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| Couple wire tree sculpture |
Tell us a little about who you are and where you come from.
My name is Cindy and I was born in Amsterdam, but currently live on the coast in Den Helder, the Netherlands. I have got a huge travelbug and I love to travel all over the world. But I also love just to be at home, curl up with my book or work in my own small veggie garden.
But most of all I have a creative mind and have been artistic all my life.
What's your craft and how did you get to do it in the first place?
My craft is making wire art. I have my own style and every design is my own. I make Suncatchers, wire candleholders and recently started making wire sculptures as well.
How I came around to this craft has been a long road filled with disappointment and pain, but ultimately led to my biggest passion ever! I have been creative all my life, but my craft was mostly clay sculpting, drawing and painting. Several years ago I suddenly found myself in a medical stream and learned that I have got arthritis and neuropathy, this means a lot of muscle and joints pain. It became very difficult for me to express myself artfully in the forms that I used to. For an artistic person not being able to express myself in a creative way was a very difficult time. But suddenly I came across a picture of wire art and it just lit up a spark inside me. I use little hand tools that are easy to use for me. It started by making one Suncatcher and from there on the sky is the limit :)
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| Christmas Reindeer candle holder |
Is there a story behind your shop name or why did you choose it?
Yes, there is!! My wire art brought me back that creative spark and passion. Every single piece has been made with so much time, love and passion that I hope a buyer will enjoy it just the same. But also every piece has been made with such quality materials like crystals, Czech glass and Swarovski crystals. These materials reflect the light in a most stunning way. This is why the name "illustris designs" felt so fitting for my work. In Latin it means bright, shining, sparkle.
I think this is one of the most asked questions - where does your inspiration come from?
Yes, I do believe you are right! This truly is the most asked question I have gotten so far. I have made so many suncatchers and wire candle holders and truly make an effort to create something new every single time. I do not copy someone else's work, all the designs are my own! I get my inspiration out of life. I truly love nature and travelling. I have made water works that have been inspired of my snorkling adventures and made a stunning tree which I saw in Trinidad or a bird who flew just here around the corner. I also love music which inspired me to do a music themed one, but truly anything that touches me can be one form of inspiration or another. I also love fantasy and mythology. Life itself gives me more inspiration on a shelf that I can handle :) I always say, look around you and see a beautiful flower, let your imagination go with it and it can turn into the most stunning art!
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| Dragon wire sculpture |
Have you ever told a story with one of your pieces or is there a special background story to one of them?
Oh my, that is a very difficult question! Every single piece has been made with so much passion and holds a story of its own. There is so much happiness in a lot of them. It always touches me when a buyer tells me a story about the reason they purchased my art. Most precious stories about it being a wedding present or for somebody's baby shower. I always feel so honored that my art can be a part of such a private and personal eent.
But the one that stands out the most for me is the one I ultimately ended up giving away to my parents. I always want to experiment with new materials and different designs. I came up with the idea to make a Suncatcher that would stand on a foot instead of hanging in front of a window. I told this idea to my parents and they spontaneously said, oh some Japanese Cranes would look stunning. I got excited working on this theme and it took me ages. In the meanwhile we all of a sudden got the crushing news that one of my parents has colon and liver cancer. When I finished working on the Japanese Cranes project, it only felt right just to give it to them as a little light in the darkness and the light on their faces when I gave it to them said more than a thousand words.
Tell us a fun thing about yourself.
I am a bit crazy with a capital C :) :) :)
Do you do other crafts, if yes, what?
I used to do a bit of mosaic work as well, but the last couple of years my passion has been completely into the wire work. I do however expand my wire art more and more. It started out just being Suncatchers, later on also candle holders, and now I am starting making wire sculptures as well.
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| Swan wire suncatcher |
Which one of your pieces is your absolute favorite?
Pff, that feels like having to single out a favorite child :D I think it is a tie between my Couple wire tree, Fairy suncatcher and Phoenix candleholder.
Which one was the hardest to make and why?
My wire Angel sculpture has been the hardest because it truly is the first wire sculpture I have ever made. I wanted to express love and loss and combine heaven and earth, in a beautiful, not in a sad way. It is a large sculpture of an Angel whose legs turn into branches surrounding a blue crystal ball (the earth). The entire sculpture sits in a open hand with lots of flowers and little butterflies.
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| Angel wire sculpture |
Is there someone whom you admire and who inspires you, artistically and/or for life?
In a world filled with stereotypes and strife for perfection I admire anyone who has the guts to stay their own unique selves.
If you had free choice of one supply you need for your work, no matter how expensive, what would it be?
Oh my, wire, wire, wire ... every single gauge size and color they come. Silver and real copper and every color of the rainbow.
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| Peacock candle holder |
Do you sell online, if yes, where can we find you?
YES!! You can find me on Etsy (with a 10% discount until the end of 2016, too!) and DaWanda at illustris designs.
Do you do custom orders?
Yes!! The first custom order was local and I was a bit nervous the first time. Would the buyer like it and will I be able to create what they had in mind? In the end I LOVED making it and bring to life what somebody had invisioned. Now I have made custom orders all over the world, from Australia to the US. For any questions or information please feel free to contact me.
Famous last words ;-) Is there anything else you want to tell us?
I just hope my story and passion will re-ensure anybody who finds themselves between spaces in time to keep hope and faith that "when one door closes, another one will open".
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| Cherry blossom wire tree |
And guys, if those pictures don't make you head over to the shops to see more, I don't know what can!
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