Juliana Stolberg

Curiosité Artisanale

Artificial flower maker

©Zaira Zarotti

Gardens of paper memories

Juliana finds folding paper into flowers to be a meditative process
She uses organic watercolours on crepe paper sourced in Florence
A single flower can take around three hours to craft

Juliana Stolberg handcrafts lifelike paper flowers that could easily be mistaken for real ones. A trained bookbinder, Juliana found solace in folding paper to make flowers after facing personal challenges that stopped her from practising her initial craft. "I used to create paper flowers when I was a child in Belgium, my home country. So, today, my craft has become a sort of therapy and a tribute to lovely memories," she says. Juliana is now based in Venice, where she opened her workshop Curiosité Artisanale in 2024. "Venice is all about water and the lagoon, so I am in the process of growing my own personal garden as an ode to greenery and nature,” she says. Juliana uses fine crepe paper sourced in Florence to obtain the unique hues that she dyes herself with organic colours.

Interview

©Zaira Zarotti

©Artemisia Carano

Have you worked on a project that holds a special meaning?: I had the opportunity to collaborate with the wonderful cultural institution Fondazione Querini Stampalia as I am based in Venice. I created a pop-up book with waterlilies rising out of it, a tribute to the garden of the Foundation designed by Carlo Scarpa.
Has anyone ever thought your flowers were real?: I had once reproduced a bunch of faded roses with paper ones in their exact colours. My brother was about to discard them before he realised they were not real flowers! This taught me how meaningful paper flowers can be.
What is your main source of inspiration?: Nature is my beacon. It never ceases to surprise me – it embodies perfection in its imperfection. I try to recreate the flow of time by observing how its different elements change. I want to inspire people to slow down and reconnect with nature.
What does well-made mean to you?: I meticulously observe flowers, grass and leaves before executing the different steps of my craft. First I dye paper using organic watercolours and coffee, then I fold and glue the pieces together. My work requires drive and patience, but mostly effortless love and lightness. To me, this is what well-made is all about.

Juliana Stolberg is a rising star: she began her career in 2024 and she started teaching in 2025