Hand-Printed Textiles with Marta
Discover the art of hand-printed textiles with Marta in Porto, a cultural hub on the Atlantic coast. Learn block printing techniques as you carve your own stamp, design unique patterns, and create one-of-a-kind textile piece. Outside the studio, visit local fabric stores, wander through open-air markets, and enjoy a sunset at the beautiful Passeio das Virtudes.
- Snacks, Coffee, & Tea
Pricing
- One Guest
- USD $885
- Additional guest(s) (max 4)
- USD $300
Meet the Artist
Marta is a Portuguese textile designer known for her richly detailed, hand-printed fabrics. After early sewing lessons with her grandmother, she studied textile and communication design before leaving the corporate world to pursue hands-on work. Frustrated by mass-produced fabrics, she turned to surface design and manual fabric printing, learning traditional techniques in Barcelona and apprenticing with artisans in India, which enabled her to create small, soulful batches of unique textiles from home.
Marta’s process is rooted in slow, manual techniques. Using hand-carved wooden blocks, she prints illustrative botanical motifs onto natural fabrics. She also layers color and texture through hand-cut stencils and freehand brush painting. This handcrafted approach ensures every piece is unique, shaped by the natural variation and spontaneity of the process. Marta often enriches her textiles with earthy tones derived from botanical dyes, such as onion skins.
Describing her work as existing “between project and unpredictability,” Marta embraces that hand-printing allows no undo—each mark carries intention but also invites happy accidents. Over time, her practice has expanded to include quilting, patchwork, embroidery, and natural dyeing, adding a more sculptural and artistic dimension to her work.
She invites you into her studio to rediscover the joy of making and to see that textiles are more than functional objects—they carry meaning, emotion, and story.
Marta’s process is rooted in slow, manual techniques. Using hand-carved wooden blocks, she prints illustrative botanical motifs onto natural fabrics. She also layers color and texture through hand-cut stencils and freehand brush painting. This handcrafted approach ensures every piece is unique, shaped by the natural variation and spontaneity of the process. Marta often enriches her textiles with earthy tones derived from botanical dyes, such as onion skins.
Describing her work as existing “between project and unpredictability,” Marta embraces that hand-printing allows no undo—each mark carries intention but also invites happy accidents. Over time, her practice has expanded to include quilting, patchwork, embroidery, and natural dyeing, adding a more sculptural and artistic dimension to her work.
She invites you into her studio to rediscover the joy of making and to see that textiles are more than functional objects—they carry meaning, emotion, and story.
VAWAA Includes:
- Discover the history and creative possibilities of traditional block printing.
- Learn about the characteristics, potential, and limitations of manual fabric printing techniques.
- Select and prepare natural fabrics based on their structure, composition, and project goals.
- Mix and prepare inks and colors for hand printing.
- Explore the basics of pattern design: orientation, repeat systems, spacing, scale, and color.
- Design and carve your own stamp using gouges and linoleum or rubber blocks.
- Create your own printed textile such as a wall hanging, scarf, or garment.
- Understand tool cleaning and maintenance for long-term use.
- Visit local fabric and sewing trim shops for inspiration and material sourcing.
- Fun photo shoot with your finished pieces on the iconic Monte do Tadeu steps—edited photos will be sent later.
Explore Porto
Porto is a charismatic city, known for its sunny weather, rich food culture, and affordable charm. But beyond its growing popularity as a travel destination, it remains deeply welcoming and poetic—just the right size for exploring on foot. Granite-cobbled alleys, tiled façades that shimmer in the late afternoon light, and a landscape framed by both river and sea make it as visually rich as it is soulful. The cultural scene is equally vibrant, with intimate galleries, buzzing bars, and restaurants tucked into every corner.
The rhythm of Porto is rooted in saudade—a nostalgic longing woven into daily life. You can hear it in the soft strum of fado from a candlelit bar or see it in the bold, expressive work of local artists.
For decades, Porto and the surrounding northern region were the heart of Portugal’s textile industry. That legacy lives on in the materials still produced here, in the craftsmanship passed down through generations, and in the very buildings themselves—former factories and warehouses transformed into ateliers, studios, and shops that honor their industrial past.
Marta’s studio is on one of Porto’s most creative streets, where workshops for textiles, ceramics, jewelry, and more continue to thrive. It’s a neighborhood shaped by makers—a reflection of Porto’s evolving identity as a hub of contemporary craft grounded in history.
The rhythm of Porto is rooted in saudade—a nostalgic longing woven into daily life. You can hear it in the soft strum of fado from a candlelit bar or see it in the bold, expressive work of local artists.
For decades, Porto and the surrounding northern region were the heart of Portugal’s textile industry. That legacy lives on in the materials still produced here, in the craftsmanship passed down through generations, and in the very buildings themselves—former factories and warehouses transformed into ateliers, studios, and shops that honor their industrial past.
Marta’s studio is on one of Porto’s most creative streets, where workshops for textiles, ceramics, jewelry, and more continue to thrive. It’s a neighborhood shaped by makers—a reflection of Porto’s evolving identity as a hub of contemporary craft grounded in history.
Additional Details
Porto is lovely to visit year-round, though winters can be rainy. São João on June 23 is a particularly exciting time to visit, marked by frequent music festivals.
This session cannot be extended for longer durations.
Adults 18 years and older are welcome to participate. Though the studio is wheelchair accessible, the bathroom has a narrow entrance and cannot be made accessible.
Marta speaks Portuguese, English, and Spanish.
This session cannot be extended for longer durations.
Adults 18 years and older are welcome to participate. Though the studio is wheelchair accessible, the bathroom has a narrow entrance and cannot be made accessible.
Marta speaks Portuguese, English, and Spanish.