Sofie Skein is a the creative mind and artistic hand behind the heart-warming polymer clay figurines known as Poupettes. Outside of her artistic career she lives a very quiet life with her partner, who is also an artist, and her cat. She has recently left the city of Portland to live on the northern coast of Oregon.

Her world is full of books, art supplies, musical instruments and great home cooking. Both her and her partner are content to spend most of their time focused on their work or watching the storms roll in.

Toonari Post (TP): How and when did you first start practicing your art (are you traditionally trained or self-taught)?

Sofie Skein (SS): My mother used to draw pictures and sculpt miniatures with my sister and I when we were very young. I think it set in motion an intimate relationship with my hands and sense of confidence about what I could create with them. I am always making something and cannot resist exploring every medium that I can get my hands on.

I would have loved to study art but my formal education was in landscape architecture, which seemed to be a sensible compromise between a creative and practical education at the time. I am mostly self-taught in the arts, although I have taken a variety of classes over the years in whatever has interested me. My current focus on miniature polymer sculpture is entirely self-taught.

TP: What made you decide to work with polymer clay instead of another medium?

SS: These particular figurines would be impossible to make without the polymer modeling compounds. I’ve worked with nearly every modeling medium available and nothing compares with the level of plasticity and detail possible with polymer.

These qualities support the expressive silhouettes of my figurines and allow for the details that make them what they are. I build each one along a spiral axis which makes them difficult to re-create and virtually impossible to create molds for reproduction.

I also enjoy the synthetic beauty of the material itself. Some polymer compounds are blended with pigment and mica, which creates a subtle marbling and sparkle with a satin finish. Others are blended with pigment and kaolin clay, which creates a pristine matte texture.

There is a remarkable variety of polymer compounds available commercially and I use them like a painter uses a palette; custom blending various compounds to create new colors and textures. Although polymer can be painted, I prefer the challenge of creating color variations through meticulous layering and blending of the material itself.

TP: When you first started making your Poupettes did you ever think they would make it to homes around the world?

SS: I actually had no intention of making a living from the Poupettes and started the shop on a dare. I was one of the millions laid off in 2009. Before that I had been working full-time and spent every free moment pursuing freelance illustration gigs as well as my own private art practice.

After I was laid off I knew it was time to start an online shop for my artwork but the learning curve seemed overwhelming and I kept avoiding it. In the meantime, I’d begun making these little animal people, which I called Poupettes, just for fun. They made me smile and were good company at a time when I was feeling pretty isolated.

Finally, after many months of watching me procrastinate, my boyfriend dared me to set up a shop for the Poupettes on Etsy. It seemed like it could be a good way to practice for when I opened my ‘real’ shop and somehow it was less scary because it was just ‘practice’. I was totally shocked when I sold five figurines within the first week.

That is how it all began and it’s continued to evolve from there. I had no idea who, if anyone, would appreciate these figurines. It turns out that there are quite a few who do, and over a third of my sales are to addresses outside the U.S.

TP: Do you have any art projects outside of your adorable Poupettes?

SS: Honestly, in the past year, I haven’t had time for any other art projects besides the Poupettes. I did have one show of encaustic paintings last year and I would like to get back to painting in the future but for now I’m really enjoying my work.

TP: Can you tell me the story behind the Poupettes name?

SS: I never planned to make the first one. I was just playing around and all of a sudden it seemed to be forming itself in my hands. When it was complete I looked at it and asked, “What are you?” and the word that came to me was ‘Poupette’. I said, “Poo-PET?” and it sounded right, but I had no idea what it meant.

Was it sort of like a puppet or a poppet? Maybe, but it definitely sounded French. Finally, I did some research and found out that ‘poupette’ is a diminutive form of ‘poupée’, which translates to ‘doll’. A ‘poupette’ is a ‘little doll’, which is how I see all of my figurines. When I needed to choose a name for my shop, my boyfriend suggested ‘Bonjour Poupette’ and it was so much fun to say that I couldn’t resist it!

TP: What of your designs is your favorite and why? Which one are you most proud of and why?

SS: One of my favorite figurines is the siamese twins because of the play on words as well as the sense of drama between the two cats. When I was growing up we had a Janus cat (a cat born with two faces) for a short time. He was a magical creature to behold and made quite an impression on me.

The figurine that I’m most proud of is a custom cat portrait of an Egyptian Mau named Alice. When I saw photos of the cat, it seemed to be an impossible task to recreate the complexity of her stripes with polymer.

After many discouraging attempts, I used a Millefiori glass work technique to create a patchwork ‘skin’ for the figurine. It was painstaking work but I learned so much in the process and was thrilled with the final effect.

The article Artist Spotlight: Sofie Skein, Interview Part 1 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Heather Kent is a watercolor artist and jewelry maker from Long Beach, California who has been creating her original pieces full time for the past two years. Anything from necklaces to hairpins to cufflinks can be found in her Etsy shop. With a mind that never seems to run out of inspiration, it is always refreshing to see the new pieces that appear in her shop.

Toonari Post (TP): How and when did you first start practicing your art (are you traditionally trained or self-taught)?

Heather Kent (HK): I have been painting and creating since I was a child. Creativity runs in the family, and for many of my childhood years my mom taught art classes to the neighborhood kids in a spare room of our house. That’s where I first learned to work with watercolor paint. In high school I took as many art classes as I could fit into my schedule, and continued to study studio art at Cal State Long Beach. I’ve learned the most just through practicing and experimenting, so in a way I feel like it was a little of both traditional and self-teaching.

TP: You have a wide variety of jewelry and paintings available in your shop and you also take custom orders. What is the most common subject you have been asked to paint?

HK: My most commonly requested necklaces are custom pet portraits. Luckily I am a huge animal lover, so it works out well that they are my favorite pieces to paint as well. All of my book designs are quite popular as well.

TP: What mediums do you use for your designs? Which is your favorite and why?

HK: Everything in my Etsy shop is made from original watercolor paintings. Watercolor is currently my favorite medium. It cooperates for me (usually), it’s clean, fun to use, and it’s beautiful. When painting on a larger scale, I also enjoy acrylic paint, but currently watercolor is my medium of choice.

TP: What of your designs is your favorite and why? Which one are you most proud of why?

HK: This has always been a very tricky question to answer, because I honestly like them all. Some of my favorites include:
Plethora of Feathers Necklace
Fall Tree Landscape Necklace
Rustic Farmhouse Pendant
Ye Old Owl Eyes Necklace
Flower Garden Necklace
Classic Beauty No. 1

TP: When you first started did you ever hit any bumps in your art process. What were they and how did you overcome them?

HK: While I was first starting my business I didn’t feel like I hit any big bumps, but as I look back, there are several things I wish I had known that would have made things easier for me. It would have been nice to know which products I should have used from the beginning, how Etsy works, how to best photograph my pieces, and all the other information Etsy sellers need to know.

TP: You say on your Etsy page that your faith is key to your inspiration. What is it about your that keeps the inspiration flowing? Are there any artists in particular that also inspire you?

HK: As you can see just by glancing through my shop, I love the beauty in nature. As a Christian, I believe God created everything for His glory, and it is a reflection of His beauty. I also enjoy painting topics that bring joy to people, such as coffee, books, or gardening tools.

TP: Have you ever had to deal with a situation where someone else took credit for your work? If so, what did you do to resolve it? How did this art theft make you feel?

HK: Having a unique item is extremely important, and something I have worked very hard to do. It’s very frustrating to see my work and ideas copied, but unfortunately there are a lot of art thieves out there who can only create things by stealing from others. It’s a problem I have encountered, and I know many other Etsy sellers encounter every day as well.

Most of the thieves will stay unsuccessful, because you have to be original and creative to succeed. It’s important to know when to ignore the thieves, and when to take legal action. With or without the threat of thieves, I do my best to create an incomparable product, and I think that’s what is important for us Etsy sellers to stay focused on.

TP: What is your favorite subject to design and why?

HK: I love painting pet portraits. I love my dogs and I know how special pets can be to a person. When I am creating original designs apart from custom orders, I love painting anything that brings joy to people, and items/scenes from nature that I find appealing.

TP: If there was any art medium that you wish you could master, what would it be and why?

HK: I would love to work more with clay and sculpture! I love how handmade pottery is not only beautiful but useful as well. I am always drawn to pottery.

TP: Outside of art what is your life like? Tell me anything about yourself that you would like.

HK: I have a happy, simple life. I have a wonderful husband who washes the dishes, and two silly dogs who would be happy to help him. We live in the beautiful and unique Long Beach, California. I have an interesting family and amazing friends. I enjoy taking walks, long talks with friends, drinking coffee, trying new restaurants, going in open houses, teaching tricks to my dogs, playing volleyball, catching up on TV shows, collecting boxes and drawers, trying to finish books, bluegrass music, spending time outside, and any dog-friendly activity.

TP: What are your goals in life?

HK: I have my dream job. I would love to continue creating and selling my original watercolor necklaces and other items forever, continually adding to my line and improving my work. Someday I would like to add a few kids to the mix, but would love to still do exactly what I am doing.

TP: Do you feel that your culture/background has influenced you in some way that makes you different than other artists?

HK: I know that my background has helped me become a better artist and entrepreneur. It’s one thing to be a talented artist, but if someone wants to make it their profession, it’s crucial to have some business and interpersonal skills as well. Living in a diverse city like Long Beach, support from my friends and family, and having been raised to be respectful, creative, and honest are all factors that have helped reinforce my entrepreneurial side. I was blessed with the opportunity to go into it full time two years ago, and I am excited to see where it takes me.

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