Sonya of whimsicality4U on Etsy

I had the opportunity to learn about a wonderful lady by the name of Sonya. She has a shop on Etsy.com called whimsicality4U and is definately worth the visit!

I started working with clay about 5 years ago. It's fun and equally mortifying to look back at some of the first things I made. ;)

Honestly, I started working with clay because some of my friends were wearing the "mass produced and mass marketed" clay bead jewelry, and they were paying a fortune for it. I was teaching art full time at that point in my life, and I thought, "I can do that." Turns out there was a lot more to it than I originally thought - but it's been a rewarding ride.

I love the capacity polymer clay has to mix intriguing color. I consider myself a colorist - I love color and have always been intrigued by the way colors play off of one another. Color has powerful psychological attributes that can engage us and draw us into specific moods. Polymer's color characteristics lend themselves to creating intricacies that are difficult to achieve in many other media. It allows me to work in a 3-dimensional format while preserving the integrity of a truly rich, vivid color palette.

(GLIMPSES OF LIGHT One of a Kind Artisan POLYMER CLAY Pin Brooch)

It's difficult to name a specific piece that is my personal favorite. But I certainly have favorite color collections that I have put together in a variety of jewelry formats (earrings, bracelets, pendants, etc). My top three favorite color collections would be Star Struck, Easy Spirit, and Serendipity.

(STAR STRUCK Handcrafted Polymer Clay Mosaic Earring Pendant Set - One of a Kind)

I find inspiration in the upcoming fashion color trends - I research fashion catalogues, color forecast websites, and fashion magazines like ELLE. But I'm also greatly inspired by the "Altered Art" and "Upcycled Art" movements that are storming our culture. CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS is a wonderfully inspiring periodical for anyone feeling a little stumped :)

(STEAMPUNK Time Moves On - Even When Your Heart Aches... One of a Kind Polymer Clay Pendant with Heart and Watch Gear)

My biggest piece of advice for people who are considering working with polymer clay would be to practice, practice, practice. Learning to manipulate the clay is a refining process. Like most things that are worth pursuing - you will get better with time and persistence. And a PASTA MACHINE is a MUST!

Thank you Sonya, for taking the time to talk to me about your fabulous artwork!

If you want to check out her shop, just click on her name, or any of the pictures of her gorgeous jewelry!