Carballo Estrela
Why We Love It | From Pontevedra (Galicia) in a corner in the middle of the countryside where the noise of cars does not reach, Luis Portabales, founder of Carballo Estrela, loves to build houses for birds and hang them on the trees in the middle of the forest.
But he does many more things, here you can discover him and get to know him better.
Where to find | www.carballoestrela.com
All pictures are from Carballo Estrela
Pez Luna model beach shovel and beautiful slingshot design by Luis Portabales to Carballo Estrela
How was Carballo Estrela born?
In 2007 I felt a sudden desire to build a birdhouse and hang it from a tree in the forest, I had no tools and had never worked with wood, the result on a functional and aesthetic level left much to be desired but the feeling of doing what the body asked me was immense.
I was equipping myself with tools and acquiring skills with wood and I made so many nest houses that I knew that this was more than an impulse and it was a vital project that I have continued ever since and that has had different facets.
In 2012 I set up a physical store with the same name where, in addition to my creations, I sold material for outdoor life where the quality of design and materials and a spirit in accordance with the new outdoor sensibility were the filter for the selection of items.
The business closed like so many others during the crisis but the project continues, now about to open a new workshop in a forest near Pontevedra to be able to continue working with my wooden pieces that I combine with drawing and painting work.
Who are you?
My name is Luis Portabales Macías, I live in Pontevedra with my girlfriend, my children, my dog and my cat.
I studied Fine Arts at the Pontevedra faculty where I specialized in drawing and painting.
In the creation of the brand and during its development, all my tastes about music, cinema, comics, painting… all the memories of the afternoons of games and adventures in the mountains of the area have participated, as it cannot be otherwise.
During my childhood….it is a vital project as I have said, so everything that I consider to be important in life is part of it.
Carballo Estrela began being what I was and now I am at that moment where I begin to be what I want Carballo Estrela to be.
I had no tools and had never worked with wood but the feeling of doing what my body asked me to do was immense
LUIS PORTABALES
What makes you unique?
It is a complex question to be answered from me, that should be said by someone who can observe and assess my work from the outside, with the distance and perspective that I lack.
How do you define Carballo Estrela in a few words?
An effort to connect Art, Life and Nature through pieces with both functional and aesthetic value to serve both domestically and in outdoor settings.
How is the Atlantic culture reflected in your work?
I am highly influenced by my land, its landscape, its culture, everything, naturally, without the intention of flying any flag or pretending to have a marked identity, but without being very aware, I think that I do indeed have an Atlantic character that in some way I suppose is present and transfer to my life and my work.
