This is Heidi's journey in her own words...
It’s been a wonderful journey, building this
cottage of mine. I have had my hands in mud over three
Summers for shorter or longer periods of time, and I still
love working with
cob and natural materials as much as when I started. When
about four years ago I first saw some
photos of self-built
natural homes, I fell completely in love with the idea of
sculpting my house. I am still in love with the idea, and now
also with my own hand-sculpted cottage.
My cottage is full of my heart and soul, my principles,
creativity and personality. I built the cottage on the land
where I spent my childhood, watching the flora and fauna of
the forest next to it. To dig up the ground and then mould it
back into the cottage walls; just to be able to sit inside
that and smell the earth, which felt my footsteps as a child,
is simply magical.
Mother Nature is perfect; she is the most amazing provider and
creator.
My art is completely inspired by her beauty, her
energy and her forms. To be able to put my art, inspired by
her into a cottage, provided by her, moves me deeply. I know I'm lucky and blessed. After working so long on this tiny home
it's now nearing completion. I can close the front door and
snuggle up inside with comfort. Yet in some ways this cottage
will never be fully completed. It will be my creative project
forever because just like nature, and me, it keeps evolving,
changing and growing. I am not a builder, but I loved building
this cottage. It brought me closer to nature and my roots, my
parents, particularly my father, as he tirelessly helped me
with a hammer, a saw and a chainsaw. Working with nature is hard
work but very healing. It's not often you want to hug the
walls that surround you or press your fingers against the
floor, but being inside my cottage feels like Mother Nature’s
warm embrace. To have sculpted her inside the cottage is my
little way of saying thank you.
Heidi is an artist...
Below is a small collection of the many beautiful things Heidi
makes from paper cut cards to porcelain, jewellery to nature
photography, each a reflection of the journey she has taken
and shares with you. Click on any of them to visit her
wonderful online shop
Heidi
Vilkman. |
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