Artist & Maker

Cory SantoCristo is an American-born artist living and working on the island of Flores, in the Azores, Portugal. With a background in interior design and a practice that spans ceramics, sculpture, and material exploration, his work is rooted in a fascination with history, cultural identity, and the stories that objects carry through time.

Living on a small Atlantic island has shaped his relationship with place, tradition, and the natural world. Surrounded by the landscapes, customs, and architectural heritage of the Azores, he draws inspiration from the everyday objects, symbols, and traditions that connect people to their past.

His artistic practice is driven by a curiosity about the intersection of art, history, and material culture. Working with clay and other materials, he explores the ways in which objects can preserve memory, communicate identity, and give new life to cultural narratives. His work often draws from Portuguese history, mythology, and the visual language of traditional craftsmanship, reinterpreting familiar forms through a contemporary perspective.

Beyond the studio, Cory is interested in the preservation of cultural heritage and the role that art can play in keeping traditions alive. Whether through ceramics, historical research, or collaborative cultural projects, he approaches his work as a way of creating connections between people, places, and the past.

At its heart, his practice is an ongoing exploration of belonging, memory, and the enduring relationship between objects and the people who make, use, and preserve them.