Friday Finds... orlypittel
Interview # 45
One of my most recent crafty vices are buttons. I have scoured all over locally to find just the right ones to go with some of my baby knits and about a month or two back I found the most gorgeous ceramic buttons that are now fashioned into one of my headband designs. I have since bought some other shapes (little dinosaurs... yey!) for the ongoing idea factory that is my head, and really grown to appreciate what goes into the smaller ceramic creations that a lot of crafters make. I came across a wonderful seller known as Orly who makes STUNNING jewelry with ceramics and just to emphasise my new found love for it I think I spent about half an hour just staring at all the various items in her store! I hearted a particular favourite but wow there are a lot of beauties in there! Her style suits the material totally, and the designs feel grounded. I am so pleased she has been able to take part in this weeks interview so I will let you learn a bit more about her and her craft :)
(Just click the images to go direct to the listings)
-- Tell me a bit about you! (Name, Age, Location, and give us a random fact whilst you're at it.) My name is Orly Pittel, I’m 44 years old, married and a mother of 3 beautiful children. I'm from Israel, In the past 8 years we live in a moshav (village) and I just love it.
Since I remember myself, even as a child in my parent’s house, creation was always there. My parents had a factory for knitwear, which sold all over Israel. I understand today that my attraction to the handmade creation field started back then.
Over the years I have tried working with different materials and techniques, but once I tried ceramic – I fell in love!
-- What is your business about then? Creating ceramic art ware became one of my passions.
It’s a wonderful feeling to take a lump of clay with no shape or color and turn it into a personal, lively and unique creation.
This kind of creation offers me endless possibilities. I enjoy creating sculptures, jewelry, functional and decorative items. I like to combine in my ceramic work other materials from the nature, such as rocks, wood, glass and more.
-- How did Etsy come into your life? In the past I sold my work to friends, but due to increasing demand and friends recommendations I decided to open my Etsy shop, and I got hooked!
I love the exposure, support and the wonderful atmosphere in this new world.
I opened my first shop www.orlydesign.etsy.com exactly one year ago; almost all items in this shop are for weddings, I’m so excited when someone chooses one of my creations for their big day!
Lately, I decided to separate my ceramic jewelry and to dedicate for it a new shop.
I found out that creating ceramic jewelry is so fun, but wearing these colorful earrings, necklaces or any other jewelry is much more fun. My ceramic jewelry can be worn when you want something elegant or something for everyday use !!
Recently I started to make personalized items, each item gets personal attention for a special person who has chosen letters, symbols, words and colors as preferred.
I really enjoy making someone feel special with a little unique personal piece.
I think all my friends already have personal pendants…
My jewelry shop is NEW, there is much more to come- every day I add new items to my shop. Make sure to visit often to see the new designs.
-- Are you working a day job too? For the last 10 years until 11 months ago I taught computer networks in a college.
At the same time I also created and taught art.
I’ve decided to quite my day job, and choose to create full time.
-- How long has the artist in you been 'unleashed' for? During the day I spend most of my time in my home studio, where I create and teach art and ceramics for kids and adults.
At the late evening, after few hours of being a wife and a mom I dedicate my time for promoting my shops, adding new items which I pictured during the day, making treasuries and browsing Etsy's world…
-- What has been the inspiration behind your business? My work is often inspired by themes from the nature and I enjoy incorporating other materials, particularly those found in nature, in my pieces. You can find me collecting pieces from the nature like beach stones, sea shore rock, sea glass, braches and whatever who makes my imagination to see how a little stone can become an art piece….
-- If you could describe your products in three words, what would you tell me? LOVE, COLORFUL, FUN
To make other people happy with little simple things from daily life makes me so happy….
-- What would an average working day for you be like from dawn til dusk? During the day I spend most of my time in my home studio, where I create and teach art and ceramics for kids and adults.
At the late evening, after few hours of being a wife and a mom I dedicate my time for promoting my shops, adding new items which I pictured during the day, making treasuries and browsing Etsy's world…
-- What is your ideal vision for the future for you and your work? I want to believe (and hope) that in the future my shops will be known in the jewelry, weddings and ceramics fields, I'm working now on a new web site, which I attend to launch and present my creation.
-- Away from work, what do you like to do for fun or to wind down? Spending time with my family and friends, cooking and baking and just relaxing with a good book.
-- Any last words? In my nature I’m a kind of person who wants to see immediate results, so waiting is the hardest part of my creation process.
Every time I turn on the kiln I literally count the hours, minutes and seconds till I can open it, and this kind of kiln when working with ceramics, there are a LOT of minutes to count.
For me, to open the kiln in the end of the process – it's like to open a treasury box with many colorful unique surprises …
Check out my shops and you tell me, Do you like these little surprises?
