Interview with the artist - Eirini from Drømme Lund

Today we'll get to know a little more about Eirini from Drømme Lund. She makes beautiful wire trees.

One that caught my eye in particular is the Fire Opal Willow. Can you imagine how it must sparkle in the light?

Erini, your turn now!

Tell us a little about who you are and where you come from.

My name is Eirini Konstantopoulou. I was born and raised in Greece, but I moved to Denmark on March 2011. I am living in a small town called Thisted, with my husband and cat.

What's your craft/art and how did you get to do it in the first place?

Ten years ago I had a female friend who used to make copper wire tree sculptures just to pass the time. Since I am a creative person who loves nature, I asked her to show me how to make them. At first I must admit I was pretty bad, but after years of practise I managed to learn the craft and find a new technique that worked better for me.

Back then I was living in Athens, a big city away from nature. I was feeling quite miserable and my escape was making wire tree sculptures and write fantasy stories. I just put on some medieval themed music, let my mind free and started creating. This escape rested my mind and soul while I was taking a break from the chaotic life of a big city. After some years my life changed completely when I fell in love with a Dane. I moved to a small city in Denmark, got married and decided to share my craft with the rest of the world.

It was then that I realised that the only profession that felt fulfilling was creating. Living in a small town, around nature, unwound my creativity a lot.

So Drømme Lund was born which means Dreamy Grove. At this point I must refer to an essential part of the Grove; my husband who does all the woodwork. I am not that good with a saw, I must admit :)

I think this is one of the most asked questions - where does your inspiration come from?

Inspiration comes to me in various forms; books, music, fantasy, movies, seasons, can be anything really. Sometimes I get inspired by finding a certain charm or some beads that I really like.

The most important form of inspiration is nature itself and the wire I use. It might sound a bit weird, but when I create each sculpture, most of the times I get lost in it and the wire itself "tells" me how to proceed. That is why I can't produce any exact copy of a previous sculpture I've made. All of them are unique in their own way and I believe they have a character of their own.

Frosty Moonlight Dream

Tell us a fun thing about yourself.

I guess the most fun thing about me is being a Gemini :P Two different personalities can be fun sometimes, especially when they are balanced. Since I am at peace with myself, I found this quite fun :)

Do you do other crafts, if yes, what?

Lately I have been needle felting. I am not that good yet and I have no idea where it will take me. I have a lot of fun doing it though and in the future we'll see where it takes me.

In the past I used to draw, mostly with pencil. I was not at all good at it, still it was a great way to express myself. Another thing that I love to do, even now, is writing fantasy stories, since that is not a craft, I will only say that when I write it's like living another life through a different person's perspective.

Which one of your pieces is your absolute favorite? Which one was the hardest to make and why?

It's really hard to choose a favorite. All my pieces have a special place in my heart. If I had to choose though, it would be the Tree Lantern. The shadows that it produces are amazing. It's like walking into a forest of old.

Tree lantern

The hardest would definitely be the Haunted Window I made for Halloween. It was one of the first Dreamy Windows I made. All the shapes were cut by using a pair of scissors and the witch was particularly hard to cut. My only guide was a piece of paper stuck on the fabric and since she is rather small, it was so hard to do some details.

Haunted window wall plaque

Is there someone whom you admire and who inspires you?

A particular person, no. Mostly it's other people's work that inspire me. You will see, for instance, pieces inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's work, Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas and Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.

If you had free choice of just one supply you can use for your art/craft, what would you be dreaming of, no matter how expensive?

I would have to say precious stones. Emeralds, diamonds, and the list goes on.

Do you sell online, if yes, where can we find you?

I mostly sell online. You can find my shop on Etsy at Drømme Lund and you can find me hanging around my facebook page as well.

Is there anything you feel you need or want to tell the world outside now?

I would like to say a big thank you to all the people who have supported me and my work. A special thank you to my lovely husband for his endless support and to a very special friend that has been immensely helpful and kind to me from the very start; Kirsten Miller from Quernus Crafts.

Drømme Lund has expanded so much the last year. I am hoping to see more people leaving their cares behind and walk into the lands of fantasy with me.

Last but not least I would like to say that all of us should tread into the paths of nature with outmost resprect. The beauty you will find within is stunning and it deserves to be protected and cared for, for we are only visitors passing through this world. Let's all preserve this beauty and make it our legacy.