PRESERVED FLOWERS

Flowers have always occupied a special place in Krystyna Hanzii’s world. At first glance, her work feels almost alive, as if it could have been picked seconds ago and carefully placed in front of the viewer. Yet each bloom is formed from polymer clay, shaped slowly until it carries the softness and fragility of nature itself.

Built petal by petal, each piece reflects hours of patient work and careful attention to detail, gradually growing into sculptural botanical compositions.

Growing up in Ukraine, Krystyna was always surrounded by people who appreciated the beauty of simple things — whether it was nature, the warmth of her home, or handmade objects. "I think creativity was always a part of me, although for a long time I didn't see it as something serious," she reflects.

Drawing, making tiny things, and spending countless hours observing flowers — their shapes, petals, and colors were all natural parts of her childhood, and she never imagined it would one day become something more.

Polymer clay entered Krystyna’s life much later, and almost by accident. "I have always been fascinated by flowers; there is something deeply alive and emotional about them," Krystyna says. "They are beautiful, yet fragile and temporary at the same time. I wanted to create something that could preserve that feeling forever." 

Looking back, Krystyna sees her early attempts as an important part of the journey. The very first flower remains memorable not because it was perfect, but because: "It was a simple little flower, and at the time I thought it was beautiful. Today I can see every mistake — the shape, the texture, the proportions, but I still love it because it was the beginning of everything."

The shift from hobby to something more serious did not happen overnight. It happened gradually.

Her work started appearing online, and people began noticing it, sharing stories about how the flowers reminded them of loved ones or specific moments in their lives. "That was when I realized this had become something much deeper."

"It is important for me not simply to copy a flower, but to capture its character. Every flower has its own mood — softness, lightness, drama, or calmness," Krystyna describes her work. Each piece is built petal by petal, with colour, detail, and texture added before the final composition comes together.

Building an online presence brought Krystyna both opportunities and pressures. It opened up connections with people around the world who appreciate beauty in a similar way, but it also came with its own risks. "Social media can easily make you create what 'works' instead of what you truly love. For me, it was essential to remain honest in my art."

Before creating a flower, Krystyna spends a great deal of time studying it. "I observe real flowers, photographs, and sometimes I can stare at a single petal for a long time just to understand its shape or texture." Sometimes, all it takes is seeing light fall on a petal or watching a flower after the rain for her to suddenly feel the need to create.

Comparing her earlier work to the pieces she creates today, the biggest shift in her art is surprisingly not a technical one. "Before, I was simply trying to make a beautiful flower. Now, I try to convey a feeling. And I think that is the most important transformation of all."

Her workspace usually looks like a small creative chaos. "There is clay, tools, wire, paints, boxes, flowers, and sketches all over the table," Krystyna laughs, describing a space that feels full of life.

With a consistent creative routine, her days are divided between sculpting flowers, packaging orders, photographing artworks, running her shop, and communicating with customers. "When you are both an artist and building your own brand, you end up wearing many roles at once," she adds.

But it has not been just Krystyna working behind the scenes. Her husband has also played an important role in her journey. “Without his support, both moral and financial, I wouldn’t have achieved what I have today. He also helps me manage my shops, and I am grateful to him for everything he does,” says Krystyna.

Creating such realistic flowers requires an enormous amount of patience, practice, and precision. Each petal is sculpted by hand before being carefully baked, coloured, textured, and assembled into the final composition. Many of Krystyna's wall pieces feature entire bouquets brought together within a single frame. "It is a very slow process that requires patience. The most rewarding part is the moment when the flower suddenly starts to look alive."

There are still many flowers Krystyna dreams of creating. "Some of them I intentionally keep for later. Sometimes it feels like a certain flower needs the right moment or the right emotional state to be created," she explains. "I like the idea that there are still flowers ahead of me that I have not yet grown into as an artist — and that is what keeps my creativity alive."