Pausa Artisans-Azores

25/09/2026

💚 Off the lathe this week! 💚

Paul has been busy in his workshop this week, as usual, and this stunning piece caught my eye this week.

A gorgeous 24cm wood-turned lacewood plate, created from a quarter-cut piece of platano (London Plane).

What was once part of a living tree has been transformed into something beautiful, useful and entirely unique.

The natural character of the wood remains at the heart of the piece, shaped by the hands of the craftsman.

And if this one catches your eye… you’ll find plenty more of Paul’s work to admire at the Mercado Municipal in Horta tomorrow.

Every Saturday
8:30am – 12:30 pm

Come and discover the makers, the stories and the beautiful things being created right here on our islands.

Support local. Buy handmade. Take home a piece of Faial.

18/09/2026

✨ NEW CREATION THIS WEEK ✨

🌿 A little bit of Faial and a whole lot of craftsmanship. 🌿

Meet this rather gorgeous winged plate, fresh off the lathe this week and looking very pleased with itself. 😉

Hand-turned by Paul of Pausa Artisans-Azores, it was crafted from a piece of Acacia Amarela, originally grown in a garden here on Faial.

And there’s a little piece of wood-turning history in it too…

✨ This is the first winged plate Paul has ever made in 48 years of wood-turning!

So, not only is it unique because of the wood and the hands that shaped it, it’s a genuine one-off from an artisan with nearly half a century of experience.

🌿 Want to see it for yourself?

You’ll find it at the Municipal Mercado this Saturday, 8:30am–12:30pm, and every Saturday thereafter.

Come and discover the story behind the wood, meet the maker, and see what happens when a beautiful piece of Faial timber meets 48 years of craftsmanship.

Some pieces are made. Others have a story to tell. This one has both. 🌿

04/09/2026

✨Showcase✨

🌿 A piece of nature, turned by hand…

Some pieces of wood simply ask to be given a second life.

This beautiful natural-edge Acacia Preto platter was discovered and shaped by Paul, our wood-turner at Pausa Artisans, allowing the character of the timber to remain at the heart of the piece.

The organic edge, natural grain and warm tones make this a truly unique shallow dish or platter.

Perfect for displaying, serving, or simply enjoying as a beautiful piece of natural art in your home.

✨ One piece. One tree. One story.

Come and see it for yourself tomorrow at the Municipal Mercado, Horta, where Pausa Artisans will be there from 8:30am–12:30pm.

Come and have a browse, meet the makers and discover something a little different. 🌿

Pausa Artisans — handmade with a little help from nature.

28/08/2026

✨ SHOWCASE SPECIAL | PAUSA ARTISANS ✨

When the island winds bring down a tree… an artisan can give it another life.** 🌿

Paul has been busy in his workshop this week, as usual, and this particular piece caught my eye.

A stunning, large, wood-turned fruit bowl, created from a piece of chestnut tree — a victim of Faial’s island winds**. 🌬️🌳

What was once part of a living tree has been transformed into something beautiful, useful and entirely unique. The natural character of the wood remains at the heart of the piece, shaped by both nature and the hands of the maker.

And if this one catches your eye… you’ll find plenty more of Paul’s beautiful bowls to admire at the Mercado Municipal in Horta tomorrow.

🧺 Every Saturday
⏰ 8:30am – 12:30 pm

Come and discover the makers, the stories and the beautiful things being created right here on our islands.

Support local. Buy handmade. Take home a piece of Faial. 💚

07/08/2026

This piece of Platano (London Plane) began its transformation today. It originates from a branch pruned from a roadside tree this year. The video shows Paul rough-turning the piece into a bowl-blank to prepare for the year-long drying process.
Next year it will return to the lathe for finishing; the result will be a delightful "Dish & Dip" 💚

31/07/2026

🐋 This piece of pyrography is of a s***m whale, burned onto a piece of carob wood with its own story to tell.

The tree began its life in a garden in Amoxarife before becoming one of the island winds’ fallen victims. Part of the trunk was destined for one of Paul’s wood-turning projects, and this offcut became my canvas.

I love giving new life to natural materials, allowing the unique grain, shape and history of the wood to become part of the finished artwork. 🌿🪵

🌊 My work is inspired by the incredible fauna and flora of our islands and surrounding ocean. Every piece celebrates the wild beauty, resilience and spirit that make the Azores such a special place to call home. 💚

🛍️ Interested in my work? You’ll find Paul at the Municipal Mercado in Horta every Saturday morning from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Please do come by and say hello—He’d love to meet you and chat about my work, and his!😊

27/07/2026

Hi everyone, I’m Paul, the wood-turner behind Pausa Artisans-Azores.

My passion is spending much of my time in the workshop turning locally sourced wood into beautiful bowls, platters, pepper-grinders, and other useful and decorative pieces.

Alongside my crafted products you will find Sally's pyrography work; designs inspired by the inhabitants of the ocean, burnt onto wood.

Every Saturday morning, 8:30 - 12:30, you will find me at the Municipal Mercado in Horta, Faial, where I present my latest work off the lathe.

Do come along on and say "Hi", check out my work and support local artisans, market traders including super organic veg growers.

PLEASE NOTE: I WILL NOT BE PRESENTING MY WORK AT SEMANA DO MAR THIS YEAR.
Please do go along and support the other registered artisans who will be there in the dedicated space for Centro de Artesanato e Design dos Açores.

Centro de Artesanato dos Açores » Promoção e divulgação dos produtos artesanais certificados dos Açores

27/07/2026

IT'S A BOWL'S LIFE 🌳🪵🥣

Every bowl has a story.
This one begins... as a roadside log.

After the Município trimmed some overhanging branches, this piece of Plantano (London Plane) was rescued from the roadside and given a second chance.

The log is then cut into sections and prepared into what's known as a "bowl blank" – the starting point for every turned bowl.

Now the fun begins. The outside is roughly shaped and a foot is created so the bowl can be reversed on the lathe, allowing the inside to be hollowed out.

With a shower of shavings flying everywhere, the rough bowl begins to emerge.
See Video 🎥

Once the basic shape is complete, the walls are left at around 10% of the bowl's diameter. It's then dated and put aside to dry... for around a year!

Why so long? Drying it this way helps the timber season more evenly, greatly reducing the chances of splits and cracks appearing later.

After its long rest, the bowl returns to the lathe for its final turning, sanding and finish.

With a little patience (and a lot more shavings), it will hopefully end up looking like the last photo...

**Just when you thought bowls grew on trees...** 😉

10/07/2026

Paul latest wood-turned piece off the lathe this week..
A super bowl turned from Acacia amarelo.
Can you see the beautiful markings?

It's called "figure"- Go figure! 💚