Pipapiep is not Esty’s only outlet – she is also a graphic artist and illustrator, makes videos and animations, constructs felted dioramas, and sculptures in wood and metal.  And there are often sweet and quirky creatures populating her landscapes. “One of my monsters got famous by starring in a commercial for the biggest supermarket chain in Holland. The whole experience of being part of the project and to see it on national television was all very exciting!”

 

Nature, and plants in particular, are a constant source of inspiration. “Nature in all its variety of forms and colors keeps surprising me every day.”

 

 

Connections to the outdoor world flow throughout her life. One of her earliest memories of being surprised at her own skills was a drawing she made of a hoe, a rake and a shovel in kindergarten. “Later, me and my friends used to have a small corner in the garden that we used to decorate and rearrange every Thursday afternoon, it was an exercise in styling and design.”

 

 

She studied sculpture at the Art Academy in Amsterdam and was always curious about different media and materials, exploring not only traditional sculpture materials like wood, metal and clay but also video and illustration. She spent a few years working as an artist and exhibiting, and was exploring new ways to sell her work when she discovered Etsy. “I really liked the community, and because of the international connections I soon came in contact with a much broader group of people who are working in the same field between art and crafts.” Pipapiep  (pronouced as peepapeep) was born, derived from the names of her son’s two russian dwarf hamsters called Pipa and Piep.

Favourite artists include the photographer Francesca Woodman, the wire sculptures of Ruth Asawa, and the paintings of Giorgio Morandi.

 

 

I asked her what she would make with a cardboard box, a marker pen and a knife. She said, “I’ll cut out Godzilla, give him a pair of eyes and let him loose on the world.”

 

 

Her best piece of advice?  “Be true to yourself and dare to make mistakes.”

 

You can find more of Esty’s jewellery in her Pipapiep shop on Etsy, plushies, felted works and sculptures on Behance, and a broader range of illustration and video on her own website,  www.zooart.nl.