Basques in Boise

Ahizpak has come on a long way since Jaialdi 2005, the event that really helped the company to take off. Five years on, and with the next Jaialdi just around the corner, one half of the sibling design team, Maite, took some time out from her month-long trip to the ''Old Country'' to tell us about the creative process behind their products and how they''ve evolved since 2005.

It is no secret that the two Basque-American sisters will be launching some new designs and products in time for this year''s Euskal American festival, as well as the usual jewelry and décor which are the firm''s ''bread and butter'', but how do the women ensure the creativity keeps flowing?

"It''s amazing how many things you can do with the Lauburu, but we''re starting to integrate other typical Basque designs," says Maite.

Both artists, Maite and her sister Izar rarely have difficulty coming up with new designs: "Ideas just come to us and we''ll draw them on a napkin or on the back of a cereal box," Maite explains, "We never have to sit down and say ''right, we have to come up with the ideas for next year; it''s typically not like that."

Maite says she draws inspiration from the things they see around them and there is no better opportunity than a trip to the Basque Country: "I have no qualms about taking my camera out whenever the occasion arises!.. I have files and files of photos I''ve taken of symbols; I''ll even go back with pen and paper and investigate... I hope we''ve helped to expose (US Basques) to a bit more Basque culture than just the Lauburu."

This latest trip is no different and visits to previously unknown areas have opened Maite''s eyes up to some possible new departures in Ahizpak designs: "I had never been to Iparralde; they have a lot of really artistic creations over there..." So all in all, watch this space...

In the meantime, both Maite and Izar will be busy preparing for the next Jaialdi, the most important of all the US-Basque events - so huge they hold it every five years!

The whole week is, says Maite, crazy, and with the popularity of Ahizpak now tenfold what is was at Jaialdi 2005, they look set to be on the go non-stop this time round: "We have so much stuff now we occupy two stands," she says, an indication of just how much their success has rocketed since then.

"We get requests for stuff now," continues Maite. Testament to the company''s evolution, the sisters now get some quite unusual orders: "One of our latest designs are some bellows which my sister has painted with Basque symbols. These things are all hand made, one-of-a-kind things - there''s one and then it''s gone."