Born into a family connected to the land, he dedicated his first two years of work to agriculture, alongside his father. It was around the age of 15 that he discovered his true calling, the art of woodcarving, under the guidance of Master Mendes. By the age of 18, with his technique already refined, he established his own business during a golden age for woodcarvers in Paredes: using photographs provided by factories in the region, he freehand-drew the intricate motifs that would bring furniture to life, employing the traditional paper-folding technique to ensure perfect symmetry.
With the rise of straight-lined furniture, woodcarving declined, and José Torres knew how to reinvent himself, learning the trade of cabinetmaker. Between 2015 and 2020, his talent as a woodcarver was once again sought after by the Época company, where he sculpted luxury pieces destined for international markets that still valued high-quality Portuguese woodcarving. Today, he works as a cabinetmaker in a furniture factory, where his ancestral knowledge of woodcarving still occasionally shines through in special commissions. He views the risk of this art disappearing with concern, but woodcarving remains the great passion of his life.
