Chit-chatting with PearTree
"I’m inspired by everything handmade, whether a ceramic jar or a wicker basket. I love that these pieces are unique and made with the talent and dedication of a human being, not by a machine. That’s what I want as well: to create pieces that are unique, unrepeatable." Inês Pereira is a Portuguese artist who uncovered her creative side during a 15-day quarantine in London. In this interview, she walks her through her art project, creative process, and self-discovering journey. ♡
Who’s behind PearTree?
The person behind it is Inês Pereira, a Portuguese girl who uncovered her creative side while living in London. It’s funny because I’ve never considered myself a creative person or even someone with talent. When I was a little kid, I liked to play with beads and make my own necklaces and bracelets, but that was about it. Growing up, I solely focused on my studies and career, which drove me further away from any hobby. Discovering terrazzo has shown me that there are other things I like to do and can be good at. So PearTree feels like a self-discovery journey.
You said it all started in London… how?
When the pandemic started, back in 2020, people had to stay indoors and find new hobbies to entertain themselves. The situation was very different for me. I never stopped working and never even worked a single day from home. I still had my routine and little free time. But I started seeing so many people posting on social media about their hobbies, from painting to cooking, and I found it very interesting. Among those, I saw people making terrazzo pieces. It caught my attention because it seemed simple and fun.
So then I went to Portugal for a couple of weeks, and, when I came back to London, I had to quarantine for 15 days. I started thinking… What should I do to pass the time? Needless to say, the answer came easy: I’ll buy a terrazzo kit and try making my own pieces. I still have those first pieces, it’s funny to look at them and see how I’ve evolved ever since.
How did it grow from there?
After those first pieces, I realized I wanted to continue. Funny story. I made my first coasters and saved the rest of the material in a cardboard box. I wanted to make many more pieces. Unfortunately, I placed the box at my house entrance, and my boyfriend mistook it for garbage and threw it away. Let me just add this: terrazzo kits are not cheap. So I made him buy me a new one, of course. From that point on, I never stopped. People started giving me positive feedback, so I created an Instagram account. Soon I began to sell pieces and receive orders through it. Now, who knows, maybe this will be my full-time job one day!
You currently have a very demanding job.
How do you find the time to create and receive orders?
It is not always easy. I work around 10 to 12 hours a day, so terrazzo is something I do almost exclusively on my days off. It helps me relax and disconnect.
But now that I've started selling, having an organized schedule is extremely important. Last Christmas, for example, it got a bit intense because I received several orders and had to work on those as soon as I got home. People wanted the pieces for the 24th of December, and I was shipping everything on the 23rd, thinking, “well, these will never get there on time”. But they did, surprisingly! Santa was on my side on this one. So for me, the key is to be honest with my customers about my timings because I know how tricky things can get.
Now the big question: what is terrazzo exactly?
Well, terrazzo is the name of the technique, not the material - I think it’s important to get that straight because there’s a lot of confusion! The key ingredient here is jesmonite, an eco-friendly, water-based, and non-toxic material. So to make a terrazzo piece, you first need to create the terrazzo "chips", which can be plain white or with any desired color. This part is done by pouring out thin layers of Jesmonite onto a sheet of plastic (or something similar), allowing the layer to fully dry, then crunching it up into smaller pieces. Then, you combine the aggregate back into the Jesmonite mixture and cast it on silicone molds. Jesmonite usually sets after around 20-30 minutes, though it is recommended to leave it in the mold for 2 hours and then remove it and leave it to fully cure for a further 24 hours. The next day, you simply have to polish the piece with sandpaper - and that's it! It is a fairly simple method, but it has a lot of steps.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Right now, I’m finding inspiration in my region, the Algarve. After moving back here from London, I started to experiment with different ingredients, and now I’m adding mussel shells to my terrazzo pieces. It gives them a beautiful sparkly touch. I’m also buying different molds and starting a new sardine collection. Algarve is all about sardines, so this shape was almost mandatory. And I’m also inspired by everything handmade, whether a ceramic jar or a wicker basket. I love that these pieces are unique and made with the talent and dedication of a human being, not by a machine. That’s what I want as well: to create pieces that are unique, unrepeatable. That’s the magic of handmade.
What’s on the horizon for Peartree?
I have so many ideas in mind that it’s hard to tell! But I definitely want to keep experimenting and trying out new molds. Actually, I want to start making my own molds and work with epoxy resin. I want to create pieces that can be safely used as a food contact surface, so I’ve been curious about this material for quite a while. Other than that, I’m also slowly building Peartree’s official website, where people can explore my work, buy pieces, or make a custom order.
Where can we find your work?
For now, you can find it on my Instagram account, which is @peartree_pt. But stay tuned, because like I’ve said, soon I’ll also have a website.
