Gorgeous Wire Jewelry By Sofie

Sofie, the author of this intricate sterling silver necklace you see on the right, is a very young person - she recently finished High school! I was so impressed by her creativity and advanced skills in wire jewelry, as well as by her thoughtful, whole-hearted product descriptions, that I could not stop myself from asking her for an interview. Another thing I could not resist were her smileys - my first impuls was to take them away from the written text, but they were so sweet and so utterly hers, that I decided to keep them:D

Sofie Sjöstrand is based in Sweden and sells on Etsy and DaWanda.

1. How did you start making wire jewelry?
I'm actually in this business by a total fluke. I attended an art school and have always been painting and sewing. One of our assignments at school was to make a new take on Christmas cards. I gave one to my dad who put it up on his desk at his workplace. A colleague of his walked by and saw it, wondering who made it, and said that he owned a small art cafe and needed someone who made jewelry. He asked if I could do that, to which I answered: " I've never done it before but I guess I could give it a go". And that's how it all started. As we say in Sweden, I slipped in on a banana peel:D

2. Your work is marked not only by creativity, but also by technical mastery. Where and how did you learn to make wire jewelry to such an advanced level? Do you have a teacher, or are you self-taught?
First of all, thank you very much:D No, I am self taught, I've always been interested in finding out the mechanics of things - to find out how are they constructed and then do them myself. I remember sitting in my sewing room as a teenager, trying to make clothing patterns by looking at things I saw in magazines and on TV. To actually use one of the many beautiful patterns I inherited from my grandmother, who was a seamstress, was out of the question. I wanted to learn it on my own - which resulted in a big pile of ill-fitting, unfinished and unwanted clothes:D I felt the same way when it came to my jewelry. I wanted to do it on my own, and that's how I did it. I would have probably learned faster, if I had had help, but I am a stubborn woman and have endless patience, when it comes to crafting:D My most intricate piece took me two weeks to finish.

3. I saw some metal-worked rings in your shop. Is this your new passion? Tell us more about it.
Yes, there are some metal-worked pieces in my shop but unfortunately this is not my new passion. I wanted to learn it in order to infuse it in my wire jewelry as I did in this piece (the locket you see on the picture). However, metal work will not be a big part of my jewelry. I like it and I have an enormous respect for its masters but it is not the perfect fit for me. I love to work with wire, I love the intricacy and weirdly enough, I love the fact that it takes such an enormous amount of time. Wire work is by far my biggest passion when it comes to jewelry:D

4. Do you only sell online, or do you also go to craft shows and/or work with shops?
No, I only sell online. Once in a while I sell to friends and family but selling online is pretty much the only way of keeping the business rolling. The Swedish public and I don't always share the same aesthetics, so selling here would not be profitable. If you have seen the furniture of IKEA, you notice that the Swedish sense of aesthetics tends to lean more towards clean-cut shapes and simplicity - and I that's not me.

5. You seem to love being in exotic African and Asian countries. Are these cultures a source of inspiration for you - and in which way?
Haha, absolutely! I just came back from a three-month stay in Zanzibar, Tanzania where I studied Kiswahili (the language of the Swahili people), and I'm planning to go back as soon as I get the opportunity. Africa is a big love of mine, and one of my biggest inspirations. It is not only about the culture and the continent itself, but the feelings it brings up in me. The first time I went to Africa I made a series of jewelry pieces inspired by my stay, and I expect the same thing to happen now. My head is already bursting with inspiration. I also spent a couple of months in Asia and, although it was a wonderful and inspiring experience, my heart belongs to Africa. I plan on working there once I finish my education.

6. What are your plans from now on? Do you intend to study art or design in a University?
Well, right now I'm trying to figure out how my future will look like. I will probably start studying international relations this autumn and keep the jewelry business on the side. I am planning a future with double careers (that's what happens when you're indecisive:) On one hand I will work in charity and international relations, and on the other hand, I will keep making jewelry. I am one of those people, who need both a creative and an academic outlet in order to stay sane. I guess, at times one of them would overshadow the other one, but I will always keep doing both in one way or another. Cutting out completely one of them of my life would be like cutting out a part of who I am.

7. What are you passionate about?
My greatest passions in life are my jewelry making, Africa and literature. I have an almost unhealthy obsession with books and it is practically impossible for me to fall asleep without reading. During my travels almost a third of my luggage consists of books. I just love storytelling. I have a split personality when it comes to books too. My bookcase includes everything from things like Dean Koontz' "Mr Murder" to Marian Keyes' " The Watermelon", as well as a 1883 edition of Dickens' "Master Humphrey's clock" written in old Swedish and other classics - and I love them all equally:D My parents say that I should have become a librarian:D

Links:

• Etsy shop
• DaWanda shop
• Gemstone shop on Etsy (supplies)

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