I know I have to bring someone in to heartmade's Q + A Wednesday when I want to buy one of everything they have in their shop. Well in the case of today's creative team, I actually wanted to buy 10 of each for myself + to give away my lovely peeps'. That was a sign, I'm sure, that this had to be the interview I needed to get to kick-start the year with some handmade awesomeness + creative inspiration.
May I please present the lovely team of Dreams Kingdom - Bogdan + Iryna + Veronika. Take it away folks...
1. Who is DreamsKingdom?
DreamsKingdom is a creative team of three people: Bogdan, an artist and graphic designer , Iryna, crafter and copywriter, and a seven months old baby Veronika, an inspiration source and a model for her parents’ creations. We are a little family living on both sides of Atlantic: in cool air of Kiev (Ukraine) and tropical humidity of Florida (USA). We love our job - branding consultancy- creating new consumer brands and watching them growing and becoming popular on the store shelves and in people’s hearts. We love our own little brand – DreamsKingdom - for fairy spirit and joy it brings to our customers and us. But most of all we love dreaming and making our dreams come true!
2. Where do you make/create?
We do not really need a lot of space for our creative lab. Ideas live in our heads and hearts…Our laptops, sewing machine, box with paints and supplies always travel with us. We love to explore flee markets, book stores, art galleries, craft shops wherever we go, searching for new ideas, supplies and inspirations.
3. When did you decide to turn your talent into a business?
There is no exact day or time… Creativity is a state of mind and soul, way of life we lead. So it naturally became source of business. Bogdan earned his Master degree in Fine Arts at the Academy of Arts, Iryna is a philologist, writer and editor. For the last ten years we created more than 20 new consumer brands, earned 49 awards at advertising festivals, had several art exhibitions and opened three online art stores. In other words, we live constantly painting, creating, writing, and experimenting in different kinds of media.
We run our own business offering creative service in branding called ISKRA that means spark, idea. “Once upon a time” there was a spark, an idea that made us to create Little Johnny, bookish, smart and dandy boy doll. His signature is big head with wool hair, elegant outfit and good manners. Our first clients have become constant fans of DreamsKingdom and filled us with encouragement to continue. Then Lady Kelly, little Doggy Bobby and Little Coco joined the club. Step by step DreamsKingdom has become the sweet little world of one-of-the kind, handmade, hand painted creations. They are all fancy and “fairy tale” like. Dreams Kingdom is not a doll store, it’s a world of dreams, king and queens that you can visit, enjoy the miracle and take a memory with you into your real life.
4. What makes you heart beat?
So many things we are thrilled with! The most exciting is to realize that what we make are now all around the world!
5. What inspires you beyond believe?
New people we meet, new places we visit, art books and vintage pieces, tiny European streets, big American Disneyland, Museums of Art, History channel, old movies, retro music, drama theater.
6. What advice would you give to other creative entrepreneurs?
Bloom wherever you plant!
7. Tell me one thing that you think you're best at.
Let our artworks speak themselves…
8. What's your kryptonite?
Lack of time.
9. What dreams has DreamsKingdom?
Wish nobody stops dreaming.
10. Any important links we should know about?
Bogdan Kravchenko art portfolio
Many thanks Dreams Kingdom for accepting my invitation to come to heartmade + opening your hearts + sharing your dreams with us! What a wonderful treat to start the year!
On behalf of Dreams Kingdom + heartmade I want to open up the comment board below for your lovely insights + further questions, if you have more to add!
xo,
Mayi Carles
