Jovana Grozdanović lives in the city of Niš, Serbia, and discovered polymer clay quite by accident, when she wanted to make a couple of figurines to decorate her bookshelves. From that moment on she fell in love with modeling, which has been her passion for almost two years now. “It fascinated me how, once the clay is baked, it becomes a permanent sculpture, jewelry, or even an object useful in our everyday lives,” she says. Jovana used to work in a medical biochemistry laboratory and at some point during the pandemic she reached her psychophysical limits. “This discovery I made about polymer clay was a true revelation and therapy for me to such an extent that now my only goal in the future is for polymer clay modeling to become my primary field of work and expertise,” she discloses. The main inspiration for Jovana’s artwork comes from books, movies and video games. “I love science and epic fiction and that is why I like to make sculptures of fantastic creatures,” she mentions. In addition to these, she also likes to make sculptures of animals and enjoys making brooches with motifs from the real and fantastic world. While creating her sculptures, the artist uses the usual tools for working with polymer clay, but she also likes combining different media (faux fur, various fabrics, artificial leather etc.). She pays special attention to painting her works, for which she uses acrylic paints, various pigments and pastels. “My sculptures usually require making a reinforcement armature first, which I make of aluminum wire with the addition of aluminum foil,” she describes. “I consider myself a beginner, who has not yet been fully realized, because I am attracted to various techniques that I like to try as soon as I learn about them. I owe a big thank you to the artist Marko Lovrenski, who convinced me at the beginning of my clay journey that this should be my occupation and that polymer clay is the right medium for me to use to express my artistic self.” Jewelry making and mug decoration are very popular in Serbia, which gives Jovana hope that their community of polymer clay artists will soon expand. This community is actually growing larger every day and she already had the opportunity to meet many artists from Serbia and the surrounding countries. Jovana’s plans for the future are to master more techniques of polymer clay art because she believes she needs to make more progress in order to achieve her goals. She strongly believes it is the artist's job to always strive for greater goals.

Among the artists who imbue their artwork with many of the characteristics of the Art Deco style, Lara Kozlova is definitely one of the masters. Taking a closer look at Lara's favorite brooch - The Scorpion Warrior - our eyes are inevitably drawn by the geometric angular shapes, the abstract design, and the addition of precious stones and crystals. This piece of jewelry is defined by sharp angles and intricate filigree emphasized with garnets, amethysts, and Swarovski Crystals. Scorpions are a symbol of both power and destruction and are one of the most feared creatures in the world. The scorpion has been used as a spiritual representation throughout history and it may represent stubbornness or persistence but also determination, leadership, passion, and vitality. We asked Lara to share with us the story of this beautiful piece of jewelry along with what it was inspired by. “In ancient Egypt,” she started her tale, “the goddess Selket, daughter of the sun god Ra, was considered as the mistress of scorpions. She was depicted with the head of a scorpion or with a human head on which the Scorpion sat. Together with the goddesses Neith, Isis, and Nephthys, they guarded the body of Osiris when he was killed by Seth. Therefore, four of them were depicted on the covers of sarcophagi and vessels. And Isis herself, when she traveled through Egypt in search of her husband Osiris, was accompanied by seven scorpions as a guard. Each had a name. And the first Egyptian king was the Scorpion king, who is mentioned in the Book of the Dead. The Egyptians still use scorpion figurines as a protective amulet.” The scorpion depicted in this artwork is dressed in golden armor, covered with ancient protective runes. When Lara decided to create the brooch, her aim was to emphasize the creature’s strength and cunning. “All the usual options have already been created by different artists and were not interesting to me,” she recalls. “I happened to look at a picture of a Scorpion in Egyptian armor and I decided that I would like to create such a Scorpion! I drew a sketch and I started sculpting this beautiful, fighting arachnid!” The first step in creating the brooch was to make a drawing. The second was to create a 3D model of the scorpion. “To give volume to the claws and make the tip of the tail in the shape of a pharaoh's head it was necessary to come up with something,” mentions the artist. “Inside this brooch, there is a metal frame made of twisted wire,” she continues the description of the creating process. “First you have to make a scorpion skeleton, then cover it with clay in one layer and bake. Then you create a larger volume with clay and decorate how it should look. At the end of all manipulations, you cover the product with varnish and that's it. The brooch is ready!” Sounds really easy, right? Will you give it a try?

During the last few years, 3D printers have opened up a whole new world involving the tools that can be used for jewelry and accessories, because the sky's the limit in terms of the shapes that can be designed, customized, and printed. Day by day we notice people who work with polymer clay and their creations stand out because their ingenuity transcends the world of designing jewelry into the world of designing their tools. Some polymer clay artisans have also started to use 3D printing to make their own custom plastic cutters, enjoying the freedom to easily experiment and come up with something new and unique. Andrea Ďuďajová lives in Bratislava, Slovakia, and has always had a passion for art and creativity. Her main job is as an architect and although she loves designing buildings, she found another hobby that fills her with joy: creating and making things with her hands, especially jewelry and hair accessories from polymer clay and resin. She first started creating polymer clay jewelry in 2010, just for fun, and shortly this activity became one of her favorite hobbies. “All of the pieces I make are individually designed, sculpted, and painted with acrylic paints,” reveals Andrea about the accessories she creates. The paint is carefully sealed under a layer of resin carefully applied. Besides making jewelry, Andrea also designs her own polymer clay cutters, silkscreens, and other tools she uses in her work. Taking a closer look at Andrea’s work we can notice that her pieces have clear lines, and ingenious shapes and every piece has a professional finish. Among the pieces, we saw in her gallery, the animal brooches and the “Little Prince” collection were among our favorites.

Japanese polymer clay artists are known for their attention to detail and precise techniques, as well as their creative use of color and form. Polymer clay is a popular medium in Japan, and there are many talented artists working in this medium who have gained recognition both nationally and internationally. Masako Inabe has recently enchanted the polymer clay scene with her vibrant and unique designs inspired by Majolica tiles. Majolica tiles, also known as "Majolica" or "Majoliche," are multi-colored relief tiles that were popular in Japan during the early 20th century. These tiles were created in a style that emulated the Victorian tiles that were popular in modern England at the time. Majolica tiles were typically made from earthenware clay and were glazed with a shiny, opaque finish. They were often used for decorative purposes, such as for covering walls or for creating murals. The tiles were known for their bright, vibrant colors and intricate relief patterns, which could range from simple geometric shapes to more complex floral or figurative designs. In addition to being used in Japan, Majolica tiles were also exported to other countries and became popular in Europe and the United States. Today, Majolica tiles are still admired for their beauty and are sought after by collectors and enthusiasts of vintage and antique tiles. To create her pieces, Masako Inabe used skinner blends to achieve a wide range of hues. The aim was to use polymer clay embroidery to create a precise and regular geometric pattern. However, achieving the desired level of precision with traditional embroidery methods proved to be a challenge. In order to achieve the desired effect, the artist prepared round cutters in various sizes, including drop shapes ranging from 1 cm to 4 mm. The final products were tiles with intricate geometric patterns created with perfectly cut pieces of clay of exactly the same size. The artist's attention to detail and creativity has resulted in truly one-of-a-kind pieces that pay homage to the beauty of Majolica tiles.

As a makeup artist, Tal Peleg was known all over the world for her breathtaking eye-art designs. Inspired by a wide range of subjects - popular culture, movies, fairy tales, emotions, animals, or even food - the artist used to paint tiny scenes on eyelids, creating unique and striking works of art. “Art has been a huge part of my life ever since I can remember,” the artist confessed. “I love illustration, photography, and makeup.” The eye-art used to be Tal Peleg’s way of mixing all of these passions together by using the eyelid as her canvas. One of their most famous designs was a black cat, based on Tal’s own pet, Louie, playing with purple yarn. This eye-art design went viral and changed her life and career path forever. Now, nine years later, the artist has decided to embark on a new artistic journey. In the past couple of years, Tal Peleg has discovered a new passion: sculpting. The artist has been using polymer clay to create stunning and detailed works of art that showcase her exceptional talent and creativity. As a way of paying tribute to her past as a makeup artist, Tal decided to create a sculpture of her famous cat-eye design. “For the last couple of years, clay has been my favorite art medium,” the artist declares. “So I created a 3D version of my cat makeup design. It is hung on Wall, to give me a daily reminder of how far a little idea can take you.” This was a chance for Tal to merge her favorite art mediums, and the result was a truly stunning piece. The sculpture brought the original eye-art design to life, allowing viewers to see it in a whole new way. “After years of doing makeup on the eye - sculpting the eye instead was a very interesting experience,” she stated. Thanks to the versatility of polymer clay, the artist was able to create a three-dimensional version of her eye-art design almost as if it were coming to life before her eyes. It was a chance to explore a new artistic avenue, one that has proven to be just as rewarding and fulfilling as her previous work in makeup art. Tal Peleg’s journey from makeup art to sculpture is a testament to her enduring passion for creativity and self-expression. From tiny paintings on the eyelid to intricate sculptures, the artist has found a way to express their artistic vision through a wide range of mediums. As Tal continues to grow and evolve as an artist, her works will no doubt continue to inspire and delight art lovers all over the world.

Gail Tan is the creator behind anna&bull, a line of handmade polymer clay pieces that have captured the hearts of many. It all started about three years ago when the artist stumbled upon polymer clay and was instantly hooked. She was drawn in by the endless possibilities the material offers, reminding her of the joy she used to find as a child playing with Play-Doh. One of the things Gail is most known for is her beautiful floral pieces, which were inspired by a stunning arrangement of white poppies. Her floral slabs are especially popular, as they feature delicate flowers and plants manually shaped with tremendous patience and attention to every detail. Floral polymer clay slabs created with the appliqué technique can make for stunning, intricate pieces of art that are sure to be a hit with anyone who appreciates the beauty of flowers. Jewelry with floral themes is a classic and timeless choice that has been popular for centuries. From delicate floral pendants and earrings to bold and colorful floral-inspired statement pieces, there is a wide range of options available for those who love this type of design. Gail's love of art goes beyond just flowers. She is also heavily influenced by the Bauhaus Movement, which can be seen in the shapes and colors she uses in her creations. Bauhaus-inspired jewelry often features clean lines, geometric shapes, and a limited color palette, with the main focus on function and form rather than adornment. Despite not having any formal art education, Gail has learned a lot about color theory, color matching, and proportions through her exploration of polymer clay. She continues to learn and grow as an artist every day. If you're a fan of unique, handmade pieces with a touch of whimsy, be sure to check out the wonderful creations Gail has to offer. Whether you're a fan of flowers or just appreciate the artistry of handmade pieces, there is sure to be a piece of jewelry in her portfolio that speaks to your personal style.

Suong Ngoc from Vietnam is a co-founder of Suunstudio, a place where delicate sculptures with intricate accessories are created. “What I care about the most is the emotion that my puppets give,” she says. “My dolls all have their own stories and they are not just for decoration.” In 2019 Suong graduated from the university with a degree in graphic design. Soon after she was offered the chance to do some stop-motion projects with her friends and this is how she became interested in clay puppets and figures. When the whole world seemed to stop during the initial wave of covid 19, the Vietnamese artist had a lot of time to practice sculpting with polymer clay. This is when Suunstudio was created and she started to post her projects online. Suong sculpts her puppets using polymer clay. All features are individually shaped with lots of patience for every detail. The clothes for the puppets are hand sewn from fabric. When it’s hard to find a suitable pattern, Suong paints the pattern she imagines herself. It takes a lot of time, but when it's done, it is worth the patience. The hair of the dolls is made from goat's hair or artificial doll hair. The dolls are accessorized with fashionable clothes and custom-made trinkets. Sometimes she animates puppets and makes stop-motion movies. Besides creating collections for every season, one of the things Suong loves most is to make custom dolls for her clients which are intended to be given away as gifts. “Do you know?” Suong says, “there are things that cannot be put into words. Do you know? There are things that can only be said, but halfway... So instead of saying nice words, we give each other sincere love through every little gift. I was listening to a podcast the other day, that the meaning of a gift doesn't depend on price or form, but when that person chooses the gift, the moment that someone thinks about you is the most precious and meaningful thing.” Recently, the orders of my bride and groom sculptures increased substantially and Suong enjoys the opportunity to pull out lace fabric of all kinds to cut and sew. “I feel happy,” she says. “The most beautiful thing in this life must be love - everything we do and strive for must be for something called happiness, right? And this is also the most beautiful positive thing to spread to everyone.” Through the sculptures designed at Suunstudio, Suong Ngoc helps people to save memorable milestones and keep alive the remembrance of happy moments.

It has been a journey. Ours. Yours. We celebrate the moment when we've completed another full circle. The moment itself is full of joy, filled with a sense of accomplishment that in the beginning, we could only imagine over the horizon. It is a moment when, after a year of challenges, we stand atop a mountain and raise our arms in victory, knowing the commitment it took to get us there. We chose the Garden of Lights, an artwork by the French artist Virginie Enza Garnier to be the protagonist of our last blog post of this year, the piece that will close the circle. We were enchanted by the finesse of this sculpture and the delicacy of the flowers. “In your head, there's a whole garden, a friend told me. I confirm!” This is how the artist begins the story about the creation of this astonishing artwork made with polymer clay. She continues the tale by revealing that her wish was to work in relief because this medium allows it. “I needed space to express myself,” says Virginie. “The size and format of the jewelry is often too limiting for me, it does not always allow me to concentrate on the creative part because there are some constraints of the assembly of the jewelry.” In order to give a soul and a face to her creation, she decided to include faces in her artwork. “Maybe I was influenced by Daniel Popper, a sculptor whom I admire,” she reveals. The sculpture was also inspired by Stéphanie Kilgast, an artist well known for her complicated sculptures which Virginie had met a few years ago. She wanted to reconnect herself with those unique moments that she had experienced with polymer modeling enthusiasts and to challenge her taste for meticulousness and color swatches. It took hours to create all the gradients, then modeling each little plant piece by piece, carefully moving from one shade to the other. “Here is a little madness, a real creative pleasure!” the artist says. “It's all happiness and true meditation.” Virginie reveals that the outcome is really close to what she had envisioned. She really loved the execution of this larger piece, with less limitations than the small jewelry formats, which really allowed her to express herself. The sculpture is 10 cm in outside diameter and is composed of 23 shades of colors created for the occasion. They are modeled in metallic Cernit, in order to optimize the play of light and the flexibility of the medium necessary for this delicacy of the forms. The fire and ice faces were created using the hollow beads technique, which offers an extremely light end result and a moderate thickness. The final artwork is presented in a 3D photo frame, shadow box, 25 x 25cm, in order to respect the relief and take full advantage of its delicacy. “There is also a bit of my personal history in this creation,” Virginie says, “but if I share with you today my Garden of Lights, I want to keep this small part in my secret garden.”

Holiday season… A time for showing appreciation and a perfect time to nourish our minds and emotions by living slower, reading, working on creative projects, and spending time with friends and family. It’s also a time for decorating, for choosing meaningful gifts, in doing so, we can transform the long, cold, and gloomy days into magical and enchanting moments and memories. Speaking about gifts, the jars decorated with cookies and fruits by Simona Pop seem like a perfect present for anyone. Just bake a few cookies (or treats) to put inside the jars and you will certainly put a smile on the receiver’s face. Well, as long as the gifter doesn’t get too greedy and tries to eat the decorations on the jar, which would not be such a good idea since they’re made from polymer clay. But they seem so realistic, right? Simona has been a creative person since childhood, but it took her more than 35 years to realize that being a full-time artisan is the path she should follow. “I have the urge to create that does not let me sleep,” she mentions, “and I still have many dreams to follow and to try...” She spent the last seven years making her way as a full-time artist and now she simply cannot imagine returning to a regular job. The Romanian artist says that she would never have imagined seven years ago how much hard work and consistency this path would take. “All my creations are a part of me and what I experienced until now, what I love, what I wish for, what I hope for. I could say that I've tried to create my own world, which is warm and quiet, with childhood memories, yummy cookies, and happy moments.” Besides being a very skilled artist, Simona was happy to share with our readers her expertise and made tutorials that were published in Society and in Polymer Week Magazine. “I am so thankful for this journey, the incredible people I’ve met along the way, and the growth I’ve realized as a person”, she says. “It’s hard to describe the amount of joy I feel on a regular basis, but everything in life feels exponentially better when you are on your right path.” We applaud Simona’s effort to turn into one of Santa’s elves during this time of the year and create meaningful gifts to make people happy. The holidays do seem to bring out the best in most people. May the magic and wonder of the season stay with you the whole year through!

This time of the year our attention turned towards the French polymer clay community and an important event that took place few weeks ago in Verneuil. LezArt'giL is a non profit French association whose objective is to serve as a platform for meeting and exchange around common passions in order to promote and gain recognition for polymer clay as a material for artistic expression. The JAFA is a fashionable polymer symposium, annually organized by LezArt'giL. Muriel Paris is an artist and teacher well known in the French polymer clay community and worldwide. As a member of LezArt’giL, Muriel Paris went to the JAFA many times to learn new techniques and meet up with polymerist friends. This year, there is something super exciting and new Muriel would love to share with our readers: she was one of the teachers of the annual polymer event the JAFA 2022, besides Carol Blackburn and Pascale Roillet. “I felt very touched, excited and sincerely honored to have been chosen to be one of the three teachers for the JAFA 2022,” she revealed for our readers. Muriel confided that it was such a great pleasure to be given the chance to make the participants discover her universe and the techniques for the realization of a bohemian necklace. "I was very happy to lead one of the workshops. I found several participants that I already knew and I have met some great people. My workshop was successful and all the participants worked diligently. All of them succeeded in creating beautiful creations. It was a great satisfaction for me!” As a teacher, Muriel runs courses mainly in France. "Sharing my passion is something very important for me,” she affirms. We wanted to know what her advice was for people who want to start working with polymer clay. “Polymer is really a fantastic medium that allows us to exploit a lot of techniques and free our creativity. It has the advantage of allowing you to quickly create beautiful creations with simple techniques. It will allow you to have fun even as a beginner. So if you like to create, this is for you.”

Julia Kurakina was born into family with artistic tendencies. Her great-grandmother and great-grandfather were furriers. They had a sewing machine and they sewed clothes and shoes. The sewing machine is still in Julia’s house, it is over 100 years old and the Russian artist refers to it as their family value. “This was back in tsarist Russia,” she states. “Their goods and services were in demand in our city. My grandmother loved to create with her hands. When I came to her on vacation she taught me to embroider and knit. My grandmother bought me lots of books and magazines for creativity. My mom also knitted.” Living in a family who encouraged creativity, Julia went to art school. She often took part in school creative competitions, studied magazines and literature. At the same time she tried to extend her skills by mastering new techniques: she worked with leather, weaved various shapes from wire, sewed and sculpted. Speaking of the beginning of her creative journey involving making toys, Julia said that cats first inspired her to start making animals. In her opinion, these animals possess some kind of bewitching magic. Julia’s toys - animals, fantastic creatures and other creatures - are made according to a pattern that she draws herself. For their clothes, she uses materials that are ordered from different countries. “Basically, I do miniature works,” she says. “It is a magical feeling when you hold a baby toy in your palm. But sometimes, I want to make a big elf or rabbit.” The faces, ears, arms, legs are individually shaped by hand from polymer clay. Julia doesn't use molds for her sculptures, therefore each character has a unique face and features which are hard to repeat. All work with fabrics is sewn by hand and she confides that she rarely uses a sewing machine. Julia’s art is inspired by cartoons, films and fairy tales. Elves and mandrakes were inspired by J.K. Rowling. As a child, she often watched and revisited the Harry Potter series. Julia says that she would love the world to have more magic and that these characters are the embodiment of her inner world. “I have no favorites,” she says about her artwork. “I love all my creations. I don't know how to explain this, but I kind of breathe my positive energy into them.” As many artists, Julia states that she is constantly learning and tries to master different materials and tools. “I am currently learning how to work with an airbrush,” she says. “For a long time I made toys of large sizes, about 25 centimeters, but for the last five years I have been in love with miniatures, toys up to 10 centimeters.” In order to advertise her artwork, Julia participates in professional international exhibitions: Salon of author's dolls, Art of dolls, and the largest in Russia - Artflection. The exhibitions she attends are mainly in Moscow, less often in St. Petersburg and Kazan. “In other countries, for various reasons, I was not able to participate,” she mentions. “But in the future I really want to go to professional exhibitions in Germany, the Czech Republic and Holland. I love to travel and I would be happy to see my foreign collectors.” Among future plans, Julia dreams of having the opportunity to exchange experiences with creative people from other countries. “I really love what I do,” she says.”I create all babies with great love and joy. I want my artwork to bring joy and goodness. This is my mission, it seems to me.”

To many of our readers, the name of Alice Stoppel is very familiar. The American artist is well known for her whimsical faces, her cane mapping technique, the Stroppel cane, her creations with pen and ink on polymer clay among other things. Alice has created several techniques that she teaches online and around her country. Let us tell you more! The workshop called Extrusions consists of thirteen videos that equal over an hour of instruction. This workshop shows how to make small, unique canes from extruded polymer clay. These canes can be used to make everything from buttons, beads and pendants to cane mapped pieces. The workshop is only about the technique used in making the canes, not the finished pieces. It’s all part of building a cane inventory so that when you are ready to begin a project you have many canes to choose from. Alice also teaches the Cane Mapping technique, which can be applied on jewelry, wall pieces, furniture and even silver. Alice uses lots of extruded canes in her cane mapping pieces. “If you love mosaics, color and polymer clay, if you love the look of complex canes but simply don’t want to create a giant complex cane, if you love one of a kind pieces and if you have tons of leftover canes, this is the cane mapping workshop for you!” She also enjoys sculpting and creating crazy characters. “Most recently I’ve been experimenting with polymer collage with my newest workshop called Paper to Polymer.” “I started using pages from magazines to create collage postcards to send to friends,” Alice describes about her newest class. “After I had made several, a friend suggested they would be excellent studies for larger paintings. But of course I am a polymer clay artist through and through and painting wasn’t going to work for me, but his words sparked my exploration into translating these postcards into polymer. If you don’t already have a stack of old magazines or can procure some from friends, I’ll suggest some of my favorites. But you can find pattern and color in many of the Christmas catalogs that are beginning to come in the mail so start collecting a few now. You might also already have stashes of papers you can use.” Speaking about the materials needed for the workshop, Alice describes: “We’ll be using liquid polymer clay, markers, as well as small cutters and silk screens. I’ll even show you how to make some small stamps. I’ll be focusing on larger wall pieces but there is no reason why these techniques can’t be used for smaller projects as well.” Alice Stroppel has been a teacher of crafts all her life and it’s something she enjoys immensely. For her the most satisfying thing about teaching is the excitement that comes from a student learning a new technique or gaining information that’s going to help them. “That AHA!” she clarifies. “It’s so gratifying to be able to share what I’ve learned over the years with people, I’m forever grateful.” Perhaps one day you might find yourself getting inspired by Alice’s during her class as well.

Mushrooms have been found in art traditions all around the world but there is a refreshing simplicity to the minimalist sculptures created by the Japanese artist Yoshiko Motoyama. The artist recalls that she has loved making things by hand since she was a child. While experiencing various handmade things, she came across polymer clay. As many artists, she was soon completely fascinated by this versatile material and she began making jewelry and accessories. When Yoshiko was a student she majored in plant ecology and that’s how she fell in love with mushrooms. “I was impressed by how beautiful the original mushrooms are,” the artist says about her affinity for fungi while describing where her inspiration came from. “I am careful to express the features as correctly as possible.” Yoshiko accentuates the fact that she does not depict imaginary mushrooms, but mushroom figures that look just like the real thing. With mushrooms and plants as the main theme, Yoshiko creates fun works that make you feel like you've wandered into a picture book land. Currently living in an environment surrounded by nature, the artist enjoys rural life in Noboribetsu city - Hokkaido. ”When the season comes, I can find various kinds of mushrooms on the walking path,” Yoshiko discloses about the area she lives in. “The leaves of the trees change color and become pure white with snow in winter. I would like to express the beautiful things I see in nature with polymer clay.” She loves not only mushrooms, but also trees, flowers, weeds, and birds. “I create works while admiring the functional beauty of nature.” Yoshiko creates many works with mushrooms as a motif. These unique items make an adorable centerpiece when put in a pot of succulents, or as a statement feature beneath a tree or within a flower bed. It looks like a real mushroom has grown there. Instead of painting on the surface, colored clay is used to express the pattern. Whether you love them or not, the fascination which mushrooms have exerted over humans since the dawn of civilization is undeniable. The long affinity of humans regarding mushrooms has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. Regarded as simple vegetation for a long time, fungi have been found to be in fact more closely related to animals than plants and have recently been categorized into their own kingdom. Fungi will forever be a subject of scientific investigation, artistic inspiration and metaphor for people from all over the world, including Yoshiko.

Helen Violet is a Canadian artist working in hyper realistic sculpture and illustration. From a young age she has been practicing and mastering her skill in realism, with a primary focus in graphite. Although she was always fascinated by sculpture, she thought it was beyond her capabilities. It was in 2015 when she stumbled upon polymer clay and decided to give it a try. She created a sculpture of her husband’s chocolate labrador for his birthday. He was so overjoyed by it that he encouraged Helen to share it online. This was the start. It wasn’t long before her sculptures were widely recognized online and she started creating sculptures for pet owners worldwide. Having practiced drawing her whole life, Helen was able to transfer her observational skills to sculptures. It was a fun challenge to create 3D shapes, something she could hold. It took just a little time to fall in love with sculpting, an activity that has brought together her two passions: art and animals. It took Helen years to refine her skills using polymer clay as a new material for her artwork and she states that she’s still honing those skills. “With each piece I am always experimenting,” she describes, “learning and working to improve my technique.” Helen’s sculptures are hyper-realistic, life-like representations of our beloved pets. Each piece is created with significant focus, patience and passion. Her goal is not simply to achieve realism, but to capture spirit and emotion in her work, resulting in a unique and meaningful piece to commemorate our loved ones. “I am honored to get to know each pet as I recreate them in pencil or clay,” she mentions. “Whether a pet has passed or is still with their human today, my wish is that my artwork will bring joy, comfort and happy memories.”

Known for her whimsical works created under the brand Maylee, Melanie A. is a multidisciplinary artist based in Angoulême, France. Drawing has been her passion since early childhood, she has always enjoyed creating using lots of mediums and has a huge appetite for discovery, constantly eager to try new techniques. After about ten years working as a self-taught 3D artist, she decided to change direction to become an illustrator. No matter what medium she creates with, Melanie’s work is characterized by a fun and dreamy universe, filled with bright colors! However, despite her love for graphic arts, she felt the desire to make tangible objects. This is how her journey involving polymer clay started. Melanie decided to design hand-painted polymer clay objects to sell in her online shop! Thanks to the hundreds of online resources available on arts and crafts, she found all the information needed in order to get started. The French artist has always loved working on series, so she started with three very simple cat models, which she could customize at will by changing their colors and expressions. These cats were designed and drawn by hand by herself and afterwards, thanks to her experience as a 3D artist, she designed her own cookie cutters which she 3D printed and started using to cut the polymer clay shapes. Melanie usually makes large series of objects, between 30 and 50, in order to save as much time as possible on production. Even if the shape of the objects is not very detailed, each piece requires a lot of work time. From cutting to sanding, painting every little detail, gluing the attachments to the UV resin varnish, it takes several hours of work for each one. “It's important for me to create fun and colorful objects that make you smile just by looking at them,” the artist says, “as a little piece of happiness that you can take everywhere with you! I can't wait to start a new series with other animals, as these cats have been a huge success!"

The smell of fallen leaves, hot tea, baked pumpkin and spooky ghost stories... Delia Gerendi says that this is her favorite time of the year! The Romanian artist loves fall, and especially the period around Halloween when she feels the urge to set free her inner child and switch her attention from the jewelry she loves to design to more whimsical creations. The story of this witch hut began in an autumn morning when the fog was slowly lifting from the hills surrounding the city, giving way to the warm sun rays. It started with a little glass salt shaker covered in black clay. A rooftop in the shape of a hat soon followed, after that an armature was formed with the help of a lump of aluminum foil. Now that the base was set, it was time for some details which were shaped using colored clay: stones were placed around the hut for a strong foundation, plants with golden leaves entangling the walls were carefully shaped, then placed to surround the door and the windows with sturdy frames. Some pumpkins were harvested and placed outside the walls for the witch’s dinner, a broom was strategically placed by the door and a friendly spider has his own house on the hut’s rooftop, to keep the witch company. After all the details were added, the last phase of the creation process followed: painting the black clay using mica powders. It is almost magical to watch the clay transforming under the touch of brushes imbued in mica pigments. Exclusively for all Society members, Delia will share this technique which she uses for many of her whimsical creations. Join us on December 10th for a class full of color which, we hope, will inspire you to experiment and enjoy the magic of the mica powders.

“I knew I would end up somewhere in the creative world!” declares Sarah Morrison, the American artist who creates under the brand Inspire Emma. Sarah lives in Florida and has a daughter named Emma - the girl behind the name of her clay shop. “I started my clay shop after being home for so long due to the unforeseen circumstances of covid-19,” the artist mentioned for the readers of our blog. “One of my biggest goals was to inspire my daughter, the same way she inspires me. I wanted her to see all the possibilities when you pour your passion and hard work into something you love.” This is such a touching and inspiring story! Many artists who work with polymer clay discovered this wonderful material while searching for creative activities to engage their children. While the parents pushed their boundaries further, refining their skills and becoming better with every project, some of the children strived to follow their footsteps. Emma is definitely one of those, and we love it! “Emma loves creating with clay and learning about what I do!” her mother mentioned. “She has been one of my greatest cheerleaders along the way.” Taking a look at Sarah's creations we can clearly see that one of her favorite techniques when working with polymer clay is making faux stones and a large variety of faux quartz. Regardless of the fact that her creations resemble amazonite, gold quartz, boulder opal or larimar stone, Sarah’s earrings are defined by clear lines and minimalistic design. “I have always been passionate about the arts,'' the artist mentions about the beginning of her artistic journey. “I grew up going to an art school and explored many forms of it. I first learned how to work with clay in my middle school jewelry making class. I didn't spark a love for it at the time so I kept pursuing other arts forms (mostly dancing) until I graduated. Now, I have been here learning all the possibilities that come with creating using polymer clay!” Sarah is looking towards the future with enthusiasm. “I'm forever grateful for my supporters,” she says. “I thank them for being the reason I get to do what brings me so much purpose and joy, being a mom and creating art!”

For some artists there is no need to use colorful techniques, slabs, and patterns. Design and its form plays the main role and its simplicity allows us to focus on other things such as the play of light, curves, or even the relationship between the jewelry and its owner. One such artist is definitely Shila Habibian from Iran. After getting experience from studies in the field of graphics and theater, Shila also received a master's degree in Tehran University of Art and Architecture. “I started my artistic activity in the field of painting, handicrafts and in a special way, working with Chinese clay since I was a child,” says Shila who first attended various workshops dedicated to flower making, sculpture and volumetric works. After gaining other experience with materials such as wood, plaster and sculpting paste, little by little she turned to making dolls using polymer clay, and it was during this period that making jewelry with the same material became her main focus and activity. “Those experiences and materials have created wide possibilities to turn my imagination into various works and products in the field of jewelry,” says Shila about her journey. In her jewelry art she is trying to achieve meaning and intuition through designs and colors. And it’s definitely working. Our favorite necklace in a vibrant red color is what first brought us to Shila’s art. This is a masterpiece. Without using any special techniques, Shila played with extruded clay and figured out an interesting necklace composition. The fact that everything is in one color helps us to sense this artwork as a whole. Enjoy the next polymer clay artwork created by Shila and follow her journey on Instagram. We can’t wait to see what next she is going to create.

“Do you and your family still live in Kyiv?” we asked Eugeniya Bagina when we interviewed her for our blog. “Yes!” she replied and she sent us a small movie. It showed a little dog playing among yellow, fallen leaves. It was a bright sunny day and the movie inspired a sense of peace and serenity. “The day before yesterday was very scary,” she continued. “We saw the smoke of the explosions from the window. We heard explosions…” After a statement like that the silence becomes almost palpable and the words elusive. “Is there anything you would like the world to know about how you're holding on?” we inquired. “Work saves me,” she replied. “This is my perfect world.” It only takes one look at Eugeniya’s toys to get the feeling that she is living in a special, magical world. Once upon a time the Ukrainian artist saw a felted toy on the internet and decided to try to make something similar. With no artistic background, she started with free video lessons and learned the basics. Hard work combined with Eugeniya’s talent soon paid off and this is how a new world was born, a world of incredibly sophisticated toys, full of wonderful details. The main material the toys are made of is wool, but their maker loves adding polymer clay details. If you look closely you can easily notice noses, paws, hooves and other parts of the toys skillfully shaped out of polymer clay. Some toys also have their own toys to keep them company. Eugeniya has a series of dolls which have polymer clay faces. When asked where she finds inspiration she replied that her imagination is often stirred by children's books illustrations, doll exhibitions and the works of other artists. Many people would believe that a mandatory condition for being a toy maker is to have a studio full of equipment. Well, apparently not! “My workplace is at the kitchen table,” Eugeniya told us. “I love cooking so much. I bake a cake and I make a toy, for example, at the same time. And everyone is happy!” Speaking about the tools she could not create without, the artist mentions wool, needles, glue and polymer clay. We were curious what the process from the first idea to final artwork looks like and Eugeniya divulged that it depends on the project. The process of creating a new toy starts with an idea sketched in her mind and the first thing she creates is the toy’s face. She mentions that the part of the creating process that she enjoys most is when the toy starts to look alive. Toys are the tools children use to learn and develop skills and they have a powerful influence on children’s thinking. Dolls, figurines and decorative toys foster imagination, language and social skills. Toys have the magical power to improve children’s abilities and skills, preparing them for life. Although she lives in a country that is currently ravaged by war and uncertainty, through her creations Eugeniya manages to put wide smiles on the faces of many people throughout the world. Being a toy maker is sometimes the greatest form of therapy.

Even on ordinary days, wearing jewelry can make us feel unique. "I've always loved jewellery, and the thought of making my own appealed to me very much," says Belinda Broughton, an Australian artist who has been in the world of polymer for many years. Belinda lives in a small town in North Queensland and at the beginning of her journey she was struggling with the distance between her and the polymer clay community until a few years ago she met a group in a nearby city. One day she came across creator Debbie Crothers and was inspired by her work. She was blown away by all the things that can be added to polymer clay and her unique work and techniques inspired her. In 2017 she decided to visit Debbie's workshop even though it was a thousand kilometers away. After her first workshop, she gained a lot of new inspiration and materials to draw from including using a heat gun to crackle. "Creating veneers with surface treatments became my new obsession. I have since spent the past five years exploring different textures and experimenting with different mediums and finding which combinations work well for me," says Belinda. Since then, she tried to work on her creations and learned from her mistakes, even if something didn't work out, it was always a motivation for her because she could move one step closer to the desired creation. Before the pandemic, she was attending markets to sell her jewellery but she put that on hold for the time being. In the meantime, it has given her time to experiment with other things such as making little crackled veneer vessels, pods, and little wall pictures. It also gave her time to think about what she might want to create in future. Recently Belinda has been making asymmetrical earrings which have been a wonderful challenge for her. Even though most creators decide to sketch their creations first, Belinda wants to do things differently. "I don’t sketch my designs as I prefer to idly fiddle and find inspiration that way, spontaneously adding as I go," says Belinda who doesn't favor any particular color palette but rather works in whatever mood she is in that day. "I still have a long journey ahead, with so much more to learn, but I’m more excited now than I have ever been!"