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Interview with Jo Den Haerynck |
Home > Designer Interviews > Jo Den Haerynck |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Jo Den Haerynck (JDH) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Jo Den Haerynck by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
JDH: From childhood on ,I loved to make things with my hands and especially as gifts for friends and family. So I choose for an artistic education as jewel designer at the Royal Academy of Beauty Arts in Antwerp, Belgium, After those 4 years of study I went to Italy , Firenze for an extra year in jewel design and living there for one year, increased my passion for good design and aesthetics
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
JDH: Archijewel was started after I met my husband who is an interior architect and skilful with 3D-design and 3D-printing.Before that time , we both worked individually in our own studio. But bringing both studios together in one place , was the origin of expanding our own borders and discovering new ideas in our designing world.
FS: What is "design" for you?
JDH: Design for me is an object that forms the perfect balance between function, construction and shape. Created with a lot of passion , comfortable in use and and aesthetic in looks. And above all original. Created to makje the world a better place to live in.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
JDH: I love to design jewels with a meaningful idea and a personal emotional link with the wearer of the jewel. Works that express an emotion, tell a story. Objects that are meaningful for the one who is interested in. Works that last and keep their value throughout the years.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
JDH: The design of a ring inspired on the gingko biloba leaf, made in gold with diamonds. A collection of jewels was created inspired on the gingko tree and its leaves. The gingko tree is a very symbolic tree as it was the first tree starting to grow again after the Hiroshima atom bomb, Goethe as well wrote a beautiful poem about a gingko tree standing in his garden. In this collection one gingko leaf was used to make a yellow golden 18kt ring ,one of the succesful designs I ever mad"
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
JDH: My first order was a letter opener made as a gift for the director of a company.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
JDH: I do love to work with gold, more specific yellow gold, for its endless possibilities, the way gold can be transformed and the fascination of its colour... for me it has something divine.. I love to work for private customers , for a personal approach and therefore I use all my goldsmithing skills at the bench but also 3D-design and 3D-printing the modern techniques in the jewellery field today.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
JDH: I am the most creative when I get inspired by the beauty of nature, or by someone who is telling what matters in the order that he or she is giving . The story behind the order the emotions and the challenge for me to translate it in a unique personalised jewel that touches their soul .
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
JDH: I try to keep in mind the function of the piece, the person who is going to wear it and than the most important of all , finding the correct inspiration source and translate it into a jewel that touches the heart straight away.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
JDH: First of all a kind of curiosity, will it work this time? Than when starting to look for inspiration sources, I get thrilled when I find them. And than comes the moment of not feeling comfortable ? will I achieve my final design , will I get out the best of it. And when during the process of drawing and searching I slowly find my way, find the essence than I feel happy and at hte same time thankful that I succeeded.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
JDH: When after designing and a lot of drawings the jewel gets shape in gold or silver behind my bench, I am satisfied but at the same time I am wondering if I could have done better.
FS: What makes a design successful?
JDH: I think for me a design is successful when it hits someone , when it is love at first sight. It has to last a very long time, it has to make history.It keeps it value or even increases its value in the future.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
JDH: Aesthetic looks and the way how it fits in the whole picture, keeping in mind construction, function and shape. Does it has the right proportions, is it comfortable in wearing, is it what the client was asking ?
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
JDH: As a designer one needs to create things that touches the heart and soul of people in a way that it makes the world a better place to live in.A designer needs to be transparant in what he is creating, why and how ?
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
JDH: I have difficulty in seeing the evolution of design as very little novelties are coming up . Lots of new designs are similar to what has been designed in the past. It will be a never ending challenge to cross borders and to create novelties that enlarge the mind, and do create a new vision for the future .
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
JDH: My last exhibition was held in May 2022 , in Antwerp, Belgium. The next exhibition? Whatever comes up and hits my interest.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
JDH: Nature is my never ending source of inspiration But travelling around the world , discovering new cultures, admiring the art skills of other people, visiting as many exhibitions as possible , it is all very inspiring and it is challenging yourself in thinking out of the box...
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
JDH: Personal, modern classic. As I am mainly working for individual customers, my jewels have an exclusive personal approach, they are unique pieces that endo have to enhance the personality of the wearer. I would describe my style as pure, sober and elegant. My approach for my designs is, for whom do I create, what object do I have to make and how shall I realise it in the best way. Interaction between the person, his emotions and my creation are hereby very important
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
JDH: I live in Antwerp, Belgium I believe that cultural heritage has influenced me anyhow. Being a jewel designer in Belgium, more specific in Antwerp has given me some advantages as Antwerp is a city worldwide known for its diamonds.So diamonds and jewels , they fit together. All what I need for making jewels is available in my hometown. At the other hand on international scale Belgium is a too small country
FS: How do you work with companies?
JDH: The interaction of their experience and my design are important to realise creations which in my studio are not possible.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
JDH: Communication, understanding each other are very important, if companies get and understand the passion of the designer, they can translate their design in the best way and maybe even better. Companies can select a good designer by being open minded to novelties, by thinking out of the box.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
JDH: I first start to choose my inspiration source, then I start to study all the different facets of my inspiration source. Followed by lots of drawings , sketches ,to capture their essence and when I feel that I reach my goal I start to work it out at the bench in gold silver or any other material
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
JDH: Design furniture as - the chair Whopah of Philippe Starck - the Wink fauteuil of Toshiyuki Kita - the AEO fauteuil of Paolo Deganello design object as - the Juicy Salif of Philippe Starck - tizio lamp of Richard Sapper
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
JDH: Most of the days I start working in my studio around 9am., either designing at the table for new demands or working behind the goldsmith bench to make the created designs. Starting from zero, which means melting precious metal, laminating the required plate or wire, sawing ,soldering and polishing. In the evenings I teach gold smithing to adults.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
JDH: Try to create your own style from your inspiration source instead of copying jewels seen on social media. It will give you more passion and satisfaction and its a way of developing your being and personality. And most of all create things that makes you happy and gives you a joy of life
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
JDH: The good side of being a designer is that creating stimulates passion and increases your feeling of well being.. The bad side is that you never know wether the public is going to like your creations and wether you will earn your living with it.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
JDH: Stay honest towards yourself and be very much demanding for yourself
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
JDH: Maintaining the spirit of a child , and possessing good technical skills of your metier so that you can easily translate your designs into a good , well made creation.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
JDH: Objects from nature , books of whatever attracts me and a lot of designing tools and materials as paper , copper to make models, prototypes
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
JDH: As I have the whole day and go teaching in the evenings I have the opportunity to start creating ....leave it for a while , then look at it again from another angle , put it away again... till I am completely satisfied of the design before I sart to realise it in precious metal. And then during the realisation, things can still change as I am working on it
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
JDH: This is depending , some objects ask a few hours , others a few weeks putting them away, taking them back at another moment , leaving them for a while again , picking it up again....
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
JDH: How can you keep on creating new things each time again and again. Why did you choose for this profession ?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
JDH: The demand for creating jewels for a diamond company who wanted to start a "Haute Joallier "house in Paris and needed the creation of some very exlusive designs with fabulous diamonds.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
JDH: Most of them are private clients, but recently the horeca and event world is coming in the picture especially with the creation of the gemspoon.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
JDH: The creation for a larger public as the horeca for example , gives more recognition as working for private clients. At the other hand making my clients happy with the jewels created for them , gives me a warm and satisfied feeling. Because personal contacts build up beautiful friendships...
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
JDH: Going along creating for a larger public , trying to touch the personal soul on a larger scale. Working for national and international market.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
JDH: Most of the time I work on my ow but recently Dirk Vrints, my husband and interior architect, and myself we decided to bring both of our skills into one, creating objects that are the result of both disciplines.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
JDH: With Our G.s.One , gemspoon, which is now made in a ABS version and a sterling silver version we went one step further , bringing it out in a ABS version covered with a Japanese lacquer layer. We designed specific presentation trays for restaurants and for receptions , to present it as one whole experience.
FS: How can people contact you?
JDH: By mail jodenhaerynck@telenet.be and by phone +32 (0)479 67 41 15
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
JDH: To be honest I think this was a perfect approach to give as good as possible a total image of me, my designs and my work.
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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