ORDO AB CHAOS

Margita Alsina lives a fascinating dual existence—by day, she navigates the exacting world of accounting with precision and order, and by night, she dives into the vibrant, imaginative realm of polymer clay art.

Bridging these two seemingly opposite spheres, Margita creates a unique artistic voice where logic meets whimsy, discipline embraces chaos, and craft becomes a powerful means of storytelling.

From Numbers to Nuance: A Tale of Two Worlds

During her professional hours, Margita is immersed in spreadsheets, balance sheets, and meticulous financial reports. “Being creative in my job would probably get me a one-way ticket to prison,” she jokes, highlighting the strict boundaries that define accounting. The predictable, rule-bound environment offers her comfort and control—a necessary counterbalance to the freedom of her artistic efforts.

But once the workday ends, Margita’s studio transforms into a vivid playground of color, texture, and surreal imagination. Here, polymer clay is her medium of choice, a tool through which she channels emotions and stories that numbers cannot express.

Her signature fruit sculptures—raspberries with rows of sharp teeth and tongues dripping exaggerated saliva—blend meticulous craftsmanship with an unsettling, playful edge. “People are always surprised,” Margita admits. “They don’t expect someone who spends their day with neat rows of numbers to create creatures that look like they might bite you.”

This tension between order and chaos lies at the heart of Margita’s art. Her sculptures are not merely decorative but deeply personal, embodying a complex emotional landscape where logic fuels creativity—and, in turn, softens its own rigidity.

Latvian Roots: Practicality Meets Creative Revelation

Margita’s artistic journey began in Latvia, a country shaped by practicality and an environmental ethos where art traditionally served functional purposes. Growing up, ceramics held food, textiles mended clothes, and embroidery repaired rather than adorned. “Art was about utility, not self-expression,” she explains.

Her turning point came late in school during a visual arts class—a “tiny personal revolution” sparked by entering a project into a national competition. This experience revealed that objects could convey feelings and ideas without practical function. “That moment changed everything,” she reflects.

From there, Margita explored various crafts—textiles, beads, embroidery—until polymer clay revealed itself as the perfect medium. “It could mimic anything. I could mix colors, cure it at home, shape whatever I wanted. That’s when it hit me,” she recalls.

Early whimsical experiments evolved into sophisticated metaphors: her fruit sculptures represent inner worlds, with delicate raspberries symbolizing her younger self and more aggressive, toothy fruits expressing a rebellion against corporate constraints.

One standout design, the Angry Cherry Wireless Earphone Holder, doubles as functional jewellery, reflecting her Latvian heritage where beauty serves a purpose. “It’s jewellery, but it does something,” Alsina notes.

The Creative Process: Intuition, Tools, and Transformation

Margita’s artistic process balances ritual with spontaneity. Though she sketches ideas in a physical planner, she lets intuition guide the forms: “The mouths come first. Only after that do I decide what fruit it’s going to be. Each one has a personality. They’re all different. Just like people.”

Her workspace is filled with tools, but only a few are indispensable. She fondly recalls her discontinued FIMO Professional Modelling Drill & Smoothing Tool, vital for finishing surfaces, alongside a craft knife and tissue blade. Pigments add vibrancy, transforming simple clay into living sculptures. “They’re not tools, but they make all the difference,” she says.

A pivotal moment in her journey was attending a polymer clay event in Germany, where Alsina expanded her techniques, sanding, drilling, re-baking, after learning from world-class artists. The experience reinvigorated her practice and introduced her to the British Polymer Clay Guild, where she later served on the committee. Her advice for beginners is clear: “Learn from professionals, practice consistently, and avoid reinventing the wheel. Aim to work smarter, not harder.”

Building Community: Clayphoria and Beyond

Margita’s passion extends beyond her studio to nurturing a global polymer clay community. Through her YouTube channel, MadeByMargita, she shares tutorials, interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights that challenge the notion of polymer clay as “just crafts.”

Her latest venture, Clayphoria, captures this mission perfectly. Scheduled for February 2026 in Scotland, Clayphoria is a four-day retreat blending creativity, learning, and connection. “It’s like a summer camp or a big sleepover with friends passionate about clay,” she explains. Unlike typical retreats, Clayphoria fosters a communal spirit with everyone staying together—sharing breakfasts, late-night clay sessions, and casual moments in the bar, sauna, or gym. Shared rooms invite a pyjama-party vibe, where artists bond over clay until sleep claims them.

“Being together and claying more are both essential,” she says. “It’s about more than learning—it’s about laughter, friendship, and belonging.”

Looking Ahead: Innovation Rooted in Purpose

Margita’s work continues to evolve with new collections on the horizon. She is expanding her “fruit salad” series and developing a “creature salad” featuring vegetables, blending beauty with function and honoring her Latvian roots where art serves a practical role.

Innovations like fruit-like vessels with hidden compartments and multi-functional jewellery illustrate her commitment to pushing creative boundaries. “Accounting gives me discipline and structure; art gives me freedom and expression,” she reflects. “Together, they make me who I am—a woman unafraid to bite back, both in clay and life.”