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✽ Where I come from
My name is Mathilde Blum, and I am a French sculptor based in Dijon, in the heart of Burgundy.
But my story begins further east, sheltered by tall fir trees and green hills. On the winding roads of Franche-Comté, I scanned every corner of the forest, watching for the lynx lurking in the shadows, the chamois blending into the rocks. It was there, in that silent quest, that something essential was born in me — a profound connection to the animal world that would one day find its way into my hands.
My best friend at home was Voyelle, a long-legged Irish setter who brought me inner peace. The bond that can form between humans and animals is the most moving relationship I can think of. I try to capture this in every sculpture I create, where my animals become your soulmate in the blink of an eye.
✽ Where I travelled
Since the world is made up of thousands of remote corners, I ended up flying off to other secluded lands. A year in Evansville, Indiana, transformed me and gave me a lasting taste for freedom.
On the long road of studying economics and management, I passed through Trento in Italy, Kassel in Germany, and León in Spain — a rich melting pot of cultures that nourished and shaped me.
Life also brought me to New York City where I worked in skyscrapers overlooking the Hudson and the ocean. In 2016, I landed in Berlin, living surrounded by forests and lakes for more than 6 years (yes Berlin is not all about parties but also about nature).
✽ From marketing to sculpting
As life is woven from rational and irrational choices, my career path took many different turns. A diligent business studies student, I went on to work as a Performance Marketing Manager, Marketing Analyst, Account Manager, and Marketing Data Analyst in New York and Berlin. While these roles may seem far removed from papier-mâché animal sculpture, they embody the logical and analytical side of my personality — the same precision and attention to detail that I now bring to every handmade piece.
After fifteen years abroad in beautiful offices overlooking Manhattan and Kreuzberg, I happily returned to my little studio — far from the noise, close to the trees, in a small corner of France. And I began to sculpt.
✽ Why paper-mâché
So why papier-mâché and not watercolours or stacked beads? One evening — I wasn't even twelve years old — my parents brought home two sculptures from an art exhibition : a cow on her skis and a giraffe with an endless neck. They were funny and beautiful. I began to dream about them. I knew they would mark my life, but I didn't know when.
The opportunity arose twenty years later, when my grandmother was about to celebrate her 90th birthday. I wanted to create a vivid memory for her — something indelible, something that would outlast words. It was my first sculpture : it depicts my grandmother and her late husband walking with their three children on a beautiful spring day. Very naive, quite imprecise — but the beginning of a great passion.
Today, as a French artist specialising in handmade animal sculpture, I create custom pet sculptures and large-format decorative works for private clients and hospitality spaces worldwide. Each piece is unique. Each piece tells a story. Welcome to my world.
