Carine Ribeiro Cali Arte Artisan of the month

• Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, and personal stuff).  

Carine Ribeiro Cali, Im from Brazil living in Dubai since January-08

I make craftwork in felt, such as Finger Puppets; Decorated Pencils, Hair Clips,
Christmas Bags, Hardback, Pincushions, Key rings and a lot of kind of gifts all with felt.

• What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?
  All the children like my daughter and everything that is on the market for kids: books,
  cartoons, toys, animals plush and colors.

I am a nutritionist and last year I made a project about Alimentation Education
when I started to make finger puppets with healthy food themes, that is when I felt in
love for working with felt.

• Greatest claim to fame (with respect to your craft)
  It is a great pleasure to know that all the kids like my work and also to see their faces
  when they see the toys and start playing.

• Where were you born?
  I was born in Curitiba, south of Brazil but lived most part of my life in Sco Paulo,
  the biggest city of Brazil.

• How long have you been doing your craft?
  My mother is a great artisan, very talented and makes many kinds of craftwork;
  I guess that during my life I was very influenced by her.
  
  
• How did you learn your craft?
  Most of it with my mother, also with some magazines and websites, in addition to
  that I am a very curious person.
  
  
• Favorite film of all time?
  I like very much the childrens movies and every time I like a different one, at the
  time being I love Ratatouille from Disney.
  
  
• What was the last CD you bought?
  It was a CD together with a book called Nursery Rhymes to inspire me with its illustrations
  in felt and make my daughter have fun singing and dancing.
  
  
• Are you married?
  Yes, my husbands name is Alex and he is my biggest motivator!
  
  
• Do you have kids?  if so please tell us more about them
  Yes, I have a beautiful daughter called Giuliana, my biggest treasure who will turn
  four years old very soon and also the name of my craftwork: Giuliana Original Handmade!
  
  
• How long have you been in the UAE?
  About nine months, I arrived in January-08
  
  
• How long do you intend to stay in the UAE ?
  Lets just say that we have no plans of going back home for now, just for vacation!
  
  
• Do you belong to any other groups?
  Not at the time being!
  
  
• What are your favourite materials?
  I just love working with felt
  
  
• What is your favourite colour?
  I like a mix of colors but in special pink and purple.
  
  

• What are you reading right now?
  Nothing at the moment, all the time is dedicated to the felt craftwork.
  
  
• Apart from creating things, what else do you do?
  The ideas just come to my mind from something that I just saw and I need to
  draw it right away in order not to miss it. So I guess I do some drawings as well.

• Your star sign   ?
  Aries
  
  
• How can ARTE be improved?
  October was my first participation, I was very happy to be chosen for the artisan
  of the month. The incentive to expand the number and type of works is what I
  consider the most important topic to focus on. The exhibitions are every month
  more interesting, a great entertainment for the whole family; everyone should
  pass by to know it, just like I did.

You can contact Carine at giuliana.originalhandmade@gmail.com

or see more of her work via her blog http://giuliana-originalhandmade.blogspot.com