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IF YOU’RE THE observant type you’ll have noticed that the lovely trail path near picturesque Gigi’s Beach in Quinta do Lago has a shiny new bicycle park, complete with wooden bench for taking in that calm-inducing view. Look a little closer at the bench and you will see a plaque that says Banco Todos (meaning a bench for all) by artisan woodworker, Wesley Sacardi. Wesley holds an artistic residency in the incubator Loulé Design Lab, where this particular piece was carefully designed and crafted.

A passionate creative, Brazilian-born Wesley set out on his journey into the working world of creativity with a degree in Social Communication (Bachelor in Advertising and Publicity) and a career as an advertising executive.

Changing directions

Seven years ago, Wesley underwent some serious soulsearching and the realisation that his work in advertising in Brazil was done; he was ready to get back in touch with the free-spirited nature of childhood imagination. He sought to experience a way of working that would align more with his personal life, while allowing him the satisfaction of his evergrowing interest for unique forms of creativity. Saying goodbye to his advertising life would be the start of a new creative freedom. Self-taught in woodwork, Wesley ignited the first embers of his new artistic career in 2016, producing pieces out of discarded wood found on his travels. Over the years, he created many pieces, including lamps, chairs, stools, beds, tables, wardrobes, kitchen utensils and accessories, collaborating with both corporate and private clients.

From the creation of exclusive pieces for interior design shops and the execution of furniture projects for renowned architects to the design of a specially commissioned wooden box for the launch of a Nivea Brazil product, Wesley’s objective has always been to create one-off pieces. He soon discovered that his passion would lie in becoming a part of people’s lives through the creation of decorative pieces like furniture (and

Old discarded wood is Wesley's chosen medium. This bench, Banco Todos, sits in the grounds of Palácio Gama Lobo in Loulé. The rings, below, make his work accessible to everyone more recently accessories), crafted from waste wood, that evoke an affectionate memory for the owner. Furniture is something that we often share within the home and other spaces, a place to sit and share stories, feelings and more. He says: “I want to go beyond furniture and function. I want to be part of the space, mark the presence of good memories with feelings and constant changes.”

Wesley’s Descartes Series marries different shapes, textures and states of wood to give unexpected balance and harmony.

A family holiday to Portugal in 2018 would leave him smitten with the Algarve, discovering the incubator Loulé Design Lab and creating a plan to leave his home country for a new life in Portugal in 2021. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic Wesley focused on the move to Portugal, remembering: “The most interesting thing about this period of the pandemic, when it was not possible to leave Brazil, is that I always kept in touch with my planned new country, strengthening my relationship and keeping abreast of news and opportunities.”

This is a man whose creative vision stems from a fusion of design influences, including architecture, Japanese wabi-sabi, boho, rustic and Nordic styles. For Wesley, each piece of discarded wood (found anywhere, from the streets to the beaches) represents a shape, a state, a story, a connection with nature, enabling him to create and give life to completely unique pieces.

If it’s a custom piece of furniture you’re after, then Wesley is your man; he loves to work with the history of a client, their ideas, stories and inspirations to give life to a totally unique piece.

Creating the connection

Collectible furniture is the focus behind Wesley’s work, satisfying his strong desire to bring the connection between canvas art and woodworking closer. He seeks to create pieces that will have a long life, purposefully putting a stop to the ease at which we tend to discard old things for new. His juxtaposition of waste wood with new raw material (often intended for single use) results in striking pieces of furniture with artistic identity and longevity.

Two years ago, Wesley launched his Descartes Series, “beyond the raw material” collection, marrying different shapes, textures and states of wood to give unexpected balance and harmony. The goal of each piece in the Series is the invitation to first question the possibility of use, hence the unusual visual form of the stools and chairs that comprise much of the collection.

Take a closer look at the Banco Para Todos next time you’re in Quinta and you’ll see it’s not just any bench, its twisted tree roots for legs seemingly descending into the earth below.

Maya Angelou once wrote: “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Wesley’s creativity knows no limits it seems, with his most recent creative vision seeing him move from large scale pieces to more intricate designs in the form of a unique collection of waste wood rings. He says: “The main inspiration for my rings collection was to seek a dialogue with women and the female universe; representing the feminine power in the hands.” Some of these rings hold even more powerful meaning, crafted from the wood that burned in the Algarve fires of last summer, creating beauty out of something once thought destroyed.

In the sadness of the charred wood, Wesley found poetry. Each ring is so unique that one client even confided: “It is the ring that chooses the finger not the finger that chooses the ring.”

Thinking of adding one of Wesley’s designs to your own home? You can of course purchase a piece from his collection, work together to create a custom design of your own, or (my favourite option by far!) give him total freedom to create something for you with a surprise result. Guaranteed to be a talking point in your home for many years to come!

Find out more about Wesley’s work on Instagram @wesleysacardi or better still, go take a look for yourself at the Loulé Design Lab shop located at the Palácio Gama Lobo.The Loulé Design Lab is part of the Loulé Criativo, a project of the Loulé City Council.