Elly Adventures
Artisanal Artistry
Aug
“The incredible crafts honed by artisans are often neglected and the final piece of art undervalued. Crafting requires a creative mind and a whole lot of patience!”
Artisanal Artistry
With a love for all things exquisite, I have spent years curating what I see as a haven for the unique. In a buzzing climate of exponential growth in the material world, I want to take a moment to honour the artisans — without whom none of this would be possible.
Artisans, myself included, are a special breed. Our minds are sponges, continuously soaking up ideas and dreaming. We often spend many hours on an idea before it even reaches paper. The thought process can be exhausting, and the amount of work behind creating any piece of art is truly astounding. Furthermore, the incredible crafts that artisans hone are often neglected, and the final pieces undervalued.
Crafting requires a creative mind and a whole lot of patience. I hugely appreciate the work of artisans near and far. Not only do I love working with them to create pieces for the shop, but I also love supporting, encouraging and promoting them wherever I can. The stories behind the crafting process are as wonderful as the outcome — and any small irregularities are part of the journey the piece has been on before it becomes yours.
Here are a few artisanal crafts I am particularly enamoured with, and would love for you to know more about.
Decoupage
Handmade by artisan sisters in the UK, our decoupage collection is always a conversation starter. For those unfamiliar with decoupage, it is a decorative art dating back to the 12th century. A picture is meticulously cut out and applied using many layers of varnish, creating a final effect so perfect it looks as though it has been hand painted.
A personal favourite are the decoupaged soaps — so pretty you won’t want to use them, but you absolutely can! Each one takes several hours to make and they are the perfect gift. Come and see our decoupage coasters, beautiful vases, pots, boxes and bowls too.
Pottery
Fascinated by the endless possibilities of clay, Laurance’s visions shine through in her wonderfully quirky pieces. She draws great inspiration from cultural travel through lands afar. Moreover, Laurance not only moulds each piece but also hand paints them. Every design comes to life through consistency and colour, and each one is somehow more whimsical than the last.
Block Printing
What an astonishing craft. I will never tire of the beauty of hand block printing. Many people don’t fully appreciate the amount of work that goes into a hand block printed piece before it is ready.
Hand block printing is predominantly a five-step process, requiring the input of five different artisans. Take a dress, for example. One artisan stitches it, a second hand dyes the fabric, a third applies the block print, a fourth carries out quality control, and a fifth designs the prints themselves. Each person brings a different skill to the same piece.
Our hand block printing features across many of our pieces, including the beautiful collection we curate each year with the Women’s Interlink Foundation in India — a team of skilled artisans who have been rescued from underprivileged lives and taught a trade. Their work is extraordinary.
Ibiza Espadrilles
The Ibiza espadrille is a Balearic tradition unlike any other. Handmade here on the island using indigenous natural cactus fibres and finished with a rubber sole, these are shoes that connect you directly to the island’s heritage. The string technique allows your feet to breathe, and because they are so light, wearing them feels like walking barefoot.
Every pair is made to order, so if you have a particularly enchanting foot shape or shoe size, please do get in touch before visiting.
Artisanal artistry is at the heart of everything La Galeria Elefante does. Each piece in the shop carries the time, skill and story of the person who made it. That is what makes it worth having. Browse our full collection and find a piece with a story that speaks to you.
Explore our home and living collection and our women’s fashion for more artisan-made pieces.
