(Interview from 2009)

Dagmar Möbius

A daffodil hangs from the clothes rail in Janet Schlüßler's workshop. A cloth daffodil. In green and yellow, elaborately decorated. A little matching hat completes the costume. This flowery outfit appears to be the only connection to the field she once studied. The landscape architect graduate has put her artistic talent and craftmanship to use, and launched her own business. She now runs her own decorations, costume, and graphics firm.

Growing up in a village near Freiberg, Schlüßler still didn't know what she wanted to study when she reached the end of high school. She could draw well, had taught herself to sew, and did a lot of needlework. "Medicine and law were out of the question for me," she says, "I'm not someone who crams for weeks on end."

She was looking for something creative and practical. She also wanted to study as close to home as possible. After an open day at TU Dresden, Janet Schlüßler knew it would be architecture or landscape architecture. "For architecture, the Zentrale Vergabestelle [central allocations body for university places] put me on the waiting list, but I passed the test for landscape architecture right away," she recalls. She started her degree in Dresden in 1993 together with 45 fellow students. Looking back, she is enthused, "It was a great program!" Thinking back especially to the foundations of design, color, and form with Ekkehard Bendin, and freehand drawing with Professor Georgi. "The course gave me an eye for the creative, and also taught me planning: how to structure things and complete projects."

Nevertheless, she did struggle with a "slight lack of motivation" in her sixth semester. There wasn't enough practice for her. Some things seemed "disconnected from reality." Schlüßler decided to take a year out from her studies and worked in two landscape architecture firms. That time gave her a lot of valuable experience. "I was involved in a whole number of projects as a second staff member, learned a lot about working with a computer – I hadn't had much to do with computers before – and dealt with environmental and village development planning." Incidentally, a plan drafted at that time for Bärwalde in Lusatia was not implemented until 2008/2009. Janet Schlüßler was also involved in the Dresden-Gorbitz skatepark and Bienertmühle hiking trail. Her biggest task as a budding landscape architect was the DVB (Dresden public transport) depot site in Dresden-Gorbitz.

After finishing her degree in 2000, she went to work for Kühfuß, a landscape architecture firm in Dresden. Two years later, the sector was in crisis and employees had to be laid off. Including Janet Schlüßler. However, she still has ties to her former boss: "We're married," she smiles. The creative young woman took the opportunity of a year's maternity leave to further her professional development, learning web design, layout, and 3D. Did she want to return to work as a landscape architect with a baby? "Staff at architecture firms work day and night, which is difficult with a child." Janet Schlüßler decided to go a different route. In December 2004, she started her own business. Her one-woman operation provides decorations for events and family parties; outfits for balls, the theater, and carnival; and graphic design services for both businesses and individuals. Schlüßler has also been hired as a dresser for the "Stars in concert" show. Orders now come in from all over Germany to the inspired, imaginative, and multitalented businesswoman.

Children's book illustrations, wedding dresses, websites... "Sometimes I wish the days were twice as long." And not only in the lead up to Dresden's legendary "Hutball" (Hat Ball) each March, when Janet Schlüßler is commissioned to create unusual, unique headgear. Her designs have won multiple awards at the event. During the day, she is usually to be found in her workshop on the outskirts of Dresden's Neustadt district, and in the evenings, she works on the computer.

Every Wednesday, she comes to the TU campus for choir rehearsal with the university choir. She has been part of the choir for 15 years and currently serves on the board. You can soon hear her soprano voice again at the Christmas concerts, for example on December 17 in the Beyer-Bau building. Before then, however, Janet Schlüßler still has a lot to do. A giant parrot costume for an events firm needs to be finished, and a rocker bride is waiting for her exclusive, one-of-a-kind wedding dress.

Someday, Janet Schlüßler would like to design her own collection; she has no shortage of ideas. The landscape architect still works with daffodils. But very differently than in the past.

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