Meet Polymer Clay Artist

Miranda Farrand

It’s my pleasure and joy today to introduce you to a polymer clay artist who is no stranger to the polymer clay community, Miranda Farrand. Miranda’s quirky and unusual critters have been a constant way to make me smile over the years. Miranda is an accomplished sculpturist and artist and is also a member of the Sculpey Design Squad with me! It’s my honor to have her here today.

Tell Us About Yourself

I was told by a psychic once that I was weird. I think she was right, I do live in my own little world that I surface from from time-to-time to interact with those around me. Otherwise, I’m happily married to my high school sweetheart & soulmate. We have 3 children…4 if you count our fur baby, and I do. I’ve always had a creative streak and a deep love for nature & the great outdoors as well as an avid reader. I’m most at peace when I can either spend time creating something in my studio, spending time with my family or sinking my toes into the sand or grass outside 🙂

What’s the History of Your Art and How Did it Grow to What It Is Today?

I’ve always been artistically curious. I took every art class I could in high school (more years ago than I would like to think about). I didn’t get the chance to take any in college though. I’ve dabbled in everything from photography to painting to quilting to of course sculpting with polymer clay. I believe it was in 2005 that I first picked up a bar of Sculpey to try. I checked out every book I could at the library about sculpting. My love with the clay bloomed when I discovered Christi Friesen. I quickly purchased every little book that she published. Her quirkiness really connected with my muse and helped me branch off into my own weirdness.

What Makes Your Art Unique?

I love animals, weirdness, cuteness and laughter. Put all of those together & you get my critters. If they don’t make you smile then they have failed in their one calling in life.

Where Do You Create Your Art?

My hubby transformed our former nursery into my art studio/craft room/office that I have been told that I have to share with my mini-me daughter (she says that I have to share the workspace with her since she wants to be an artist too). For several years, the dining room table was covered in all of my crafting supplies and works in progress. My husband decided he would like to eat there instead so that prompted the nursery conversion 🙂

What’s Your Favorite Thing to Do with Clay?

I love sculpting animals as well as my style of polymer clay “paintings”. I’ve tried to become interested in making beads and jewelry but have found that it just doesn’t work with me. I like seeing what I can come up with critter-wise.

Explain Your Process.

Random ideas usually pop into my head at the perfect times…like when I am laying in bed at night trying to go to sleep, sitting in a meeting at my day job, driving down the freeway, etc. You know, all the times that you can’t do anything with the creativity cooped up inside! Sometimes, I’ll see a fun photo, coloring book page, a drawing by one of my kids or my own doodle that will inspire a critter. Oftentimes, I have no idea what I am going to make until I sit down & stare at my clay for a little while. I’m pretty flexible…if I have one idea in mind & my hands start making something else, I usually just go with it.

What is Your Favorite Piece You’ve Created?

Some of my favorites include my Sandwitch (a busty witch in a bikini sitting in the sand), Frankie (my Frankenstein walking out of a wooden coffin), Don’t eat the Yellow Snow (yep, you guessed it, a wiener dog peeing on an outraged snowman), Clarabelle the Cow, Pumpkin King, Frankenwienie, My buzzard sculptures, and my polymer paintings to name a few. It’s hard to remember all of the critters that I’ve made and adopted out to other homes over the years.

“Making of an Easter Dream” polymer painting was inspired over a year ago by a flu-induced feverish fog. I made the bunny and then forgot about him, though he lurked like a festering sore in the back of my brain (and craft cabinet) until early this year I finally came up with what I wanted to do with him. The painting that he became attached too featured a medley of polymer clay flowers & butterflies as well as a few Easter eggs. He didn’t end up how I pictured in my head but all in all, I’m quite happy with it.

Who Is Your Polymer Clay Idol?

I love the work of Christi Friesen, Dawn (Dee) Schiller, Maureen Peck Carlson, Carol Simmons, Doreen Gay-Kassel and Melissa Terlizzi (would love to sit down with her & clay together as her critters are quite quirky like mine…maybe a quirky-realism?)

Do You Take Orders, Have a Store Online, or Teach Anywhere?

Occasionally I’ll do custom orders but have slowed down on that over the last year. I was getting overwhelmed with requests and it was crushing my creative spirit. Otherwise, I share all of my work on Facebook and list those critters that I can in my etsy store. I am on the design squad for this year with Sculpey/Polyform Products. I have had work published in Crafts N Things magazine, www.michaels.com and on the Sculpey site in the past.

Special Coupon Offer from Miranda

If you order from my etsy store by May 31, 2016, you can use code 10PERCENT for 10% off your purchase for domestic USA shipments.

 

Find Miranda Here:

Etsy * FaceBook

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Thanks for joining me today,

Until next time, Happy Claying my friends!