The exhibition «From the Tower to Playing since 1989» opens today, at 5:30 pm, at the Cândido Guerreiro e Condes de Alte Museum Center.
With few inhabitants, the village of Torre, a few kilometers from Alte, would be an isolated place, if it weren’t for the initiative and work of three artisans: Aliete Graça, Ana Elói, and Silvina Martins who founded this toy factory.
Since 1989, the former primary school has been replaced by a carpentry workshop where handmade wooden toys are made one at a time. What remains is the board and chalk where visitors from all over the world leave messages. In the beginning there were seven pairs of hands. But the hardness of the job and the long hours of work for a short income reduced the group to a trio.
Aliete paints with a tangle of small bees, ladybugs, dolphins and other colorful creatures. She refinishes a series of mobiles that will one day brighten up babies’ cribs. Next door, Silvina paints the ears of small wooden dogs, which when ready, will have wheels for playing.
Toys are made here that will probably, as long as childhood exists, never go out of fashion. They are inspired by traditional and popular culture. Many still live in the memory and memories of older generations – string-pulled cars, trains, carousels and hobby horses.
But the artisans’ imagination and expertise have no limits. There are planes, helicopters, backhoes, all-terrain vehicles (some created to be trophies for the Salir race), and even motorbikes. There are also logic games for children.
Most sales take place at fairs and markets in the region. Everything is made from scratch. In fact, the three of them choose the raw wood (beech and pine) and cut the boards that will be toys.
In addition to the children’s universe, they produce jewelry for adults from natural materials such as dried fruit seeds, fruit pits (peach, apricot, almonds, plums), acorns, beans and even snail shells.
In the Tower, the machining of this carpentry cuts through the insulation. The scheming and laughter of children who occasionally discover this little fantasy kingdom.
The workshop arises in the context of the Cultural Heritage conservation program, a series of courses were launched in various locations in Serra do Caldeirão.
One of these courses, promoted by the Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP) and promoted by the In Loco Association, gave rise to the «Da Torre» workshop, a living testimony to the success of these training programs.
The exhibition at the Cândido Guerreiro e Condes de Alte Museum Center aims to portray the evolution and 35 years of history of the workshop, presenting a variety of works.
At 6:00 pm, after the opening of the exhibition, a publicity and information session will take place on the training program for rural-based entrepreneurship.
This session aims to provide information on how to create, increase or diversify an economic activity in rural areas.
The exhibition will be open to the public from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
