Welcome to my virtual exhibition of lace. It is my pleasure to share with you my creative thoughts and lace works.I was born in 1965 in Šibenik where I finished high school. I live in Zagreb. I grew up in Skradin, a beautiful town where Krka river kisses the sea passionately. The sea is part of my soul. As a 10-year-old girl, my mother and my grandmother taught me how to make lace (crocheting, knitting, embroidering). I grew up with threads, hooked needles, lace patterns and that hobby drew me towards collecting books and magazines. Many years ago, a trip to the Festival of lace in Idria broadened my horizons in the world of lace. A lady from Belgium was making bobbin lace, I still remember the number – 1300. Wow! Watching her hands skilfully entwine bobbins, it seemed to me as if she had been playing the piano. It was fascinating! I decided to try. Others told me it was not possible, that I should have have started learning in childhood. I was not discouraged – I grew up in the household where the needlework had always been made. Fairly stubborn, I looked for the books and material related to the bobbin lace and – I began. Slowly – step by step. Till today I have made a lot of lace, with persistence, patience and – a lot of love.
Bobbin lace is a way to express myself. I have always felt my hands can do more, that they speak more than my face. I simply let my golden hands do the work, to speak about me, to convey my creative thoughts, the idea of moving within the lace, to show how I feel things. I realized that, after I had tried my hands at traditional patterns, lace always left me the space to enhance my skills and knowledge with new stitches, new magic threads and great ideas.
The sea inspires me. I am always overwhelmed by the same feelings. It is wonderful! I look for the emotions within me and I want to show them, using thread in colour. My lace is full of colours. There are many ideas and I only let my imagination do the work. Idea is born of work. So, I discovered that I am also fascinated by trees, as if we grew together. Also, making my own lace patterns fulfills me – as well as painting bobbins. That is handwork and indeed there is no need to do the same things. Creating makes me happy. In 2007 Donna Creativa decided to insert me in the International Creative Women’s Network, www.donnacreativa.com
Should you want to know more about my lace creations, please contact me.
Thank you for visiting and drop by my virtual lace exhibition any time.
Duska Travica