Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Magdalena O’Connor. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Magdalena, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I retrained as a welder in 2014 because I was frustrated by not being able to use steel in my sculptures. I already had several mediums under my belt makeup artistry, special effects, mold making and body paint. The moment I put grinder to steal I fell in love. discovering the softness within this seemingly hard medium captivated me. The next love affair was with reclaimed materials I moved to Atlanta to help my brother work on some projects that included a lot of reclaimed wood and stone. I found that combining steel with these materials was magic. I am passionate about transforming discarded treasures into functional artwork.

Magdalena, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Desireline studios mission is to make the world more beautiful through the innovative use of steel and reclaimed materials

Desireline studios was founded by Magdalena O’Connor in 2018
Definition – Desireline: a subconscious pull that draws you towards a path or object.

DLS Core Values
Exploration and Innovation
Skill Sharing and Sustainability

Exploration and innovation
Play is an integral part of human development and necessary for our survival.
A environment that values creativity and exploration will invite innovation. Innovation requires application.
Collaborating with other artists makes the world beautiful and Play will help us thrive

Skill Sharing
Everyone’s an artist we all have the power of creation within us. People can connect with their creative powers through skill sharing. We provide training programs that up skill creatives with the goal to create partnerships where we learn and grow together.

Sustainability /Reuse
The practice of reclaiming hard materials supports sustainability by reducing waste and conserving valuable resources. Desireline studios believes that our most valuable resource is each other and Sustainability includes building Community, Equity, and Diversity.

Bio: Magdalena creates dynamic sculptural illusions.
They have competed internationally In body art since 2007. Retrained as a welder fabricator in 2014 their current practice is primarily sculptural with a focus on knowledge sharing and developing innovative uses for materials.
They have extensive experience in fields of, fabrication, sculpture, reuse art, collaborative projects, wearable art and skill sharing workshops.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One lesson that I have learned and continue to learn is how to back myself. Being a person who has been socialized as a woman and works in a male dominated industry Has provided an opportunity for me to learn a lot about myself and the way I interact with the world. If you’re a woman you’re probably already very aware of this if you’re not this might be news to you. Men and women are socialized very differently. Men are taught to be brave take risks put themselves out there. Women are taught to work hard and be perfect. never let the world see any part of you that doesn’t reflect perfection. The real-life consequence of this is that often women don’t pursue opportunities that they more than qualified for. In contrast the status quo for men witch is “just make it up as you go along” this is considered perfectly normal and expected. I’m learning that no one else is going to tell me that I’m good enough. I have the skills and the knowledge I’ve done the groundwork and I’m the boss.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

We specialize in design specific solutions for our clients. Anything from floating staircase to custom paint finishes. If our clients need something that’s not in our wheelhouse not a problem we know how to reach out and ask for support from specialist in those fields. We can’t do everything, but we probably know someone who can. What we can do is listen to your needs desires and make a plan to bring your fantasies into reality.

Contact Info:

• Website: desirelinestudios.com
• Instagram: @desireline_studios
• Facebook: Desireline Studios
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVRL_bE-pNAe4LjgJnhZyig

Image Credits
Lee David Photography