How it all started
How It All Started
The Early Years of Botas
Growing up in the 1970s, Botas lived a childhood marked by silence and solitude.
His parents, both deeply traumatized by the Second World War, withdrew from the world. His father survived a German concentration camp; his mother lost everything in the bombings near Arnhem.
In this quiet, fearful household, Botas found no room for playdates or parties. Instead, he retreated into his own mind—and into a closet. There, using scraps from his walk to school—wood, cardboard, lollipop sticks—he began creating a world of his own. A world of kindness. A world of friends.
Let's call them Spooney's
These handmade figures became known as The Spooney’s—named for the bits of cutlery used in their creation. Over time, their world grew. It became SpooneyWorld, a place filled with love, imagination, and care.
Today, Botas still creates new Spooney’s by hand. Though his studio has grown, the heart of his work remains rooted in that childhood closet: a small room filled with scraps, stories, and magic.
Each Spooney has evolved into a figure with almost human characteristics—unique personalities born from compassion and creativity.
From Solitude to Spark
SpooneyWorld has touched people around the world. Many choose to "adopt" a Spooney—not just as an artwork, but as a piece of Botas himself.
Every Spooney is crafted by the artist alone—from start to finish—ensuring it carries a true spark of his story:
A story of resilience.
A story of love.
A story born in a closet, and now shared with the world.