Between the Grotesque and the Handmade: The Craft Universe of Carina Mendonça

Сarina Mendonça is an artist and crafter from Madeira Island, known for her unique approach that blends philosophy, humor, work ethic, and upcycling. Living in the north of the island, far from the main tourist routes, Karina creates art that has earned wide recognition across Madeira. You can often find her at craft events in Funchal, where she showcases her vibrant work. Today, we asked her about the challenges and advantages of being a crafter based in such a geographically remote location.

How do you navigate the challenges of promoting your work while being based in Madeira?

The best way I find to promote my work is through tourists who buy my work. These people are the ones who form the bridge between the island and the rest of the world. They take my work with them, for their own use or as gifts, and this makes it a hand-to-hand promotion.

As for promoting my work through different digital platforms, I use Facebook and Instagram.

Regional or national exhibitions also help to promote my work in some way.

Does being on an island influence the sustainable aspects of your creative process or material choices?

Of course. Without a doubt, the island influences my work. Whether through organic materials that I collect from Nature, or waste such as clothing and other materials that I recycle and reuse, I work with the materials that are around me and that I have access to.

What strategies have been most effective for you in gaining visibility in the art world?

If I can say that I have some visibility in the world of arts, I think it is due to my persistence and passion for creation. Of course, the help of social networks helps in this path.

How do you connect with potential clients and collectors, both locally and internationally?

At a regional level, through weekly fairs that allow me to share my social networks and thus make my work as an artist known, and not just the CM art work project, which is what I present at the weekly fair.

Do you rely more on galleries, social media, art fairs, or other platforms to showcase your work?

All of these ways are useful for promoting my work.

I usually use digital platforms. Obviously, having the opportunity to exhibit in galleries or other cultural spaces is an added value in making my art known!

What are the biggest obstacles you've encountered in building a sustainable art career on an island?

The biggest obstacles were personal, as I had to find my space in this artistic environment, accept that my work was interesting enough to start monetizing it.

I feel that foreigners are more interested and open to my work with recycled material compared to our locals.

Have you found collaborations or partnerships to be helpful in expanding your reach? If so, how?

Yes. Collaborations/partnerships are always useful, given that exposing different perspectives leads to reflection on the best promotion strategies, which result in greater visibility.

How do you balance the time between creating art and managing the business side of your career?

I personally think that I don't do very good commercial management, or at least not very active.

I use more of my time for creation, and I spend some time on promotion on social media. Whether it's more recent work, projects I’m part of, or rekindling memories of projects I've done in the past.

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