Liliana Alves is a jewelry designer who bet on pieces that blend the past with the contemporary , is a symbiosis between the traditional , through the filigree, and a present filled with unusual and innovative materials.
How does this get your passion for jewelery ?
Liliana Alves: I 've always had small since some sensitivity to the world of art and crafts . I who made the Christmas gifts with copper wire, beads and some other materials. I spent my imagination for different and interesting compositions, in this case to offer my family .
There arises the idea of following a course of jewelery ?
LA : We are talking about a period that covers the cycle and the secondary. I was 11 years old and already had jobs. In high school I follow the grouping of arts in Caldas da Rainha and then a course of jewelery in Gondomar . I contacted the school and that particular school year was late, gave me time to enroll and did a training of three years, which gave me a lot of insight and sensitivity to work with different materials, be independent, think about the pieces and revitalizes it The technical component was very important to be able to translate my imagination.
Addressing the collections how you begin to perceive the jewel? There is a symbiosis between tradition and contemporaneity .
LA : The ideas that are very free in my case, I end structure for them too, why? Because I am not only passionate about jewelery, this is my way of life . The inspiration and the creative process arise through my sensitivity, I see nature as see art when I hear simple words and appreciate gestures from people. Here are some points from my source of inspiration. They are then interpreted through drawing , I use a lot in my work. It is a very unique, ie , not representative form I am inspired by nature and I do not do something obvious, or realistic. I try to take what I observe and try to interpret it , then I will express it through the techniques I learned and one of them is the filigree. I grabbed this traditional Portuguese design of the yarn itself and created a series of different compositions interpreted by me , that are entered in a drawing that arises from something I heard or saw. And with these same techniques try to apply some versatility in pieces , because one of the great advantages of my job is the same component , try to apply in the jewels a more eternal, more extended meaning. They are pieces that people fall in love, have appreciation for them and want to use them , then I accrue some versatility, or they dislike it. My aim is not a mass market, is of quality and soul. I want people to feel the part and what they use.
You use enamels , stones, wood , silver and other materials in your pieces . So why you choose these and not others?
LA : My training was done in noble materials, in this case silver, the key component is that stuff sometimes apply gold , is then complemented with stones and have used wood and enamels. I have partnered with a ceramist Caldas of Rainha and so some of the pieces have ceramic because I think it is interesting symbiosis. I also have pieces with rubber, which arise through alternative jewelery , she is a jeweler who does work with rubber, we joined her expression with mine and came a very interesting result . Sometimes I try to focus on the materials, but my training and what I really am is qualified in noble materials. The type of market that has a plan to achieve a certain level of high jewelery, appear in art galleries and jewelers , which is not to say that these spaces are not inserting other types of pieces, but I was trained in a particular area and want to enter in a certain level.
Who are the women who wear the jewelry Liliana Alves ? Who is your audience?
LA : I think it's very varied. Discoveries have been happy, my work is part of a much younger person, dynamic, possibly she coming out of college, intends to enter the labor market and enjoys art, as I realize that I have an audience among 40 , 50 , 60 and even 70 years of age looking for a piece and also identify themselves , because what I can do with my work without losing its own expression is expressing myself on light lines and soft but also for people who like bold large jewelery. This is the challenge. I can do it thanks to my ally technical commitment to my creativity, because I have the tools to get things apart without losing my identity. I have a collection that is the " lightness " , which is used by different age groups that use this jewels. How have the " Cheetahs " that is bolder , or noble if say so and have its own audience. The expression is there.
You sale in various locations nationally, but have outlets outside the country or is a matter of vision for the future ?
LA : Since the year 2011 I am present in the Swiss market, where you have two outlets and some private and I'm a online site in Bern selling my work and that it currently organizing a series of events shows fashion in which I am placed. I have sold to Spain in Barcelona. At the end of 2013 I am entering the Canadian market, two ladies have created a website selling Portuguese design, found my work and contacted me in order to market my work and have a showroom where they sell to individuals. Next year, I am able to go there, because whenever the artist is present at some event makes things easier in terms of sales and is more special. I focus on this point, because sales are inherent to my work , is my profession and it is this area that I live.
And this year in particular has some goals you hope to achieve ?
LA : Yes, I have some contacts in other countries, particularly in 2013, there is the possibility to search the Australian market. The idea is to expand as much as possible to my brand and continue with the good national clients, regardless of the current scenario prevailing in the country, the most tourist areas and other areas that are my jewels will have some affluence and flow of my work, because I'm in the market since 2008/9. There is already a whole work behind and knowledge and this year was very good, I did some work with the Storytailors which was very important . The collection that I built for the paradeof this duo in Portugal Fashion , under the theme " Lisbon city of museums" allusive ideas applied to the city , like the ferry from St. Vincent and the crows, which gave me a lot of visibility and helped me meet new people. When we are in the middle and works with all your body and soul I think the situations end up flowing sooner or later. In 2014 I think I'll still reap more because I keep dreaming too.
So you feel that both national and international level your work is valued ?
LA : Yes, I have public and people who appreciate . There are lots of jewelery craftsmen, but every artist has their expression and when people come to me is that they know me .
