Interview with maria blondet

maria blondet ("MB") interviewed on Wednesday, 21 March.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

MB : As a designer I feel completed. The feeling I get when I develop and idea and the transformation of that idea while I am creating it is fenomenal. Something that can't be described with words.

How did you become a designer?

MB : Since I remember, I always dream to become a package designer for products like soft drinks, soaps and other similar products. After graduating from high school I went straight to an Art and Design school to achieve my goal. Exposed to so many art studios, workshops and materials the love for metals grew. While completing my graphic Design program I took as many metal classes and start to work as monitor in that metal studio that I was in love with. There, I help everyone to solve their ideas. My passion for metal was so obvious that when I graduated with high honors from graphic design the university offered me a full grant to finish the metal program. It was a wonderful time and opportunity. I love what I do and I am grateful to be able to create jewelry.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

MB : When I create a piece of jewelry I want that piece to be a piece of art. I have to take many things in consideration. First of all is a piece of art, but no for a public space or a wall. This art is going to be displayed in a person, so I have to work around the shapes of the human body. I work with the positive and negative spaces of the body, I pay attention of the size and weight of a piece for it to be comfortable and I study the functionality of a piece before completing it. I make many changes in the process to achieve all of this and a piece of jewelry is finish.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

MB : As I said before, the feeling I get when I develop and idea and the transformation of that idea while I am creating it is fenomenal. Something that can't be described with words. I am fortunate to be a designer and have the experience to share that feeling with others through my work.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

MB : I come from a family of artist and in my life art and music have always been present. My mother is a renown sculpture, her sister a painter, my grandfather played guitar, violin, piano and was President of the Festival Casals for 18 years and we visited him in the theater around and were around the musicians. At the age of 7, I painted a Christmas scene that was chosen to represent Puerto Rico and then the it was chosen to represent a campaign in The United States and was invited to Washington to the White House and met many people from the politics and art as well. As this first experiences from childhood, many others have come and make what I am now.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

MB : I what to design for people. I want to share my great experiences with others. Each piece that I make is filled with energy and people react to it. What else can I ask for? What I would love is to be able to create faster so I can spread that feeling to more people. In that, I am working now.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

MB : I would advise to designers at the beginning of their career to be themselves and to express their creativity. To be sure of themselves and not afraid to be extremely different. Get out of the box!

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

MB : I would suggest to fellow designers to follow their steps one at a time. Enjoy and share the triumphs of fellow designers, NEVER put them down. Your success is about what you are doing, your efforts, focus on it and you will succeed.

What is your day to day look like?

MB : I think about new ideas every day even if I am out of the studio and with my family. A designer is always thinking in way to solve a specific task in a piece. A designer does not have a 9-5 job, a designer concludes a days work depending on the muse and mood. In a non creative day, I try implement the finishes to pieces or cut shapes of pieces that I planed already but are not done.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

MB : My clients are people who appreciate art, architects, designers, people who wants to have something different so, I don't design my jewelry around trends. I like to keep my work timeless. I do research and like to see what is happening in the world of jewelry design because I love the theme and want to know about other artist and technology in the field.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

MB : Harmony, balance, a piece that evokes a pleasant feeling and does not disturbs your emotions in a negative way is a great design. If something makes you uncomfortable, does not work, is not a good design. As simple as that.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

MB : I decide that a piece is ready when it feel finished. If I want to try a different approach to a piece then I make a new one and make the changes on that other piece. If not I would never finish any piece.

What is your biggest design work?

MB : My biggest design work is the one that I am working right now. It is a large collection of pieces and have many challenges. I can not wait to complete it and show it to the world.

Who is your favourite designer?

MB : It is hard to mention just one. There are many designers around the world that influence us. If I have to mention one that I do admire is my mother. Her sculptures are monumental and as small as she is (5' tall), she does everything herself. Her vision, knowledge and the greatness of how she works with the space is unique.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

MB : I love nature, specially the water. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, that is a tropical island, water is around us. From the Rain Forest to the coast you are always around water and textures. Texture from the sand, leaves, tress, waves, rain drops, etc. My work is for sure influenced by that. I like to give my pieces a variety of textures coarse ones, softer ones and smooth. You can see the shine of the sun is the highly shinny parts and the roughness of the sand in other parts. Those contrast give the piece a warmth feeling like the one you get in this tropical island.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

MB : In the creative part I like to work alone. For others shores like marketing, photography, etc, I do like the extra help.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

MB : I have donated my work for auctions, events, and special charities. Live is about giving.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

MB : It was a great experience attending the A'Design Award. It is rewarding to be around other people with the same interest in design even thought their cultures are so diverse. The gratification you get to be able to share your work with others around the world is fabulous. Being chosen designer of the day makes a GREAT DAY!!

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