exciting cooperative shop, in the beautiful, historic city of Silves. Here, six artists have created a unique and enchanting place to visit. In this shop, you will find a variety of handcrafted, one-of-a-kind creations of clothing, accessories, and artwork.
For their customers, the group of six artists offers a colorful, creative experience. For the public, they host workshops and artistic outreach. And for each other, they are a community of friends.
“We would like to be a role model for other shops,” says artist and former lawyer Marion Buz. “It’s normally impossible for one person to rent a shop. It’s much easier if you can share the time, the work, and the rent. We are stronger together, and we can achieve more”.
In a world of fast-fashion and mass production, here is a chance to see the work of local artisans. The shop abounds with personality. There are so many things to see and discover, it’s almost like a museum, and definitely not just another shop.
Each artist has her own story, which informs her art and craft. Patrícia Marques calls her section of the shop “Picotacto”. “My inspiration comes from my family. My grandparents were artisans working with basketry in Portugal. I learned from them when I was little. I still love creating with scraps and reused materials I have found.”
Patrícia’s work is refined and intricate, she works wonders with a variety of ingredients.
Elke Grath makes whimsical, often unstructured, and highly spirited clothing, under the label “Abacate”. “My grandmother taught me how to knit. I started making clothing when I had small children, and 30 years later, I’m still designing and sewing individual pieces.”
Margarida Palma Gomes is a master ceramicist, sculpting intricate, colorful figures for the last 35 years. “I am inspired by nature, characters, small scenes, and children’s stories.”
Manoli Ortiz de la Torre is a textile artist and naturalist. She started as a painter, and is now experimenting with combining plants of the Algarve hills with fabric design. Collecting leaves of olive, almond, carob, and other trees, she prepares inks to print on natural fabrics and canvases. “I live in a natural environment, and I bring nature into the fabrics,” says Manoli. She also brings this message to many students through workshops and art therapy.
Marion Buz makes elegant pictures with hand cut paper, in evocative, swirling shapes. They are bold and colorful. “The free-hand paper cutting is a new experiment for me. I have also exhibited painting and photography, and I like to try new ideas.”
Susanne Drohla is the most recent addition to the group. She specializes in two things: handmade wool bags with intricately knitted and sewn patterns; and filagree wire jewellery. Both of her specialties show a fine attention to detail and color.
The members of ColaborArte, working together, have created a place that’s a work of art into itself. It’s a place to have an experience of discovery. Here, the shop is greater than the sum of its parts.
Text & Photos by Eric Roth
Eric Roth is a lifelong photojournalist who has recently emigrated from Boston, USA to the Algarve. He loves nature and wildlife. 926 742 687 | [email protected]
