MARIA E RUI

TWO BROTHERS KEEP TILES TRADITION ALIVE

Maria and Rui, are the brothers behind Aresta Viva, a small family-owned tiles workshop located in Faro, and created by their mother in 1989, following a course of tiles and restoration of tiles.
During childhood and throughout their educational journey, Rui and Maria spent hours experimenting and creating objects in clay “it was the incubator of our passion for tiles”. This passion, combined with the importance they believe that has the recovery and divulgence of the arts and cultural traditions of our country, motivates them to continue this project.
It is through the exploration and perfection of the artistic richness of ancestral artisanal techniques that they define their work, both in the reproduction of ancient tiles and in the creation of original pieces.
The work of the atelier focuses on the reproduction of Hispanic-Moorish tiles, using techniques such as ‘corda seca’ and ‘aresta viva’ – it is a ceramic technique just like the name of the atelier –  also the reproduction of traditional Portuguese tiles from the 17th century and in the creation of original and customized tiles and panels.
Among their clients is the shop of the National Tile Museum in Lisbon, and several specialized handicraft shops in Portugal. They also work directly with private clients, architects, and interior designers who come to the atelier with customized designs.