“I believe in what I do. It is very much me.” Dandi Maestre
Toronto based, Colombian born designer Dandi Maestre specialises in creating unique, upscale, handmade jewellery from natural and recycled materials. Her u.s.p is in the mixing of giant pieces of bull horn and bone, raw amber, natural Amazon seeds, shed antlers, reclaimed wood/driftwood always ensuring that all the materials she uses are found and do not come from endangered species. Each piece is unique by way of its rarity and beauty.
Her pieces have great energy, simplicity, and through the mix of materials and her playing with scale an exotic twist. Her latest collection comprises necklaces with big beads, chunky cuffs and bracelets, the natural tones punctuated with effervescent neon tones.
Dandi Maestre started making jewellery at the end of 2006 and her first collection was immediately snapped up by canadian Department store giant Holt Renfrew. Her jewellery and accessories reflect her passion for organic elements and is very influenced by her background as a graphic designer . She says “I knew from the age of 10 that I wanted to be a designer, I studied at School of Visual Arts, New York, graduated with honours and received The School of Visual Arts Rhodes Family Award for Outstanding Achievement in Media Arts and then had my design company for many years in Bogota.”.I see my pieces as artwork, where there isn’t anything too outrageous. Taking nature as my inspiration, I continue to explore organic shapes found in bone and driftwood, in shed antlers and amber, in coconuts and bull horns, in natural fibre and seeds, in rough emeralds and crocodile skins, in skulls and shells. I love their forms and their natural raw beauty.”
Dandi sees her work as a mission t to create a dialogue with the natural world. Each one of her pieces is handmade from elements found in shores, rivers, jungles and forests. She incorporate these shapes in my designs and make very large extreme pieces with a natural look and a flowing and curving appearance. Her aim is to elevate organic elements, their natural color and textures to a new level of sophistication – (a combination of the Japanese design philosophy wabi-sabi: which nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect)……
Except this collection …which embodies the essence of Wabi Sabi…’the beauty of imperfection’.
