15765 Radu Butuc is a Moldovan craftsman, whose artwork are characterized by a science fiction-based style and a specific technological design. Radu creates leather goods and articles carried in the steampunk genre and beyond. With a variety of works, starting with jewelry and decorative articles and ending with covers, purses and handbags made of leather, all these artisan pieces of art have aroused public interest in Moldova and abroad, where the craftsman sales its products using an online store. Today we'll talk to Radu, about his works and about the steampunk subculture.
I try to overcome all the obstacles and not limit myself to anything.
Radu Butuc
I try to overcome all the obstacles and not limit myself to anything.
Radu Butuc
I try to overcome all the obstacles and not limit myself to anything.
Radu Butuc
I try to overcome all the obstacles and not limit myself to anything.
Radu Butuc
I try to overcome all the obstacles and not limit myself to anything.
Radu Butuc
First of all, we see in Your collection we see a wide variety of products. It contains articles of glass, metal and leather? How do You manage to create such varied pieces of art?
It is said that man has only those limitations which it he imposes alone. Well, I try to overcome all the obstacles and not limit myself to something, I try to forget what "cannot do" means but rather to look for ways to create what I like and what will be interesting not only for me. Sometimes I am not satisfied with the result, or I realize I did not get enough pleasure in the creative process. In such cases it is likely for me to drop out the project. Generally I create what is interesting to me, I cannot stand doing something that I hate or some that would leave me indifferent. Perhaps this is the main cause of the variety of techniques that I use in my creative process.
Why did You choose the steampunk genre for your products? Is it a personal preference?
Oh, steampunk in old love, that became eternal for me. Being an engineer by training, I always had a special passion for mechanisms, from bicycles to jet aircrafts. The technique that appeared at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution was simple and brilliant, even if was not of highest efficiency. Gears, massive rivets, left to view by steam engine, dirigible balloon - all these elements represented the first steps towards conquering the planet by humans and have been unjustly forgotten. It is part of history and should be remembered. During the creation process, I realized that steampunk style fits best for me and my professional education allows me work in this sphere and to create something new and interesting.
How well the steampunk subculture is known by Moldovan auditory? Is the young generation interested in such pieces of work?
At the moment steampunk is quite known in Moldova, with our assistance as well. Since very beginning, steampunk articles were received well as original and interesting pieces of art. I had no need to convince or prove anything to anyone. It was something like - Veni, Vidi, Vici. Four years after the creation of the workshop, people are still interested in steampunk artcile, maybe not as intense as before, yet every time we find new people interested in our products, we even have real fans, who return every time they need a special gift.
At the moment, the steampunk subculture is quite known in Moldova, due to our assistance as well.
Radu Butuc
At the moment, the steampunk subculture is quite known in Moldova, due to our assistance as well.
Radu Butuc
At the moment, the steampunk subculture is quite known in Moldova, due to our assistance as well.
Radu Butuc
At the moment, the steampunk subculture is quite known in Moldova, due to our assistance as well.
Radu Butuc
At the moment, the steampunk subculture is quite known in Moldova, due to our assistance as well.
Radu Butuc
Where can people get acquainted with Your products? On the internet and live
Our products can be found easily - on https://www.facebook.com/Steamlab where all interested persons can write if they are interested in something. I also have a shop on etsy.com, but there are prices for international buyers, while Moldovans benefit from much lower prices. To see our work live, you can come to the workshop, which is at the Dinamo stadium.
Do you manage to sell Your work abroad? How did you promote Your production internationally?
As mentioned above, I have a small shop on Etsy.com, which helps me to find buyers worldwide. Thus, I can say with pride that I have customers on all continents, except Africa. Most buyers are still in the US, followed by the country from EU and Canada. The main method of promotion is simple - social networks. On facebook I find more clients from Moldova, on Instagram I find those from abroad. One of the networks began to bring more traffic is Pinterest.com, Tumblr.com being least efficient. I socialize, make friends, talk to people, show them what I can do and if they like my articles, they place an order. I’m active on Etsy for about a year and the results are relatively good, but there is room for more, as in any other field.
Where do You take raw materials for your works, and where production process takes place? Do You work alone or do you have a team?
Raw materials are the most problematic issue - in Moldova you cannot find anything. Everything is of made abroad, from leather, paints and even the needle for sewing. It took me very long time to find a leather importer that would bring me exactly what I need - vegetable tanned leather, and even after I received it, I’m not entirely happy with it. However, now the situation is much better in comparison with the period when I started my activity. Now I already have connections abroad, and I can find the necessary paint and leather accessories, thread and other essential stuff. Since June 2014, I managed to move my activity from home in a special workroom, at first it had only 15 square meters, but recently I moved to a larger one. At the moment I work alone and I share my workshop with a good friend, which is also a leather craftsman. The jewelries are made by my wife Ana, with my assistance when she requires the use of force or fire.
The main method to promote my products is quite simple – social networks.
Radu Butuc
The main method to promote my products is quite simple – social networks.
Radu Butuc
The main method to promote my products is quite simple – social networks.
Radu Butuc
The main method to promote my products is quite simple – social networks.
Radu Butuc
The main method to promote my products is quite simple – social networks.
Radu Butuc
What kind of leather do You use to carry out the works?
The main raw material is vegetable tanned leather - a special leather, rarely used nowadays, due to its replacement with chemically tanned leather. This one is waterproof and can be used in shoes production but it is not suitable for leather artwork. Vegetable tanned skin is kept much better and handmade pieces of art can be transmitted by inheritance due to their impressive lifespan. Chemically tanned skin on the contrary - has a minimum lifespan up to 5 years, goes slightly off during usage, is breathing or slipping properly, in other words, it's not the best choice. But being cheaper is it usually the choice of those who have no other solutions. I can proudly say that I was among the first to start working with vegetable tanned leather and have done everything possible to make people acquainted with its properties. Vegetable tanned leather pieces are more expensive because they require a larger volume of work - bone oiling, painting, coating, while chemically tanned leather comes already painted and finished. Besides this leather live at least three times more, are much more good looking and are nice to touch. Somebody said - the price is quickly forgotten, but quality persist.
Do you know any other local craftsmen who make similar works?
Sure, there are still few leather craftsmen, two of them are my good friends - we help each other, and keep good relations because we have nothing to share - each of us working in its style and the products are extremely varied. Thus, every customer can find something to his taste, and that is the most important thing.
What is the source of inspiration for creating such original and unique works?
Inspiration comes, mostly, because ... I want to eat. Leaving the joke aside, I think inspiration is something that can be tamed. I mean, you know what you have to do, you have a dead-line, go and do your job. As appetite comes during eating, inspiration comes with work and luck loves those who work hard. If earlier I used to do sketches, to be sure, the experience that I gathered allows me to start a project without drawing lines on paper, leaving pieces to arrange the way they want, while keeping the original idea. Some of the stuff show character and won’t let me do it my way, trying to get out of the plan. Usually, I leave them alone, because such works possess their own personality, which adds character and the piece of art becomes truly unique.
I try to overcome all the obstacles and not limit myself to anything.
