Born in Colorado, bred Portuguese. Creative by nature and seeking to preserve a legacy.

You may have heard of the term “Saudade”, a feeling of longing, melancholy, and nostalgia that is quintessentially Portuguese. I grew up very closely with my grandparents, Avô and Avó, who were from small towns on the island of São Miguel, Açores. I spent many hours listening to stories from the old country while I ate from my Avó’s kitchen. There was always a strong sense of belonging with my Portuguese culture, but only recently did I get the chance to visit São Miguel. While seeing my family’s homeland, I was hit with an immense sense of nostalgia that has never left my bones since. It was here that Figment Saudade was born.

It took years to articulate, but I finally landed on these two words.

Figment Saudade: The longing for something that I have never possessed. Like a figment of imagination, or a fleeting dream.

It is the ache for a homeland and way of life that feels ingrained in my bones, though I never experienced life on the islands. Small quintals and casas, each with a garden and some chickens, surrounded by livestock and hydrangeas in a lush countryside balancing on the edge of volcanic cliffs. Reminiscent of Hobbits and Cottagecore, but much more than that.