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Atelier SOLM

@ateliersolm

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Where material meets meaning.
A ceramic & design atelier in Cabo Verde
Bespoke collections for hospitality & interiors
by @solm.land

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As we approach the final weeks of our SAB ceramics program, we wanted to take a moment to thank you for supporting us along the way.

It’s been a busy few months, filled with incredible technical and personal growth, challenges, small victories and so many moments we’re proud of. And we are just incredibly grateful to our community, friends, family and diaspora for believing in our work and helping us get this far.

We’re now making one final fundraising push to close our remaining €4,500 gap and give our learners the support they need to complete the program.

If you would like to contribute whether for the first time or the 3rd, you can find the donation link in our bio.

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If you’ve been following our journey, it will come as no surprise that we’re posting on World Tourism Day.

At SOLM, many of the questions we ask ourselves every day come back to tourism because after all, regenerative tourism is what we’re all about.

How do we welcome people into a place while protecting what makes it special?

How do we preserve knowledge, craft, culture and land while allowing them to evolve?

How can the growth of tourism create meaningful opportunities for the people who call that place home?

And how do we move beyond preservation alone, towards regeneration?

In Cabo Verde, these questions are deeply connected. Craft, agriculture, food, hospitality, culture, land and livelihoods are all threads of the same system. Our work in ceramics is one of those threads, but there are many more we hope to keep pulling on.

We don’t have all the answers. But we believe tourism can give back to the people & places that give so much to it.

That’s the gap we are working within. And the work continues.

Happy World Tourism Day!

photos @yahninreallife

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welcome to our classroom.
as seen through @yahninreallife lens

0 SOLM Atelier de Barro
1 orientation letter by @jahirka
2 course overview
3 coiling with Zenaida
4 dreams with coach @emiliennemacauley
5 Zenaida from Tras Di Munti, Santiago
6 collective vessels
7 bosta pit firing ceremony
8 torno with @jobonetto
9 atelier notes
10 líder de turma nossa @silviaandrade92
11 cylinders practice
12 recycling in butter bins
13 vibe check
14 glazing in more butter bins
15 wheel instruction with @nannibonetto
16 recycling our wild clay with @fortes.nelsontavares
17 more clay recycling
18 our backyard
19 day 0 set up of learning atelier in Centro Social

SAB by @solm.land & Partners
Terracota Atelier, Mindelo
El Patio, Barcelona
Ban Workshop, Dakar
olio, Mindelo

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This week marks a new chapter in SAB: the beginning of our final collections.

Although the program continues through November, ceramics moves on its own time, so the work begins now.

Over the past months, our cohort has learned from Cabo Verdean ceramists, visiting teachers, one another, and knowledge that has travelled through generations of hands. Now, they begin to ask what they want to carry with them and what they want to make their own.

To open this next phase, we looked to ceramicists like Ladi Kwali and Bisila Noha, and to ceramic practices across our continent and beyond. Reminders that honouring what came before us does not mean simply repeating it. We can learn from it, respect it, rethink it and add our own stories.

For generations, much of the knowledge held in clay has passed from woman to woman, even when their names and contributions were left out of the stories we were taught.

And while November will mark the end of this first SAB cohort, it is really the beginning of what we have been building towards.

From here, that knowledge moves into @ateliersolm , creating a bridge between craft, culture and Cabo Verde’s tourism economy. And, in time, knowledge passed again into the hands of our next SAB cohort.

One set of hands to another.

But we’re not done yet

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One year ago today, Hurricane Erin devastated communities across Cabo Verde.

Lives were lost. Homes, businesses and livelihoods were destroyed. For many families, the impact of that day is still deeply felt, and today we remember those who were lost and everything our communities endured.

In the days that followed, we also witnessed something extraordinary.

From those here on the ground to the Cabo Verdean diaspora around the world, people showed up. They donated. They shared. They connected us with others who could help. They amplified what was happening in São Vicente and found ways, big and small, to support communities from wherever they were.

At the time, SOLM was still very new. And yet, so many of you trusted us.

There were those who vouched for our work before we had much of a track record, who believed in what we were building and trusted that support placed in our hands would reach people and communities on the ground. That trust allowed us to step in, respond and help where we could.

To every person who donated, shared our work on social media, made an introduction, sent a message, checked in, or simply helped our work reach one more person: we see you. We appreciate you. And we remain endlessly grateful.

One year later, we haven’t forgotten.

Today we remember those we lost. We honor everything that had to be rebuilt. And we honor the resilience of Cabo Verdeans, here on the islands and across the diaspora, who showed us what it means to show up for one another.

Ph @yahninreallife

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August is here, and with it a new month of experiences with @ateliersolm

This month we’re welcoming back some of our favourites, alongside a few new workshops.

Mon Pikenin returns with creative ceramic sessions for our youngest makers led by @silviaandrade92

We’re also introducing Tacinha d’Piték, where you’ll create your own ceramic grogue cup before enjoying a tasting of Preta Crioula Velho in collaboration with @alternativa_galeria

For those looking to create something both beautiful and functional, Luz di Barro invites you to design and handbuild your own working ceramic lamp from locally sourced Cabo Verdean clay.

And if you’ve been wanting to try the pottery wheel, our Introduction to the Wheel classes are back this month by demand with the incredible @jotioz residency ceramics master in our SAB program from Argentina!

Whether you’re based in Cabo Verde or simply visiting our islands, we’d love to welcome you into the atelier. If you’re travelling, don’t worry, we can carefully package and ship your finished pieces to your home once they’ve been fired.

See you soon!

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There is something special about gathering around a table to create.

Our workshops are designed to be welcoming, creative spaces where people can slow down, learn something new, and connect through making with their hands.

Whether you’re joining us for your first ceramics experience or returning to us, we hope you’ll leave with new skills, new connections, and a deeper appreciation for Cabo Verde’s craftsmanship and culture.

Every workshop you join also helps fund our initiatives for women and youth in Cabo Verde through our on ground programs and initiatives such as as our SAB Ceramics & Leadership program.

We’d love to welcome you.

Explore our upcoming workshops through the link in our bio. #mindelo

Photos @yahninreallife

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July has arrived at SOLM.

This month’s calendar is a little later than usual, but we think it’s worth the wait.

Alongside some familiar favourites, we’re excited to introduce two new recurring series.

Mon Pikenin is a space for our youngest makers to create, imagine, and discover the joy of making with their hands.

Slow Sunday is our invitation to gather around the table through ceramics, local food, and unhurried moments shared with family, friends, and community.

Every event you join helps sustain our Learning Atelier in Calhau and creates opportunities for women and youth through our programs.

We look forward to welcoming you this July.

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This month, we are excited to welcome Mariana Bonetto (@marianabonetto_estudio ) as the new SAB resident and Head Trainer.

Originally from Argentina and now based in Barcelona, Mariana has dedicated her life to ceramics after studying Industrial Design and exploring creative practices across different countries and cultures. For her, clay is more than a material, it is a language, a way of connecting with people, places, and oneself.

Mariana’s work explores both organic and geometric forms, embracing the natural beauty of clay, earthy textures, and neutral tones. Through her practice, she invites a sense of curiosity, reflection, and discovery.

What drew us most to Mariana is not only her incredible technical mastery and artistic practice, but her belief in the power of making together. She has created spaces where creativity becomes a shared experience, where people gather, learn from one another, and feel a sense of belonging.

If you’re in Mindelo this month, you’ll also have the opportunity to learn directly from Mariana through our upcoming workshop series. From hand-building and decorating ceramics with engobes to introductory wheel-throwing sessions (link in bio)

Welcome, Mariana. 🤍

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Looking for a creative experience during your time in #mindelo #saovicente #caboverde ?
Local nonprofit association @solm.land is hosting a series of ceramics workshops throughout the month of June, inviting visitors and residents alike to slow down, connect and create with their hands.

From relaxed coffee and ceramics (THIS Sunday June 14) to pottery wheel experiences and ceramic painting evenings, these workshops offer a unique opportunity to engage with our rich ceramic traditions while supporting an inspiring mission.

All proceeds help fund @solm.land programs for women & youth in regenerative tourism practices and community impact.

Time to find your creative outlet during your travels!

visit @solm.land or www.solm.land/calendar to reserve your spot.

Incredible phot taken by @yahninreallife

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Today, we’re honored to introduce you to Zenaida Teixeira, our first SAB Program resident and ceramics instructor.

For nearly two decades, Zenaida has dedicated herself to preserving traditional pottery-making practices in Cabo Verde. Working from the Centro de Arte e Ofícios in Trás di Munti, Santiago, she carries forward knowledge that was passed between generations of women artisans and continues to shape each piece by hand, from collecting and processing clay to firing and finishing.

Just over two weeks ago, our Atelier de Barro Intensive cohort had the privilege of learning directly from Zenaida. Together, they explored traditional ceramic techniques, local materials, firing methods, and the cultural histories embedded within the craft itself.

Zenaida’s story is one of resilience, dedication, and deep connection to her work. Through personal loss, economic change, and the departure of many fellow artisans from her community, ceramics has remained a constant presence in her life. As she often says, “clay is more than a material. It is a source of peace, purpose, and healing.”

Today, she remains one of the few artisans continuing these traditions and is believed to be the only ceramicist still practicing the traditional stone-burnished finishing technique in Cabo Verde.

We are deeply grateful for the knowledge, generosity, and experience she shared with our cohort and community.
Behind every piece of pottery is a much larger story of memory, resilience, and cultural continuity.

You can read Zenaida’s story in full on our journal now.
www.solm.com/journal/zenaida

photos @yahninreallife

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