Maria João Ribeiro first discovered ceramics at na early age. In Mozambique, where she was born, she attended a kindergarten, where children often worked with clay, exploring this material so plastic and versatile.

From the outset she began making small objects and maybe this was the “seed” for her future life.

Later on, in high school, she attended ceramics as extra-curricular program, getting to earn an award in this activity.

Coming to Portugal in 1974, made her give up ceramics, which would only come back years later, after graduating in another completely different area, Sociology.

She decided to go to Ar.Co, School of Arts and Communication, where she spent four years learning, mainly the sculptural aspect of ceramics, that she has been developing since.

In parallel, she participated in several workshops, where she learned and perfected other techniques, working with different clays and new colours.

After finishing the course at Ar.Co, she opened her own studio/gallery in Bairro Alto, in Lisbon, where she develops her work as well as ceramics workshops.

Over the years, she has always combined her creative work with teaching, both at her atelier and in public and private institutions and schools.