Behind the pieces, Benedetta Grasso,
Born in Milan, Italy, in 1994, Bendetta attended an artistic school, where she feels fascinated by art and its techniques. Benedetta was always interested in theater and cinema, but ended up graduating in Literature and Foreign Languages.
After leaving Milan to discover new territories, traveling has always been her passion, having lived in different cities and countries until choosing the city of Porto, Portugal, as her new hometown, from where new collaborations and friendships emerged that helped her continue her path. And it is in O Porto where the construction of the workspace of her dreams begins, a shared and multidisciplinary workshop, designed to inspire, produce manually and collaborate.
My creations are inspired by nature in its bucolic and rural expression and also natural characteristics of different materials.
With an inner creativity, Benedetta loves to use different means of expression, she loves poetry, nature and crafts. It was the combination of these interests that, during the first lockdown, in March 2020, led her to take up ceramics in a more dedicated way, resulting in some truly beautiful pieces for her brand Tobeceramics.
I turned one of my hobbies into a profession, with lots of hard times but also with lots of beautiful encounters and discoveries.
The Dream
“The project was born in a very organic way, without much premeditation or structure. I did some ceramics workshops when I lived in Milan, in 2017 and 2018, and during lockdown, in 2020, I started to take my hobby more seriously and allow my creative side to express itself more. I bought a pottery wheel to practice on my own. This type of technique is more of a practice, the more you do it, the more professional it becomes.
I started a collaboration with Tânia for the new Cru Loja bar, and then some clients and friends appeared who showed interest in what I do”.
Afeter that I developed my brand and opened a studio where I work called MACS (Multidisciplinary Artistic Creation Space), name of the association I funded, where not only develop my work but also provide a shared space for other creative individuals. This collaborative environment is an integral part of my artistic journey”.
INSPIRATION
Benedetta defines herself as self-taught.
“In terms of inspiration, while nature is indeed a significant influence, I draw inspiration from the natural characteristics of different materials. Ceramic was my first foray into understanding material essence, and in 2022-23, I attended a goldsmith course. This experience has expanded my knowledge about jewelry techniques, metals, and how they behave”.
Images courtesy of Benedetta Grasso.
