CONTRASTED FLOWERS

When you first encounter Fabiola Pérez Ajates' work, what strikes you isn't just the elegance of form or the deliberate use of color, it’s the sense of movement, of transformation caught mid-motion.

Her art speaks in layers: textured, emotional, and rooted in a lifelong relationship with nature and design. Known for her tireless exploration of polymer clay and mixed media, Fabiola, better known as Fabi, has carved out a distinct voice in the international clay art scene.

A self-described autodidact with “many creative ideas” and a “sensitivity to art,” Fabi has followed an artistic path shaped not by convention but by intuition. “I would introduce myself as someone who wants to transmit life and passion through art,” she says. That passion began in childhood with drawing, which eventually led her to study interior design. But it wasn’t until years later, when she stumbled upon a polymer clay course, that something truly clicked.

“I discovered the infinite possibilities I had with polymer clay, combining it with papers, pigments, inks... I got addicted right away,” she recalls. That spark of discovery turned into an unstoppable flow of creativity. “It made me happy to be able to do it all, and I enjoyed it so much.”

Fabi began working with clay in 2009, and by 2011, she had fully committed to it as her professional medium. Her work has since matured into a style that is unmistakably hers, organic, imperfect, vibrant.

She draws inspiration from nature in the broadest sense: “rocks, leaves, weathered walls and doors, textures, fabrics with attractive colors... all of it gives me ideas.” She sketches them out so none are lost. Her artistic process is intuitive and spontaneous: “As I go along, I discover new variations. New shapes come to me and I change them, trial and error helps me improve.”

A powerful dimension of Fabi’s story is that she was born deaf, a fact she never saw as an impediment, but rather as a gift. “Being deaf has shaped the way I connect with the world,” she explains. 

“I developed a strong visual sensitivity, and I’ve always ‘listened’ through my hands. That tactile connection is essential to what I do.” Her deep attention to form, balance, and movement seems to echo this way of experiencing life, through feeling, seeing, and creating rather than hearing.

But the essence of her creative process, she emphasizes, lies in continuous and tenacious action. “It’s a metaphor for nature, only the things that stop are dead. Life is in the movement. I find happiness in that balance, in the flow that comes from permanent action.”

One of her most striking recent explorations is a project called Contrasted Flowers, a bold departure from her traditionally colorful palette. “For the first time, I’m using only two colors, black and white,” she explains.

These stark opposites allow her to explore form and energy in a new way, while still embodying her signature emphasis on volume, movement, and emotional resonance. It is also a deliberate challenge to her own identity and a way of rethinking her relationship with color.

Contrasted Flowers aims for a unique balance between shape, texture, composition, and contrast, resulting in a visual language that speaks of elegant and sophisticated sobriety. “It inspires a stoic calmness and clarity to enjoy a pleasant life,” she says.

Over the past five years, Fabi’s work has been recognized across Europe, Oceania, and North America. She has contributed to PolymerWeek Magazine and other international publications, building a global community around her voice. “This is my voice,” she says. “You can’t hear it, but you can see it.”

Her studio is both a sanctuary and a springboard, a place where she continues to teach, create, and dream. For Fabi, this space represents more than a physical workshop; it’s where ideas transform into meaning. “I’m very aware that I’m evolving more and more in polymer clay,” she shares. “And my goal is always to show my own way to understand reality and the world. Life is a state of mind, and that is precisely what I want to communicate, a very special and unique state of mind that amazes your mind and covers your heart with joyful smiles.”

As she prepares for upcoming classes and international events, one thing is clear: Fabi’s work is not just about aesthetic beauty. It’s about emotional resonance, creative freedom, and a deep, evolving dialogue with the world around her. And we love that a lot!

Her creations don’t simply sit still. They move. They breathe. They grow. Just like she does, becoming a living expression of her ever-evolving state of mind.

We are looking forward to seeing her in action at the upcoming classes. Who knows, we might just pop in to witness the magic!