Master João das Alagoas (Capela, Alagoas, 1958) is one of the most celebrated names in Brazilian folk ceramics. A self-taught artist, he developed a unique technique using local clay, which he collects, sieves, and blends with great care. His pieces are shaped by hand with simple tools — like kitchen knives — and slowly fired in a wood-burning kiln. His style is instantly recognizable: rich reliefs portraying everyday life in the Brazilian Northeast — June festivals, rural weddings, street processions — rendered with a vibrant, almost theatrical expressiveness rooted in folk tradition and baroque storytelling.

João's path is one of imagination and resilience. He began modeling boats and oxen as a child and initially signed his works as “João Maravilha.” In 1987, during an exhibition in Campinas, he was renamed “João das Alagoas” — a title that marked his rise in the national and international art scene. Still based in Capela, his hometown, João runs a working studio and an informal ceramic school where he mentors emerging talents like Leonilson de Araújo, Nena Laurentino, and Sil Capela, passing down his craft and vision.

Named a Living Cultural Treasure of Alagoas in 2011, João has won the prestigious Sebrae Top 100 Award and has shown his work in major exhibitions across Brazil, as well as in France, Italy, Argentina, and Mexico. His ceramics — at once humble and sophisticated — capture the soul of Brazil with honesty and poetry. His art speaks directly to collectors who value tradition, storytelling, and singular artistic identity — all central values of the Viridis Gallery.