The story of how Bellysketcher’s maternity portraits were born

maternity portraits – a life with color after so much black and white (architecture style)

I never thought my happiness was among maternity portraits.

I studied architecture in Lisbon and Madrid and worked for 10 years as an architect before I finally decided for painting.

I was a good student. Architecture is a wonderful subject to study, not so much to work on. In college I had the chance to work with friends like João Caeiro,  Sara Cardoso Silva, Sílvia Santos and Carolina Oliveira . Very talented people who I still ask for help and opinions about my work.

My first job was an internship with the famous Manuel Aires Mateus. I learned a lot working there . Not so much about architecture but about never stop looking for perfection. He’s like that, always trying to do better, never settling.

Although architecture looks quite stylish and artistic, it really isn’t. The timings are far from perfect, clients can be very difficult to deal with and the worst part, it’s very easy to lose control over contractors and the result can be much different from our first beautiful vision.

I was a very unhappy architect. I used to arrive the office tired, always counting the hours to leave. I could´t feel motivated  and couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.

After my son Tomé was born I’ve decided my life was passing by, and I had to change something.

Since college I’ve always  loved drawing. I stopped. I thought I was too depressed for that and could´t find the energy  necessary to do so. I was wrong, after all, it was the other way around. After I began to draw my energy came back!

I started drawing Tomé and rest is history, as they say. If you are not familiar with my history, take a peek on my about page.

I love my job now. I love knowing people around the world, mainly mother’s with beautiful children, I love being my own boss, I love creating custom portraits that people will cherish for their lives. Bellysketcher’s project is the perfect combination of my favourite things and enables me to show the world what I do.

Creation is my divinity, my own form of numinous. I believe I’m making the world a better place with my paintings ( much more then with my architecture projects) and I know for sure that my work inspires people. Could´t be happier with that thought. I’ve finally found my pace.