My Portugal Series: Arren Williams & David Pimentel
Arren Williams and David Pimental founded Casa Cubista to share Portugal's unique designs and traditional craftsmanship with a global audience. Based in Olhão on the Algarve coast, Casa Cubista collaborates with Portuguese artists to design items that celebrate the country's rich design history, while infusing each piece with a modern twist.
Casa Cubista products continue to be a favorite among our customers, and we're always adding new pieces to our offering in Artigos, the Portuguese design shop within Portugalia Marketplace. You can view our current Casa Cubista inventory at the link below.
Portugalia Marketplace: The Casa Cubista origin story is fascinating. Can you share what inspired the founding of the company, and how your experiences in Olhão shaped Casa Cubista’s identity?
Arren & David: It really was a happy accident. We were on sabbatical in Portugal, living in the coastal Algarve fishing town of Olhão, and through friends we met young craftspeople making tiles in the same way they’d been made since the 16th and 17th century. So, just for fun, we came up with some designs. Then at a local pottery, we asked the artists to paint some pieces for us. It really snowballed from there. A shop in Guimarães picked up the collection, which was then spotted by a buyer from Le Bon Marché in Paris. That first big order was packed up on our bed! Really, it was more about sharing the things that we’d found with friends, and from there we realized there was a wider audience for what we were trying to do - create a contemporary take on traditional Portuguese craft.
PM: During your travels through Portugal, what particular aspects of Portuguese design and craftsmanship captivated you the most, and how have these elements been incorporated into Casa Cubista’s products?
A & D: For us it was the fact that craft was still part of daily life in Portugal, where in North America it’s almost been forgotten. We love how the skills of working with ceramics or weaving are passed down through families, and we're happy to have a small part in helping that continue.
PM: How do you go about finding individual artisans in Portugal to create your designs, and have you found there to be an abundance or scarcity of people with these traditional crafting skills throughout the country?
A & D: The individual artisans are always there, as are small family-owned manufacturers, though from a ceramics perspective, there are certainly less people working in the industry now. Most of our contacts have come through word of mouth, as well as occasionally working with local councils to be connected with their artisans.
PM: How do you find a balance between honoring Portuguese design traditions while introducing modern elements into your pieces?
A & D: It’s always a collaboration. We might come up with an idea, or paint a design, but once that is transferred to a potter throwing on the wheel, or a painter painting onto the clay, it always changes. And we love that! The people we work with know their materials best, and we really lean into that.
PM: For someone wanting to experience the rich arts culture of Portugal, which regions or specific destinations would you recommend they visit to truly appreciate the country’s art and design heritage?
A & D: Everywhere! In cities like Porto or Lisbon, it’s relatively easy to find studios and ateliers of people working in craft and design, but even in small towns and villages, you’ll often stumble across someone making something. You just have to keep your eyes open!
PM: Finally, where can our subscribers follow you to stay up-to-date on all things Casa Cubista?
A & D: On Instagram! We’re always introducing new designs, or new colours, and it’s become a daily journal of what’s in our collection, and what we’re working on. Give us a follow @casacubista.
