Carmo Pólvora was born in Lisbon in 1947. He graduated in Painting, with a specialization in Engraving, at the Escola Superior de Belas Artes in Lisbon. Between 1984 and 1987 he taught Drawing at the Ricardo Espírito Santo Foundation – Institute of Arts and Crafts and in 1985 he formed, with other artists, Grupumos.

In the context of his artistic activity, he was also one of the founding elements of the engraving workshop Grafil, having also worked as an engraver at the Cooperativa de Gravadores Portugueses. In addition, he is an effective member of the National Society of Fine Arts.

So far, he has held numerous individual and collective exhibitions. Some examples are: Museu de Angra do Heroísmo (1977); Interior Gallery, Lisbon (1978); La Forge Gallery, Brussels (1981); Heidelberg Gallery, Germany (1986); João Hogan Gallery, Lisbon; Museu dei Ferrol, Spain (1989); Água, Som e Sonhos, Museu da Água da EPAL, Lisbon (1991); MAC – CMovimento de Arte Contemporânea, Lisbon; Margens, Lugar Sem Idade, Museu D’Água, Lisbon (1995); Paisagens do Inconsciente, Arte & Manifesto Gallery, Porto; Embassy of Portugal, Brussels, Belgium; Terra Ardente, J. Gomes Alves Gallery, Guimarães (1999); Roteiros de Luz, Centro Cultural de Cascais (2004). His most recent participation: 5th French-Japanese Festival of Visual Arts, Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum, Japan (2013).