We Are Freo - Sonia Beato

Meet Sonia Beato. I met Sonia, originally from Portugal when she bought our wooden blocks for her ceramics creations. She has since been making stunning necklaces mixing ceramic beads and our recycled Sari silk. Sonia is a generous soul who has been so supportive of ANJELMS and has featured as a model in our Hands On collection. Our friendship is one filled with creativity, laughters and her love for celebrating the small moments in life.

Tell us a little about yourself

I make little ceramic pots. You can hold them in your hand and they feel like little treasures. Perfectly imperfect! 

I have tried, believe me, but I cannot stop making them because the process of making them takes me to a place I don’t know, where I don’t even exist, and I am lost in it forever, and I love it!

Eventually I do return - I think!

When I was fourteen years old, I read the book 'Sophie's World' by Jostein Gaarder, an introduction to the history of Philosophy. This marked the beginning of my own search for ‘love of wisdom.’

I am secretly inspired by the vibrant colours and elegant golds of Gustav Klimt’s works, in case you haven’t noticed!

Oh and I love rocks, random rocks! For the infinite shapes and colours, for the stories they uphold of this very ancient world.

What led you to Fremantle?

After a sabbatical year, our little family decided to move to Perth from Sydney. This was the first time I had ever been to Western Australia and I loved it the moment we landed. I then slowly started to discover Fremantle, most times, on my own, then with my family. I love the existing artistic community! It’s contagious!

What is the story behind your print?

This is a story that certainly talks about the diversity and vibrancy that migrants brought and continue bringing to the Fremantle community! It’s the story of our little home in North Fremantle.

The original owner of our little cottage was a sea captain married to an Anglo-Indian lady who helped Anglo-Indian migrants to settle in Western Australia. Our now granny flat was then a garage space and their home for the first months arriving into Australia.

The print is a sketch drawing of the original plaster ceiling in our living room, a Portuguese Caravel ship which is a light sailing ship of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries much used by long exploration voyages originating from the Portuguese coast - where coincidently I am originally from.

Because our heritage home has a beautiful and touching story, early this year with the help of @workshed_mosaics, using some of my pottery seconds I have created and installed a mosaic work at our front yard representing this Caravel ship in honour of all the past people that ‘sailed’ through these doors. I am thrilled to see the design taking new directions as part of an ethical and sustainable new fashion collection for The ANJELMS Project!