Take inspiration for blossoming days and get some spring vibes. The floral motif is a timeless trend and also a key element in Dasha Paradok's work, a 27-year-old Belarusian artist from Minsk who lives in England. When she was young, she loved to make accessories from beads. Nowadays, she creates lovely jewelry from polymer clay.
Dasha became interested in art at an early age, taking extra classes where she embroidered, knitted, and sewed. She was about 15 years old when she learned about polymer clay and fell in love with this material.
When she started, there were only a few tutorials and videos on how to work with polymer clay, so she had to learn by herself. “But then there were already crafters who created realistic flowers, interesting patterns and kaleidoscopes, stunning miniatures, and looking at their professionalism, I wanted to improve the quality of my work and create something special,” she says. And looking at her pieces, that is exactly what she did.
The lovely flowery letters she creates are, at first glance, delicate and precisely made. She uses soft hues of colors, and the overall design, in combination with white, is pure and diverse at the same time.
The first step in her creative process is the creation of a frame in the shape of a letter out of white polymer clay. After baking, she fills the frame with tiny handcrafted miniatures of flowers and leaves that resemble small succulents. By precise technique and attention to detail, Dasha achieves a clean and sleek design, even though working with white can often be challenging for its susceptibility to dirt and the visibility of flaws.
For a long time, she had to combine her hobby with studying at the university and then with work, while also managing to make custom orders and sometimes participating in fairs. Now, Dasha can finally devote herself fully to her artistic creation. “Since 2022, the creation of polymer clay jewelry has become my main work, and with this, I have more and more new ideas and inspiration,” she states.
In addition to these beautiful letters, she also creates earrings with a flower motif, brooches, and bookmarks. Individual flower letters are available for purchase and can be used, among other things, as a keychain, magnet, or a beautiful accessory not only for spring days.
