Penchant for Porcelain

aureen D’Souza is Goa’s premier porcelain artist. Her impressive work is truly a delight to the eyes. Maureen’s art is a glorious fusion of Goa’s bright colour schemes with the delicate technique of European porcelain painting.
Ceramic tile painting, better known as the art of Azulejos is an important part of Goa’s colonial heritage. However, Maureen’s work goes well beyond the monochromatic colour scheme of blue, which is usually seen in Portuguese-style ceramic painting.  She explains what makes her painting style unique, “This type of painting is usually found in Dresden, Germany or Limoges, France. It is referred to as ‘third fire,’ because one paints on glazed porcelain.” The procedure involves painting multiple layers of powder-based colours on porcelain. This helps to build the depth of the colour. As the porcelain is fired in a kiln several times, the completed painting has a wonderful sheen that remains unchanged over the years. Additionally, as it is not necessary to use monochromatic hues, Maureen’s porcelain art displays an array of vibrant colours. Drawing inspiration from her Goan roots, she paints spectacular floral patterns on porcelain items such as plates, tiles and vases. Maureen’s work is certainly one of a kind, and a great contribution to the field of porcelain art in Goa.
Pilerne-based Maureen’s journey as an artist began in Italy, where she trained under the accomplished porcelain artist Carla Rabi Corona in 1983. It was during this time that Maureen discovered her own ability for precision, especially in painting fine designs. Her art was brilliantly received and her work was also featured in a popular Italian magazine, Brava Casa. Ever since then, Maureen has shared her expertise by participating in art workshops across the world: including Italy, Switzerland, Portugal and Mumbai in India. Over the years, she has dabbled in various styles of porcelain painting, capturing themes such as wildlife, abstract patterns and animated characters.Her repertoire of work is spectacular.
What is really interesting is that Maureen does not prefer commercializing her art. While her spectacular porcelain paintings could easily be sold as expensive collector’s pieces, Maureen’s approach is awe-inspiring. She explains, “I don’t create art to sell it. I am an artist because I love what I do. While I don’t usually sell my porcelain paintings, I do offer them as presents to friends and family.” Maureen’s dedication to art is exemplary. She is also very versatile. Besides porcelain painting, she is well-versed with interior design. She designs and paints intricate artwork across a variety of templates, even walls and floor tiles! This is a great example of how creative potential should not be confined to just one medium. Art has no boundaries of expression.
With over three decades of experience in porcelain painting, Maureen does her best to keep up with the changing trends in art. She shares the secret to becoming a successful artist, “If you are really keen about a particular form of art, then go for it. Throw all your energy into it. Don’t let people dissuade you from pursuing art. From my experience, I think every artist needs three qualities to become successful: patience, precision and perseverance.” These are truly words of wisdom for all budding artists in Goa. If you want to develop your ability as an artist, it is perseverance that will lead you to perfection.