Interview: Petit Mignon jewellery by Patricia Teixeira

I've been a fan of Patricia Teixeira's beautiful glass work and her blog for a while now and was really happy when she agreed to be featured here for an interview! Some of her favourite pieces are below and all of her handmade work can be bought from her online shop.



1. Tell us a bit about yourself and your art - what do you make and what first inspired you to do it?
I started working with glass after finishing my college degree 3 years ago. It wasn´t planned, it started because of my curiosity! Back then I knew someone that worked in an arts and crafts store doing fusing, so I started asking questions and learned the basics. At first all my pieces were abstract because I was still trying to learn all about glass and it´s characteristics, about the inks and how they reacted, what was the adequate temperature, etc. so i suppose the very first thing that inspired me was the work i saw at the arts and crafts store.

2. What do you do when you're not creating/selling?
I have quite a few part-time jobs! I teach art to young children at elementary schools and I give private art classes to an elderly person. I also work with my dad at his micro-ceramic industry/craftwork company. I help him with his orders and I do some designs for him. I also do some interior design, creating themes for children's rooms and working as an interior decorator painting bedrooms, other rooms and even a few stores!



3. What's your favourite piece / the hardest thing for you to sell?
That´s hard to answer...I do have a few favourites. But I guess I have a special affection for about 4 characters I usually paint on brooches and pendants - I find them very colourful and cheerful. The hardest thing for me to sell are rings, I guess people think that they're fragile, which is a normal concern about glass. However, it's a needless concern in my opinion, because tempered glass is quite resistant, more so than some gemstones that are used in silver and golden rings.

4. What is your most valuable possession?
My most valuable possession is my daily diary! I write everything there, my schedules, my ideas, things I want to see, little things I learn...



5. What are your plans for the future / new ranges?
In a near future I would like to deepen my knowledge about glass, so I can improve my products and open my creative possibilities. There are some courses I would like to attend in other countries, but I´m still saving money to do it!

6. Complete this sentence: "Happiness is..."
Happiness is having time to do what you love, be with whom you love and never stop learning.