Bernadette Martins was born in France and lived there until she was nine years old, before settling in Portugal. She graduated in fashion design at IADE, in Lisbon, and began her career as a costume designer for French television, traveling between France and Portugal. After a few years of constant movement, he decided to seek a quieter life in the Algarve, a choice that changed the course of his life.
At that time, he enrolled in a tile painting course, awakening an unexpected passion for ceramics. Determined to learn more, but with little time available, she perfected herself as a self-taught, experimenting at home with her own oven.
Today, Bernadette is a resident at Oficina do Barro do Loulé Criativo and a trainer in the areas of ceramics and tile painting. His work combines illustration and sculpture in unique pieces that reflect the simplicity of nature and the fascination with the ocean.
In her creations there are porcelain seeds transformed into ethereal lamps, expressive animals, pieces inspired by the marine world covered with delicate corals, and works in Japanese raku, a technique that challenges her due to the unpredictability and unique character of each result.
In addition to author’s pieces, he makes commissioned works, from tile panels for private homes to large murals for companies and institutions. Between clay, fire and imagination, Bernadette has built a path that combines experience, dedication and experimentation, transforming ceramics into her form of expression and a bridge between nature and art.
