Tato Sheriff, as she is usually known, has a workshop where she combines her existence with a kind of Noah’s ark. And this boat loaded with the most diverse characters sails towards an unknown world of novelties and surprises that are reflected in the artist’s work. A white old horse and a black-haired goat, several dogs that play with each other and see us meet, and cats, of all colors having one of them a green eyes that are authentic sapphires, which brings to mind the green syrups, so used in traditional dishes Caldense. It is a happy home in which everyone lives peacefully. Maria de Jesus Sheriff was born on 02/12/1959, in Lisbon, being Portuguese of naturalness and Spanish of nationality. When she was 18 years old, she decides to go to António Arroio School and then study Graphic Design at ARCO, (Lisbon). But an equivalence problem arises and then decides to enroll in the evening course of Ceramics, at IADE (Lisbon), where she had as Prof. Dr. Salinas Calado. She interrupts in the second year and goes to live in Cartaxo where for a while she is employed in a hotel establishment; then she goes to work for the “atelier Nazaré Barbosa”, where she is given the possibility to learn how to move the clay. Joaquim Vinhais, designer, challenges her to go to CENCAL; after an interview with Armando Correia she is accepted and has been in this Training Center since August 1985. After a period of learning, she occupies several places as responsible for training: “Painting Monitor”, and 3 years as coordinator of company training assistance in the areas of “Painting” and “Creative Ceramics” (1999/2000).
During all the time that Jesus Sheriff works at CENCAL her dream is to transform this Professional Center into the best Ceramics School in Europe. With this purpose, she manages to bring to CENCAL some of the most renowned artists, such as Eduardo Nery and Claudio Casanova, in order to allow the instructors contact with what is best done in the area of ceramics. But not everything goes as she wishes; the lack of interest and support shown by some of the directors aborts this project. As a result of the environment raised, in 2016 Jesus Sheriff leaves CENCAL. The artist already worked on her own and from this time on, dedicates herself full time to creating the pieces that her imagination and art allow. It uses mainly earthenware, employs water paints and glazes; it often uses old pieces, which rescues from old factories, makes the pieces to be shaken and these arise as reborn phoenix. Jesus Sheriff has a very particular work process; during the month of January she dedicates himself to the study of trends in colors and formats. Then order the pieces you want from various factories. When they reach your hands, they are ready for ornamentation. And this is when the artist lives up to her creativity, art and imagination. The vast majority of the pieces that come out of your hands are components of table services: dishes of various sizes, bowls, bowls, plate bases, lunches, terrines, the most complete ménage imaginable. The pieces are decorated with elegance ready to receive the tastiest delicacies; each piece is unique, none is repeated, which makes your work a piece to be enjoyed with joy. Jesus Sheriff sells all her ceramic production in Spain at fairs and exhibitions.
