PCAGOE Artist of the Week - ClayAngel

This week I am featuring my very talented friend and fellow PCAGOE guild member: Pam, a/k/a Clayangel. Pam is a fellow South Carolinian as well, a down-home girl and a wonderfully caring and generous lady to boot!

So Pam, tell me a little about yourself.

I am complicated. I don't think y'all have enough room to describe me.

Who or what inspired you?

If you are asking about arts and crafts in general, when I was about 8 my aunt bought our family the World Book Encyclopedia set with the Child-craft series. Those books covered everything from nursery rhymes to science experiments. I was totally enthralled and read every one cover to cover. There were tons of things to make in those books and I did make most of the things. Now I am inspired by so many things, feelings and thoughts. I try to look at everything with an eye toward creating.

Other than PC,what kinds of materials do you use in your creations?

I use the usual foils, leafs, and powders. I think about using things like, broken jewelry, keys, found objects etc. I have 1 unmatched diamond earring I want to incorporate in a creation but my muse just hasn't told me what yet.

Do you have a certain design style?

Not really, all of my jewelry items seem to be very bold and outfit specific tho.

What is your favorite technique?

I don't really have a favorite but I am very technique oriented. It is ALL about learning and executing a new technique for me. I have only been creating with clay now 3 years and I still have so much to learn. I am fairly successful at caning. (Lynda: I can attest to that. Pam makes gorgeous canes! You should see the ones she sent to me! It was like Christmas in July!)

Other than Etsy, where could someone find your creations?

I travel to the Saint James Art Show in Louisville, KY the first weekend in October annually.

How long have you been involved in your craft, and how did you get started?

I was a miniaturist for many years. I built a dollhouse and wanted to furnish it in a modern style. Since there aren't many dollhouse furnishings in a modern style that isn't very pricey, I decided to make most things. An on-line mini friend got me a couple of pkges of Fimo in the perfect colors, and suggested I make the modern looking telephones I wanted. So the first things I made was a pink and a green trimline type phones. I shaped and fiddled then figured out on my own I could wrap a snake of clay around a toothpick to get the coiled cord. Fascinated, I looked up some tutes for clay. Finding how to make a cane I though cool a walking cane! I need some men's accessories! Imagine my surprise when I discovered that it wasn't a walking cane at all. Then I was like NO Way! I couldn't believe that someone could make a 3-D design in the clay, stretch it out, and the picture still be intact inside the cane!?!

What is the most rewarding, interesting or even weirdest thing you've been asked to create?



Most rewarding are the Bottles of Hope I created for cancer survivors. I am most proud of the latest batch I did. They were figurines "offering the bottle". Weirdest was some miniature adult toys.

What are your hobbies, or how do you like to spend your free time, assuming you have any?

Polymer clay is my hobby. My hubby would probably be happier if I sold more but selling isn't my forte, so to speak. My other hobbies would be decorating my home, keeping tropical fish, holding the couch down and watching reality shows. Lastly, I am a total Internet junkie!!! After Polymer Clay true crime interests me and I am a lurker over at websleuths.com That board moves so fast I am doing my best most times to just read along but it's the first place I go after email, Flickr, and polymer clay sites.

Now for the fun stuff!

Favorite Color? Earth tones

Favorite Food? It changes, I get on kicks, It might be fruit this week and crab legs the next. I am not a big meat eater. I am not a vegetarian or anything I'm just not into most meats. Pasta is a big thing for me.

Favorite Song or Musical Artist? This also changes, Right now I listen to a lot of Country but I like a very wide variety of music. Sirius satellite radio is awesome!

Favorite Book or Author? When I can find the time to read its Koontz, King, Clancy, The last book I read was Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I thought it was better than The Davinci Code. I love to read history books, Colonial America, Revolutionary war, Civil war, Royalty, Biography's, True Crime. I can also get lost for hours in Magazines from the 50's and 60's. Cookbooks. Oh and what I call wish books, catalogs. I cant pass up a catalog!

Favorite Movie, Actor or Actress? I like animated movies. I rarely watch any other kind of movie.

Thanks so much, Pam!

*Photo transfer of Palmetto Tree in Photo 2 was taken by Susan Roberts of susanrobertsphotos.com and was used in this design by permission