Please start by telling us a little about yourself and your studio.

I recently retired as a financial advisor, and I’m loving the process of pursuing art in the form of polymer clay. I am also new to ArtFire. I have been working with polymer clay for a year now, and whenever I begin a project, I love the process of ideas flowing and developing! New projects are 1) Business card holders 2) Heart ring boxes 3) Polymer-covered journals.

If there is one thing that defines you, what is it?

One trait that defines me is my tenacity.

What role does your family play in your art?

My family are my fans, I love to share new creations with them.

Where do you live and what is it like?

I live in Milpitas, California, which borders San Jose and is 45 minutes from San Francisco. The weather here is much different than Southern California; we have “heat waves” of three to four days several times during the summer, but the normal temperature in the summer is 80 to 90 degrees. During the winter it can be very chilly, but is usually 45 to 60 degrees, often frosting over at night.

Where did you learn your medium?

I learned about polymer initially from a book I purchased, then rented videos from the library. When I look at my first projects, I realize how “beginner” they were. I am constantly working to improve and learn.

What are your goals with your ArtFire studio?

My goals with ArtFire are to benefit from the site in order to sell and share my creations with others. I received an email about ArtFire and then joined. I am very impressed with the tools offered on the site, and that my art is receiving attention from others already!

What is the best piece of advice you can give other artists?

To other artists: the possibilities of our art is endless, and patience is required. I learned during my 26 years in my previous business that only a small percentage of people will succeed because most give up before success arrives. Even though there are millions of artists out there, most will not be willing to keep on until they succeed.

Why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society?

I believe that creating art always benefits society. Creating handmade products is a wonderful way of sharing ourselves with others, and benefiting ourselves in the process.

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