Spot the Designer - Natasa Koutsampela/ Greece
What did you want to be when you were a child?
Having a natural talent for painting, since I was a child, I envisioned becoming a painter and travelling around the world for this purpose. On the other hand, I enjoyed making my own little toys, with pieces of wood, metal and fabric and I was proud of them.
When have you started creating jewelry? How did this passion come about?
My academic studies and my job were completely different from my childhood dreams. I studied law and l am an attorney at law. But my artistic nature always called me not to give up my love for the arts. The truth is that I never thought I would make jewelry, until 2011, when I accepted the invitation of a friend of mine to attend together a jewellery-making course. This was the springboard to be born my passion for designing and making jewelry. What fascinated me about jewelry is that you have an initially rigid material, such as metal, and you try to tame it, to give it movement, energy and plasticity.
What was your first project or significant piece for you and from what point of view?
My first piece of jewelry was a gear with many teeth. Besides the fact that I consider the shape of the gears very attractive, gear symbolize for me the movement, the evolution and represent the artistic constantly evolving flow of humanity. The first analog computer in the world, was found in the Aegean Sea near the island of Antikythera. It is called "Antikythera Mechanism" and was sparked my inspiration for my first “Antikythera” collection.
How do you charge your batteries? What other passions and creative interests do you have?
For me, dealing with jewelry is a process of psychotherapy, vigilance, observation of nature and thinking about the values and problems of an ever-changing world. A number of interests and actions are associated with this activity. I like to travel and get close to the culture of other countries. I walk every day in nature for sports and inspiration. I take photos with my camera or mobile phone. Also l draw and paint.
What does the connection between manufacturing tradition and contemporary design mean to you?
For me, creating a piece of jewelry is a developmental process. A piece of jewelry evolves at every stage. From the design to the construction and the final finish. The artist must follow the technical developments and incorporate them into his art. That is why I believe that the use of modern design means reduces manufacturing time and effort, improves performance and if combined with traditional techniques promotes the success of the artistic concept.
Which material have you not yet used is a temptation and a challenge for you?
It is quite the materials with which l would like to experiment and use to make my jewels. For example, I would be interested to convey the art of painting in my jewelry, drawing on metal or on an other material, so that l create a painting on a small scale on a pin or a pair of earrings.
How was the pandemic period for you as a jewelry designer?
For the artist, isolation and time in the workshop are a creative time. The pandemic period, despite all the difficulties, was the ideal condition for creation and experimentation. Due to the difficulty in procuring the materials, I have the opportunity to experiment with the material that l had in my house. So I used the paper packaging (boxes) of the mobile phone and l created my first upcycle jewelry.
How do you see the future of contemporary jewelry?
I think that there will always be jewelry that follows fashion trends, adorns the human body as an ephemeral element of elegance, without meaning anything more, for the creator and the user. On the other hand, however, there is a global currency that is constantly growing, looking for something else and treating jewelry as a symbol to tell a story. Like a small work of art with a timelessness that escapes the currents of fashion. As a way of expressing feelings, values, ideas, concerns, aesthetics, messages, which promotes culture and individual expression.
Find more about the designer Natasa Koutsampela