We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dolores Mallea a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dolores thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

When I graduated as an Architect I already knew working at a firm or studio would probably not be my thing. I was too young to know but I started other jobs, within nature, always outdoors, usually with a group of people.
Then one day while visiting a woodworker I realized a wood shop could be my place.
So I began learning the craft, slowly and in an unconventional way. I was taken by this life.
I figured the shop was the right place, tools would be my hand extensions, and making furniture might be the proper scale so I could become the person to build them.
Then came my first shop. Started from nothing. Then came the first team I put together for bigger projects. A few years later, we were making my own pieces, not just for clients. But my own ideas, made by the whole team.
I had needed to set up a shop, then build a team, while creating an identity.
I figured, apart from the passion and love for the craft, the one indispensable thing, was making a business from it.
I work in Argentina, which tends to be unstable, economy wise, but this aspect also makes for better opportunities. Uncharted territory, however challenging, usually becomes very fertile.
I then begun studying and understanding the numbers around my project. My one worry was always being able to keep it working. For the team’s sake and also for me.

Being an artist or designer is not only about creativity and talent. This is how I plan to sustain myself, now and in my future. So I became more confortable with that knowledge. I started being more and more confident about the work we made at the shop, having more faith and trust in the whole team making the pieces and projects. And this is probably what makes me the proudest. Knowing it works. Projects come and go, and pieces will always get better, so I work on the system that helps me be more confident about making a full time living from my work.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Dolores Mallea / Architect – Woodworker / Argentina / b.1981 I run a small practice based in Buenos Aires called SUR DEL CRUZ (s. 2015)
A design-build studio that specializes in small architecture as well as objects using wood as a core material.
The studio was founded with the intention of working on projects that combined architecture with craftmanship. Each design is created by hand by a team of experienced designers that practice their skills in the studio.
These past years I have led many small to medium scale projects both for public/private and for residential/commercial spaces.
My influences come from many cultures in South America and their historical craftmanship skills. We build furniture that combines our rich history, with everyday functionality, and a particular aesthetics that makes our brand unique.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

My audience grew during lockdown. I started showing a lot more about the process at the shop. What I do, is simple show what we already do on a dayly basis.
I don’t create content for social media, but simple show what is already happening.
Then I add some of the ideas that are always present at the back of my head. Things that inspire me. That are usually unconnected to wood.
And I see how this moves others, craftmanship, wood, tools, the shop, and showing how we all work together, is quite appealing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.surdelcruz.com
• Instagram: @surdelcruz

Image Credits
NATALIA MARINO / FOTOGRAFIA DE OBRA / FELIX NIIKADO / DAGURKE