Maker Spotlight: Bronze Ornaments
Colombian artists Juan Carlos and Adriana are very proud of the bronze ornaments they make for Tulia’s Artisan Gallery. Initially, the ornaments were designed as bookmarks since Adriana and Juan Carlos both love to read and often would use real leaves or flowers as bookmarks. Since collaborating with Tulia’s, they’ve created an exclusive product with multiple uses so these pieces can be used as either a bookmark or an ornament and the packaging is more functional so it can be used as a notecard for a unique gifting experience.
In addition to bronze ornaments, Adriana and Juan Carlos make several product lines in their home in central Colombia, including 3-dimensional bird sculptures for the wall, napkin rings, business card holders, and jewelry - all out of bronze. While Juan Carlos worked in the workshop, Adriana spent time with our intern, Aliya Segura to discuss the process and inspiration behind their products and how the couple feel about their profession.
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How did you begin creating ornaments?
“Juan Carlos and I both have different backgrounds. He followed his passions and went to art school. I never imagined being an artist could be a career choice and went to school to study medicine but I’ve had a drive to create since I was a child. My parents were both artistic and enjoyed making crafts. I inherited their joy in making things. Once I met Juan Carlos we had a vision to make all kinds of products. We wanted to produce something in a material unique to the arts and crafts sector in our area, yet readily available. When we went looking for different raw materials, we found that bronze was easy to source. “What can we do with this?”, is what we asked ourselves and before we knew it we settled on nature. Initially, we started making leaves then leaned towards making more colorful species of animals and insects found in Colombia’s vast ecosystem. We aim for this product to reflect all that is a part of nature so consumers can celebrate the wonders of the universe.”
How long does it take to create ornaments?
“If I am being honest, I do not know how long it takes to make just one piece since we batch each step of the process with many units at the same time. Our designs are complex because we strive to make them as true to life as possible. For example, if we had to make ten ornaments, I would say the beginning process of getting the bronze, outlining the design, and cutting the bronze can take about 2 hours. Once we have that done, we have to polish and disinfect each, which can take forty minutes per ornament. Then when it comes to painting which I love to do, that can take about two hours. When I am painting, I get so involved in what I am doing, so there is no concept of time. The work requires so much concentration and attention to detail. When the painting is done, we let each piece fully dry for 3-5 hours to make sure the colors sit so they are more vibrant. Finally, we pack the ornaments in sustainable sugarcane paper that we print, fold, and cut in-house. In the final stages where I finally see the work Juan Carlos and I do together, I feel satisfaction and pride. Of course, I don’t really have a time stamp for how long this takes I am only estimating.”
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What inspires you to create?
“What inspires us to create is making sure people know how many species are within nature. I think one of the things we hope consumers get out of our products is knowing how wonderful the natural universe is. We want to expose the different types of species of each insect or animal in hopes that it intrigues people into wanting to learn more about the natural world around us. Oftentimes, people think that only one species of hummingbirds exists when there are actually over 350 species of hummingbirds. I cannot quite remember how many species exist with butterflies, but people think that only two or three exist. People don’t pay attention to the form of the butterflies, the type of species they are, or even their wide variety of colors. Juan Carlos and I hope people can see what they do not usually encounter every day. One of the most rewarding aspects of being an artisan is when others see the final result. This is what keeps us going. For me at least, I think a piece I produced is like a child that I was able to develop so when people look at it and I can see their reaction in real time, it is priceless. “Wow, this is so amazing!”, they say, which makes the whole process feel worth it. As people see, inspect, and accept our work, we feel so proud that something that came from our creativity was brought to life.”
What is the most difficult aspect of being an artisan?
The precision it takes to create the pieces and the value of an artisan are the most difficult aspects. Precision is key, since what we make is handcrafted, sometimes there are flaws or errors and we must remove that piece and start the process again. For example, if there is an error with the bronze, like it not being polished enough or it somehow got scratched, that shows once the paint is dry. With polishing, if there is a stain, we try our best to polish it again, but this process can be complicated due to bronze being a metal. In the final stages of making ornaments, we use the airbrush technique for painting the bronze. If we don’t use the airbrushes correctly, we lose the entire artwork. In the creative process, what is difficult is transferring what is in our mind onto the bronze as we are replicating actual species, which can make the design process very complex. If a product doesn’t come out like we expect it or the customer is like, “No that’s not what I wanted.”, they don’t approve of the design, which can be difficult to accept. Developing the image and transferring it into the physical bronze takes time. It is a balancing game between our imagination, our abilities, and what is in nature. For example, with a hummingbird, it’s not just drawing a design. We have to make sure the hummingbird is replicated realistically. I am very hard on myself as I want the feathers to be rich and vivid. I complicate my life because I don’t like birds that are posing or just sitting there, I want a dynamic design. The other aspect that is hardest is people don’t really know what an artisan is, hence they do not find value in our work. An artisan is not someone who sells lots of products or someone worthy of a title for the work they present. People get confused because when I say I am an artisan, it does not get the same reaction as when I say I am an artist. In this distinction, people find the title of artist valuable, but not necessarily the title of an artisan, to deserve the same type of praise. People do not praise the work my husband and I do, which is frustrating to know how much value a title holds. People are turned off or even discriminatory. I know it may be different for traditional artisans in other countries as there is a more positive and valuable title for them. Juan Carlos and I are more contemporary artisans, so it really depends on the country or place on how people receive the word “artisan”. Over here, they think, “No, that person is not an artist if they call themselves an artisan.” This is the part I dislike the most.”
How has working with Tulia’s changed your business?
“Working with Tulia’s and especially with Karen has been life-changing. We are truly blessed to work with Karen; our work being sold elsewhere is truly amazing. Before working with Karen, we mostly sold what we could through fairs or within where we lived. This can be very limiting as people might want something else or might even go elsewhere to get products we make, but we do have a great amount of clients already. We recently went to a fair, which was very beautiful as we get to interact with people, new clients and maintain the clientele we have. The fair is about two weeks, and we see people’s immediate reaction to our work. We get to see them touch and react to our work, saying how amazing our products are, which is very rewarding. At fairs, we have contact with people, which has been phenomenal, but with Tulia’s we continue to grow our audience. With Tulia’s, our artwork is getting more exposure which is very satisfying to know people are looking, buying, and enjoying our work. We have an opportunity for our work to be seen beyond where we sell, which is an opportunity that is possible because of Tulia’s. We love working with Karen due to her passion. She has always been extremely professional in what she does and supportive of what we do.”
