Visit our sister websitesAccepted Payment Methods
|
Artist Bio - PetraPolymer Clay Artist and Teacher 
From a young age I wanted to be an artist. I discovered art and the joys of creativity while in high school and again in my first career choice as a jeweller.
After working within the jewellery industry for 12 years I began a new journey in the field of antiques and collectibles. During this time I developed a love for modern and contemporary designs and am continuously influenced in my artwork today by the romance of the art deco period and those since. In 1992 I rediscovered a medium I had used as a child and in doing so opened a new door that would lead me on the path I take today. Polymer clay is a truly modern medium and its versatility appeals to me. Many artists use it, across wide and varied genres. I have chosen it for my work as a bead maker and jewellery designer.In the years since I first began working with polymer clay I have been fortunate enough to be able to travel the globe and meet many artists who are considered leaders in this medium and have also had the opportunities to learn from them. As my passion for this medium grew, so did my own knowledge and I now spend many hours passing this on to students in my polymer clay workshops around New Zealand and in other countries. When I first began using polymer clay I felt quite alone in New Zealand not realising that so many other artists and crafters were also using the medium to create their own pieces of art. I found that there was a need for supplies and information and that resulted in my opening a polymer clay supply business. This allows both my right-sided creative brain and left sided logical brain to work in harmony. I'm generally more of a left sided person and the ability to combine both has been an added bonus and it has allowed my creative spirit to roam free. My work has been published in polymer clay books and magazines, exhibited in galleries around New Zealand and is for sale in stores in the US and Australia as well as on the Internet. I have spoken to many interested groups around the world and have taught classes throughout New Zealand, Australia and the U.S.A. In December of 2002, a fire almost destroyed my husband's business I found it difficult to create while dealing with the rebuilding of the business although I did continue teaching. Within the year I suffered the tragic loss of my mother and found that my creativeness had curled into a ball and taken a rest. Creativity returned I began to create again and took great joy in developing a new series of work entitled "In my Mothers garden".  Artist Timeline: 2009 - to present day
Polymer Clay is a modelling compound that can be moulded and manipulated in many ways. It is simple to use and requires very little outlay for the beginner. Because of this it is used "across the board' in many arts and crafts fields. Some examples include:
Being a relatively new medium, many artists working with polymer clay have explored methods and techniques from other arts and crafts to stretch the boundaries of what can be achieved by using polymer clay. It has been carved, inlayed, layered, painted over, spliced and much more. With the constant developments within the industry, new types of polymer clays are always being developed and we now not only have the standard type but it also comes in a flexible form and liquid form allowing new directions for the creative mind. Popular techniques include:
My objective has been to introduce polymer clay and its uses to as many artists and crafters around New Zealand as I can. As a teacher in this medium, I offer many classes. Most of these classes are technique orientated, as polymer clay is a medium of many methods. Once a method is learnt it can be applied to the students chosen field easily and I always have completed pieces with me for the students to view and be inspired by.
Classes include:
|
Search ZigZag
Treasure Necklace by Petra 
Snugglebunny by Jo 
Koru's by Petra 
Trio by Ayelet |
Copyright © 2011 Zigzag.co.nz, All rights reserved.