An interview with Sol Proaño, New York artist & creator.

Sol Proaño's objects of art and contemplation are unassuming, graceful and distinctive. As a teenager, Sol hitchhiked throughout Chile during summers selling jewelry and leather goods that she made herself. Years later and now settled in the New York City, her designs translate her experience and complexities of life as a migrant in the rough city. She crafts her goods one piece at a time in her studio in Queens, NY with brass and crystals. With a global aesthetic, she combines both clean lines and organic shapes that are handformed with hammers and stakes.

An interview with Sol about her process and experience.

Shop Sol Proaño here.



Describe your maker philosophy in three words.
Thoughtful, Balanced, Airy.

How does your inner kid still get to play?
I get to play in the same ways I did as a child, but now with different tools and materials! I always loved crafts, and that was how I liked to spend my free time. It was also my love-language: I usually made things to bring when I visited my family.

How do you want your product to make the receiver feel?
I want the receiver to feel like they just got a special treat. Over time, I want my product to bring awe and a sense of lightness into their routine.

What is the best gift you ever received at any age?
One I remember very fondly, was a book of papier-mâché projects that my step mother bought for me when I was about 12 years old. I saw it at the bookstore, asked if I could have it, and she said yes right away. I remember feeling that my step mother saw some kind of special interest there, and allowed me to explore it without asking for anything in return. I made a box that I keep to this day!

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