| GRACE, THE CHERRY TREE, and THE BLACKBIRD |

This print is inspired by Graça, a woman who grew up among the landscape of the Douro River. Since cherry trees are also typical of the region, we decided to combine childhood playfulness with the sweetness of the cherries that Graça loves so much, and we created the next story.

Graça, the Cherry Tree, and the Blackbird

"On the gentle mornings of an eternal spring, Graça would climb her parents' cherry trees, where ruby-red, ripe fruits hung heavily. She would sit on the high branches, among the leaves dancing in the wind, and let the sweet aroma of cherries envelop her like an embrace. It was there, suspended between the sky and the earth, that Graça spent her time.

A blackbird, with feathers as dark as a starless night, watched her closely. To the farmers, he was a cunning thief, delighting in the largest and sweetest cherries, but to Graça, he was more than that. She saw him as a guardian of a hidden world, accessible only to those who dared to dream.

Once, while nibbling on a juicy cherry, Graça felt the gentle touch of the blackbird on her shoulder. Without hesitation, she climbed onto his back and felt weightless, as if her body’s heaviness had disappeared. From up high, she saw the Douro River winding, bright and serene, its banks covered with stones that glittered under the sunlight. Further away, the voices of vineyard women could be heard singing in chorus, their voices intertwined in a harmonious melody that echoed across the fields. Graça felt the freedom of becoming part of that living landscape – the wind on her face, the sound of the river, and the women's song – all blending into a symphony that made the world seem magical and serene.

But, as with all journeys, the flight began to descend back to the earth. The blackbird guided Graça back to the branch of the cherry tree, and the world returned to what it had been, but something inside her had changed forever. Now, every time she bit into a cherry, she felt the distant echo of that flight, and she waited for the day the blackbird would return."