Featured Artist: February 2022

 The February 2022 edition of pcPolyzine features polymer clay artist, Suri Martin!

Suri Martin is a Montana artist of many mediums. Not only does she create using polymer clay, she also paints, crochets, makes candles, does beadwork, and works with resin. But she says polymer clay is the most enjoyable one for her!

We wanted to learn more about Suri and here's what she shared with us:

pcPolyzine: How did you get into polymer clay?

Suri: I spent the last six years working in a children's hospital and it started to affect my mental health. My husband encouraged me to find a hobby that would make me happy. That's when I got started with clay! Partly because squishing clay between your hands and getting messy is therapeutic for me, but also to make ends meet.

pcPolyzine: How long have you been working with polymer clay?

Suri: About a year ago, I saw a local lady selling her entire clay making lot for $100 on Facebook and I snatched it up! I joined a few Facebook groups and watched many YouTube videos to learn about making polymer clay jewelry. I spent months practicing before opening my Etsy shop in July 2021.

pcPolyzine: How do you come up with an idea for a project—do you plan it or just start working?

Suri: I never have a plan when I start working. Most of my pieces are created from translucent clay and alcohol inks. I look at all my alcohol inks and put together a color palette that speaks to me at the time. Sometimes I'll create a color theme based on a season or holiday that is coming up (e.g., pink for Valentine's Day).

pcPolyzine: What inspires you to create pieces in polymer clay?

Suri:  I grew up in the pacific northwest. Between the lush greenery of the PNW and the scenic mountains of Montana, I draw inspiration form nature. I'm always drawn to the colors of nature, so I make a lot of pieces with green, oranges, and blues! I've also based my brand around this color palette. My signature is the faux stone technique. I'm always trying to create new stones/crystals and more realistic ones.

 

pcPolyzine: What's your favorite piece or project you've made in polymer clay?

Suri: My favorite pieces I've made is between a mushroom butterfly suncatcher and a recent copper stone cane. The suncatcher pushed my creativity and I learned a lot by sculpting small leaves and berries. The copper cane had all my brand colors in one and had so much dimension!

pcPolyzine: What are your favorite (or most important) tools you use when working with clay?

Suri:  Honestly, most of my favorite clay tools are actually fondant baking tools or Dollar Tree finds! I couldn't live without my pasta maker (Atlas 150), tissue blades, or silicone tipped paint brushes. 

pcPolyzine: Do you have any advice for new artists to polymer clay?

Suri: Make sure you are making things you love to create. It's very easy to compare yourself to others and trying to keep up with trends. I've come to realize that instead of creating things I think people want to see, I create what I love and the people who love those things will come to me. Don't undersell yourself either. I ran too many sales at first, so people wouldn't buy from me anymore assuming I would have another sale soon and they would just wait. Oddly enough, I stopped doing sales and now get more consistent sales.

Also, social media can be overwhelming. Consistency is key though. I really only use Instagram. I've grown my following from 1,000 to 14,000 in the last 90 days all because of reels. They don't need to be difficult or even show your face. Post 2-3 reels a week, compile a list of hashtags based on related viral reels, and be consistent. I use the Inshot app to create my reels since I'm not technologically inclined. 

pcPolyzine: Suri, your work is beautiful and we love how you pair specific colors together. We are excited to share your work with the pcPolyzine community. Thank you for taking time to share with us!

To connect with Suri and see more of her work, check her out on Instagram and through her Etsy store.