Colette Teurlings, of BeLeaf Artwork, reached out to me on Instagram, and her story instantly caught my consideration. Her journey from her childhood within the Dutch countryside to her present nomadic life-style, touring Europe and promoting jewellery from her charming caravan, speaks volumes about her deep reference to nature and her boundless creativity.
What intrigued me most about Colette wasn’t simply her artwork; it was her unconventional method to promoting it. She eschews conventional storefronts, opting as a substitute to roam Europe like an old-world peddler, replenishing her assortment alongside the best way. However for Colette, it’s extra than simply commerce; it’s about forging connections—with nature, along with her prospects, and with herself. Her ardour and inventiveness function a poignant reminder to search out magnificence on the earth round us.
On the time, she didn’t even know we carried bezels, and the pictures we’re sharing of her jewellery aren’t Nunn Design findings however are exceptional due to her inventive imaginative and prescient.
Desirous to delve deeper into her distinctive story, I despatched Colette a set of inquiries to discover her journey, her inventive course of, and the adventures that gas her ardour for artwork.
Introducing Colette Teurlings | BeLeaf Artwork
I grew up within the countryside within the South of the Netherlands with my sister and my dad and mom (earlier than they divorced) on a farm with just a few chickens, 2 goats, 3 sheep, a canine, a cat, rabbits, and many others. A giant stunning backyard on the again. In entrance of the farm, we had a backyard with solely herbs and medicinal vegetation. My sister and I had plenty of younger buddies, and we have been at all times enjoying exterior. As a household, we hiked loads within the stunning nature in Holland. After we went on trip, we at all times slept in tents in nature. It actually was the very best time of my life.
After I was 19, I moved to Amsterdam for college of utilized science. I obtained my bachelor’s diploma twice (2 completely different research). After 6 years of finding out, I began to work in Tv (my 2 research had nothing to do with tv ;-). So I discovered all the things in Tv on my own (from modifying to directing, all the things). I had workweeks of 90-100 hours every week. It was loopy.
11 years in the past, I purchased a backyard home in a park with solely backyard homes. This was an enormous backyard with ditches round and with a tiny home (28m2) the place I used to be capable of sleep within the season (from April until November). I made it like an actual paradise. This was actually out of doors residing: my stunning backyard (I produced from scratch), hammocks, campfires, outdoor work- & eating place with only a roof, little lounge areas on each nook. This was my very own magical paradise. I needed to promote this backyard home in 2016 due to my evil neighbors. It was so unhappy to promote my little paradise…
One 12 months later, I purchased my camper; it’s really a really cool small retro caravan.
This was the very best thought to do. I’m tenting loads from the tip of March until concerning the finish of November. – Colette
Becky: Are you able to share a particular reminiscence or second out of your childhood when your fascination with nature started to form your inventive perspective?
Colette: I at all times was fascinated by nature, at all times! And as a baby and teenager, I at all times was amassing nature to create issues. About 15 years in the past, all my buddies began having youngsters, and nonetheless now I take all these youngsters in nature on adventures. We acquire issues to eat, to create one thing stunning, and many others.
Since about 5 years in the past, I spotted I actually wish to do one thing with nature (and wished to stop as a filmmaker). However I didn’t know precisely how and what. The epiphany occurred at the start of Corona
Becky: How lengthy have you ever been creating your distinctive jewellery/artwork?
Colette: I’ve simply began since Corona, early 2021. Initially of Corona I misplaced all my work as a film- & videomaker. I had a profession as an editor and director in Dutch Tv for a few years and after that, I began in 2014 for myself as a documentary maker. I’m very happy with my broadcasted documentary on Dutch tv, which additionally was chosen for the largest movie competition within the Netherlands (known as ‘My upstairs neighbours’ (Mijn Bovenburen)). I see this challenge as my life work.
Since I misplaced my work as a filmmaker throughout and due to Corona, I went strolling and wandering exterior day by day to be impressed by nature. (I’ve at all times been an ‘outdoorsy’; as an adventurous baby, I used to be). I wish to take images of nature for years: right here is my portfolio.
Due to the lockdown silence exterior (there was hardly anybody exterior), I regarded rather more carefully at all the things I noticed in nature. I noticed plenty of particulars that I favored a lot. I began amassing flowers, leaves, mosses and, for instance, birch bark, which I put in large books at dwelling in order that they have been dried and pressed after just a few weeks. After urgent and drying, the leaves have been so stunning; I fell ‘in love with it’.
Then I began making small and actually giant (for the massive leaves) plant presses along with my father. So I might put my assortment in there.
I initially began making framed artwork for on the wall: compositions of every kind of leaves on stunning paper. Individuals instantly responded enthusiastically.
Due to my love for all these unbelievable particulars, I assumed: it will be good to have this in a bit of bijou. I didn’t know that one thing like this already existed and I began researching tips on how to protect colourful leaves.
I quickly found about pendants, epoxy, and many others., and many others. However I had by no means finished something like making jewellery earlier than, so I experimented loads….
The whole lot was utterly new to me so I had loads to study. And that’s what I did. After many, many, many hours, I used to be lastly happy with just a few pendants and I confirmed them to buddies and acquaintances. They liked them and folks instantly began asking for extra pendants.
Day and night time I used to be busy creating, studying, experimenting, and many others. I additionally made the corporate emblem, enterprise playing cards, did all of the pictures myself, created an Instagram account and rather more.
As quickly because it was allowed once more (Corona clever), I packed my camper and went on one other journey. I took my jewellery with all over the place I went and everybody who noticed it wished to purchase my jewellery. I additionally acquired assignments fairly shortly.
In fact, I at all times had just a few plant presses with me. This fashion I might at all times instantly dry and press stunning flowers and leaves that I discovered.
After just a few months, I used to be promoting my jewellery on a inventive marketplace for the primary time. Individuals liked it!
Becky: Did you face a studying curve with any particular method/materials (e.g., resin, metallic stamping, epoxy resin)? How did you overcome it?
Colette: Sure, I had a studying curve with nearly all the things. For me, good high quality is essential. And I’m a perfectionist. For instance: once I seen that the gold shade of some pendants I purchased light away after some time, I went loopy ;-). I additionally discovered that there’s a lot of distinction between the standard of resin….. I’ve watched many, many tutorials, learn many, many blogs, e-books… you title it.
I discovered that my jewellery is nearly good once I work with greater than 3 or 4 tremendous skinny layers of resin. It’s plenty of further work, these layers. I additionally discovered about the easiest way to chop all of the completely different leaves and which tools works effectively for me. and what’s the easiest way for drying the epoxy (not within the solar when it’s scorching 😉
I’ve discovered loads by studying blogs, watching tutorials, experimenting on my own, making plenty of errors….
Becky: How do you method the design course of to your artwork/jewellery items? Do you’ve got a particular inventive routine or technique?
Colette: The leaves of the flowers and plant will lead me the best way. I select the leaves/petals due to the nerves, the strains, the thickness, the colour, the form, the sample. And I search for perfection in leaves.
Then I minimize particulars of leaves for the particular pendants. I work with about 6-10 pendants on the similar time. After chopping, I glue the leaves within the pendants. Generally I take advantage of a tiny little bit of epoxy, generally I take advantage of glue. It depends upon the thickness of the leaves. I let this dry for 3-6 hours. After drying, I put the primary layer of epoxy….. When it’s dry, I put the following layer…. Usually I take advantage of about 2-4 layers…..it depends upon the leaves….. I’m finished once I assume it’s actually good.
Becky: Do you’ve got a private favourite piece that holds a particular significance to you? In that case, might you share the story behind it and describe the weather that make it notably significant?
Colette: Sure, I put on it nearly day by day. It was my very first 100% sterling silver spherical pendant and I used to be a bit nervous to work with it as a result of it’s costly. With all my soul, I created this one with an ideal pressed and dried element of a crimson/pink rose petal. This one is de facto good and the colour is so intense… in a silver pendants….I actually love this one (it’s on my Insta; the 2nd picture of that sequence is best than the primary one.)
Becky: What number of exhibits or venues do you usually attend in a 12 months?
Colette: Until now I used to be at markets like 4-5 occasions. My jewellery sells effectively, however I actually don’t wish to be at a marketplace for promoting. It feels too susceptible. And it prices me an excessive amount of time.
That’s why I promote my jewellery in small batches at just a few different places, similar to a plant & flower retailer, an idea retailer, on the reception of some of the hip and taking place tenting locations within the Netherlands, in a really stunning retreat heart in Portugal with 45 hectares of nature across the heart (I acquire a few of my leaves over there). And a selecting backyard on Saturdays when it’s flower season. And you should buy in my webshop in fact.
Becky: Are you able to share any humorous or memorable tales associated to balancing work and household life?
Colette: In my first 12 months of studying and creating, it was the one factor I did: completely obsessed. I didn’t even know which day it was anymore 😉
Each week I care for the son of my sister (she’s a single mother) since he was born and my entire home was like a studio/office. Actually messy. Leaves and petals all over the place, chopping tools, epoxy, containers, pendants, headlamps, magnifying glass, UV mild….you title it.
The boy (Sam, -10 years previous at that time- noticed all that tools and wished to create with me. I actually favored that concept. And for hours and hours and hours I used to be instructing him and we have been creating collectively. Each of us have been completely centered and obsessed and we had plenty of enjoyable collectively. (He made two beautiful pendants for his grandmother -my mother-.)
However…..I completely forgot the time….and I forgot that it was not within the weekend. I believe it was about 22.30h once I realized that Sam has to go to highschool the following morning….oops.
One other humorous factor is that particularly the younger boys (all of the sons of my buddies) round me have been so amazed by my jewellery…… additionally they wished to create jewellery.
So, I organized a workshop making jewellery with solely these younger boys ;-). That they had a incredible time they usually’ve made beautiful jewellery for his or her mothers.
Becky: Are you able to replicate on a number of the notable challenges you’ve encountered in operating your inventive enterprise?
Colette: I believe generally it’s an excessive amount of work for only one individual: creating, pictures, operating a webshop, advertising, admin….. and many others and many others and many others.
There have been weeks that I labored nearly across the clock. For instance: once I was in mattress I used to be nonetheless doing analysis on my laptop computer to study concerning the supplies, how Shopify works and many others and many others …..all late….
I used to be so drained at one second and I grew to become so itchy….I spotted….okay, that is toooo a lot, I’ve to settle down in working hours. I took a break for like 3-4 weeks. I slept loads and I went on a tenting journey with my nephew and buddies. Talked with different small enterprise homeowners. I wrote loads about my concepts and tips on how to plan all the things. Made a schedule ….. and many others.
It labored!
Becky: With so many elements of the enterprise to supervise, how do you preserve a stability between the inventive elements of your craft and the operational elements of operating a enterprise?
Colette: Pffff, I believe it’s onerous to discover a good stability. Now I do know that when I’m creating, it must be my primary focus. After two weeks of making: I’ve house in my head (and my dwelling studio) for the operational elements for the following weeks.
Becky: How do you keep inventive and motivated throughout difficult occasions in what you are promoting?
Colette: When I’m feeling not that motivated or inventive, I simply need to take my caravan and go to good tenting locations (not business campings, however like micro campings in nature). Stroll, learn, make campfires, make beautiful meals, meet different folks, loosen up….and many others
Becky: Are you able to describe your typical morning routine?
Colette: After I get up, I at all times do a follow/meditation/breathwork. Make some espresso. Take a bathe (chilly water in the long run). After that, I at all times do stretching workout routines. Examine all my vegetation in my home and balcony. (When I’m tenting: I take a stroll and look out for stunning leaves, petals, or I’m photographing nature.) Then I get to work in my studio.
Becky: What are your high three strengths as a creator/enterprise proprietor?
Colette:
- My ardour and drive
- My perseverance
- My creativity
Becky: Are there any books you advocate for these aspiring to stay a extra dedicated inventive life?
Colette: No, sorry ;-). Simply go exterior in nature. Go to museums, artwork galleries, and many others.
Becky: How does residing a inventive life contribute to your general happiness?
Colette: Creating my jewellery makes me zen and relaxed. I’m completely within the second and tremendous centered. I neglect all the things round me… (however I additionally neglect the hours when I’m creating.) When a pendant is de facto good, it provides me such feeling. But additionally on the lookout for and amassing leaves in nature provides me plenty of happiness and peace.
Thanks, Colette, for sharing your journey and insights with us. Your ardour for nature-infused artwork is actually inspiring.
To view extra of Colette’s creations, go to her on her Netherlands web site: www.beleafart.nl/
Observe and help Colette on Instagram at: @beleaf_art
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