Portrait of an artist - the amazing Dona Cadu. A portrait of strength, of laughter, of an incredible life. Dona Cadu will be 103 this April. 103! I have stopped in to her ceramics studio many times before, but, it seems from my archive, this year was the first time I photographed her - I have no idea why. Dona Cadu is a legend around the area and an amazing soul, greeting me with love and laughter as if old friends reunited again. She gave me such an amazing hug as I left that I will cherish this moment for forever. ❤️ 

I could write a post on her ceramics and her history but I found this article from 2019 By Tarisai Ngangura that is much more than anything I could share - please click through and read :) 

One of the best parts of this trip, and the hardest, was seeing the girls and their families. It warmed my heart to know that everyone was healthy - seeing everyone again had me smiling with a silly grin of awe. They are so grown, so beautiful, smart and genuinely loving. After four years I was amazed at how much they have all grown, these were not young kids running through the fields anymore. There were new babies, new schools and new roads. That dusty, dirt road that announced our arrival long before we arrived, had been paved over. A two-lane, black strip that allowed cars and trucks to speed by without concern to who might be in the road. The road is the sidewalk, the road is the community, now the road felt dangerous… and this new road took the girl’s father in a motorcycle accident. I didn’t know much about him other than he fathered all of these wonderful kids. The only good from such sadness is the sisters, the mothers of these children, are connected again. Death tends to unite and break down old grievances and I was delighted to see the two of them together, laughing and sharing stories. The time spent with them was far too short, and ever since, I’ve regretted not staying longer or returning to spend more time. Four years is a long time… I look forward to seeing them again soon! 

São Joaquim market along the shore of Salvador is the beating heart of all the goods that come and go. The freshest of fruits and vegetables, animals for life and for ceremony,  stalls for lunch, for beer, where friends gather between duties for a game of cards, where long overdue naps are taken after far too early starts. Kittens and pups wander throughout finding scraps around every corner.  Like almost any market, there is a darker underside. I met Daniella on my third visit… after spending some time with her I found out she had recently been attacked - mugged and stabbed the night before - and was pregnant. I gave her a few dollars that were quickly swapped for some drugs. I’m not sure what she was smoking, I’m a bit naive to what’s in those little pipes, but I think it was nothing more than marijuana. The world in the market is fascinating, difficult, beautiful and always a challenge to photograph. I can’t wait to return!