Q1 wrapped

April 03, 2026

Welcome to my quarter wrap up. With April here, I’m reflecting on all that I’ve been taking in and letting out throughout my business hiatus. You might have read this word on my Instagram bio and you may or may not know what it means. It’s a break in continuity. But is it really a hiatus if I take more breaks than not? I digress. It’s April, it feels like spring and I’m still not fully back to work. Rest assured, I intend to return — I’m just not sure in what form yet.

In the spirit of uncertainty as a driving force, I’m excited to share that I’ll be moving abroad this summer. This makes the idea of returning to my ceramics business all the more complex, but I’m confident this new stage of life (and the city I’m moving to) will spark unparalleled creativity. Speaking of which… let me share with you a creative project I’ve been obsessively immersed in over the past few months. Meet Magu Fólio.

As I continue to expand my personal brand, it only made sense to name my design portfolio Magu, too. I’m a communication design student about to get my bachelor’s degree and I’m heading to said new city for a master in editorial design. My view of design is broad enough to encompass many interests and skills, ceramics included. It is all interconnected and more powerful when sewn together. So to apply to the master, I had to build a portfolio from scratch. You’d think it was easier with me being my own client, but it took me forever to decide what I wanted from it, when I am into so many different things. I ended up landing at a name, narrative and visual identity that extend the work I’ve been doing at Magu Cerâmica to another realm. On one hand, echoing ‘Magu’ feels familiar and intimate — like I’m inviting you closer. On the other hand, it is not directly anchored to my real name, and as a workaholic I need that clear distinction. In case you missed the explanation, the artist name holds different meanings. First, my name is Margarida but a few close friends call me Magu as a nickname. By the time I launched my brand, I learned that it’s also the name of a Taoist goddess of cannabis. To add to the synchronicities, it’s mine and my boyfriend’s name combined (Margarida + Gustavo). Over time, it has grown on me.

And back to reality! Q1. Personally busy but professionally stagnant. Guilt over not producing enough, alternating with exploration and research. I’m relearning how to play. This entry could easily turn into a recommendation list, as so many of them tend to do, but I’d rather scroll through my camera roll and gather snippets of late instead. No words, only feelings.

1. Walks with my dad in between work sessions. 2. The most nourishing bowl of soup from Bambi Bambi at Jardins do Bombarda (sadly closed now). 3. Watching João César Monteiro's films for research and relating to the quietude. 4. Cleansing baths. 5. I'm a work in progress, and so is everything else. 6. My good friend @ developed some Vodafone Paredes de Coura film and it got me thinking about summer. 7. Processing grief through my grandfather’s belongings. 8. A glimpse of hope. 9. First rays of sunlight.