For those who know the art of Juazeiro do Norte, there is unanimity around a name, Nino. Following the path of many, many Brazilian artists, Nino was illiterate and his works are now in major galleries and Brazil and the world of collectors. Nino was born in 1920 and died in 2002. He was born and died in Juazeiro.
One day, he met a neighbor, young boy named Joseph Eloni da Silva, who called for help in cutting and sanding parts.
Eloni did not know very well what it was. "He said, 'Learn this is good for you' And I was, learning and working I'm doing it all for nine years After your Nino died, I continued in my corner, doing things like that and that... learned. I will cut with thought and will carving with the hammer. Sometimes I risk. The stick is telling you it will be. The more crooked the branch, the better. I sign my pieces as Eloni. The old (Nino ) liked to do Mateo. Me too. But now I'm doing some banks. In fact, I did not even pick up the ax. The old man was very good teacher. If not for him, I was still in the fields, there Miracles ( EC). And I think what he had. He started making cars and monkeys to sell at the fair beyond the Crato (CE), or exchange for food. So I want to continue, look my way and be known everywhere for what I do. "