Born in Águas Frias, parish of Alte, Inácia Coelho was born in 1933. She lived most of her life in Monte Seco, her husband’s town, where palm mining has always been a common practice among women.
Unlike her neighbors, who learned from mothers and grandmothers, Inácia started in this art after the age of 30, carefully observing those around her. He started by making palm trays with a cane structure and knitted pieces.
One day, in Loulé, he was enchanted by a set of fanny packs on display in a shop. Inspired, she returned home and produced similar pieces, innovating by sewing the machine — a technique little used at the time. The merchant who saw them bought them and ordered more, starting her journey as an artisan.
Over the years, he started to produce bags, wallets, suitcases and carpets, using those who did the braiding and dedicating himself to sewing the pieces. His preferred technique is the conveyed contract of five or seven branches, particularly suitable for machine sewing. Later, he also began to apply fabrics in his creations, which brought a new expression to his work.
He is proud to have seen his pieces in Lisbon, a sign that his work has gone beyond the borders of the Algarve. Currently, he is part of Casa da Empreita and is pleased to see the art of palm valued and recognized again.
