Silvia Durán

Mulier Studio

Candle maker

©claretcastel

The thousand possibilities of a candle

Silvia works with wax to make candles and other decorative objects
She opened her workshop in 2021
Her candles take on multiple shapes

Silvia Durán studied political science and public administration and had never considered working artistically with her hands until the pandemic hit in 2020. Her work in advertising and digital marketing at the time was quite distant from the realm of art. "Looking at things in perspective, I have always been in pursuit of doing something that could be related to creativity," she says. "It was in 2019, after the outbreak of the pandemic, that I felt a huge need for change, to be able to do things that connect us with the basic, the manual, a way to express creativity. Mulier Studio was born as a channel to express that path." Silvia then adds: "As I started experimenting with wax, getting to know the material and its different possibilities, everything came naturally. The project took shape, and the shapes started to materialise."

Interview

©claretcastel

©claretcastel

What is your creative journey with this craft?: I began by making figures based on existing objects. Later on, I made my own designs using wax, clay or plasticine. I made wax figures with the function of a candle or decorative object. However, I continue to explore this material to create all kinds of objects.
Do you follow any specific techniques?: No. I create base designs with various materials, which I replicate with silicone moulds for the production of the pieces. After this, I work with wax, colour pigments and aroma, which I mix to achieve the final result. The last step is to hand-polish the pieces after removing them from the moulds. Each piece is unique, there are no two alike.
What does working with your hands mean to you?: In my process, I seek to explore the symbolic connection between wax, as a material of expression, and personal and spiritual transformation. I truly believe that anything created with the hands has a meaning underlying one's own consciousness. This connection has led me to connect with tribal art, for its primitive forms, or artists like Brancusi or Isamu Noguchi.
What is the power of wax to you?: For me, wax is a channel, a means by which I express my own journey. Mulier Studio is a very personal project, and I try to ensure that this essence is not lost. Additionally, I share it as an invitation for people to connect with the present and their light, through the shape and aroma of the pieces.

Silvia Durán is a rising star: she began her career in 2021