Earthen Matter is an under construction collaborative project happening between Portugal and The Netherlands. Its goal is to discover, collect and experiment with local natural raw materials for bladesmithing. We explore the connection between design and its local environment, by combining ancient methods and modern techniques to produce high-end, durable and sustainable kitchen knives and tools.
This website serves as a digital archive for the found raw materials and its transformation processes. It aims to be used as a tool for other makers who want to locally source and process their own materials, hopefully making a small contribution to more sustainable artistic and craftsmanship practices.
If you want to collaborate, share information, ask questions, or just to say hi, get in touch! earthenmatterproject@gmail.comor send us a message oninstagram.
How it started... Vasco began learning and researching the process of knife-making in 2019. As a European bladesmith imports were a constant: from the traditional Japanese techniques - regarded as the best in the world - to the raw materials used to work his craft. These included Japanese steel and sharpening stones, as well as exotic (and sometimes endangered) woods from South Asia, Africa and South America, often regarded as the most desirable materials for kitchen knife enthusiasts and makers. At the time living in his hometown, in a mountainous region of inland Portugal, Vasco started researching about sharpening stones and experimenting with local ones. At first, the results were disappointing. However, his interest on the matter kept growing. In 2021, he moved to The Netherlands, and most recently, on a trip to Vielsalm, in Belgium, we have found very promising stones. Since January 2024, Vasco started experimenting with local wood and steel as well.
Team
Vasco Veríssimo (b. 1997, Castelo Branco, Portugal) is a self-taught bladesmith, currently living and working in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Over the years he has produced comissioned work for chefs and kitchen knives enthusiasts around the world. To master the cutting technique, he has also worked as a cook himself, under chef Thomas Voets at Benz at Kazerne, and later at Kazerne, under chef Giovanni Gabana.
Marta Alves (b. 1997, Leiria, Portugal) is a graphic designer and illustrator, also living and working in Eindhoven. Marta collaborates in this project as a graphic and narrative designer. She graduated with an Information Design Masters from Design Academy Eindhoven. Since 2019 she has collaborated both with bigger studios and institutions - like Studio Eduardo Aires, Studio Yorit Kluitman, or Dutch Design Foundation - and with small, local projects - like ‘Crafted, the Markt’ or ‘Verkstan’.