My Beginnings with Polymer Clay and Staying Inspired

Hello my fellow creatives! I was just thinking the other day about how crazy of a journey I have been on so far with polymer clay and I wanted to take some time to write out this post kind of explaining how I got here. It had been a rollercoaster that's for sure, and I am in no way someone who has figured it all out yet, but who knows, maybe this will inspire you to get started on your creative endeavors and take a little leap of faith! I sure am glad that I did.

The Beginning

Picture this: Its March of 2020, it's my birthday week, and I have just found out there will be a two-week shutdown because of a virus called Covid. We were all so uncertain at that time what all this could mean, but I was excited to have a couple weeks off of work from the salon as doing hair can be exhausting sometimes. Well, as we all know, those couple of weeks turned into a couple of months, especially for us in the hair industry. My excitement for a couple weeks off turned into boredom and then anxiety and dread as the months went on. I needed a new creative outlet to keep me inspired and less anxious, and so I did what a lot of others did at the time and downloaded TikTok. My mind was blown at the world of content that just opened up for me. As the algorithm got to know me better, I stumbled upon someone making polymer clay figurines. How fun! I ordered some clay and began sculpting tiny succulents...and they were horrible, but I had a blast doing it. So, I dove deeper into TikTok and Instagram and got inspired, and a little overwhelmed, at the vast number of things you can do with polymer clay. I decided to jump right in though. I bought a few of the basic tools and supplies needed for sculpting, and that's where the story begins.

Nurturing Creativity and Self Doubt

Fast forward to now, September 2024. I have completely jumped in (I will explain in a later post how I came to the decision to start an official business doing this) and am excited every day that I get to create using this medium. I'm not going to lie though, some days ideas flow effortlessly, and my workspace is booming with creative energy. Other days, the well runs dry, and self-doubt creeps in. During moments like these, I've learned to embrace the ebb and flow of creativity and find solace in the simple act of creating without expectations. It's easy to beat ourselves up and immediately go to negative self-talk saying things like, "I'm not good enough" and "I suck at this," but remember that everything has a lesson to be learned. Pick yourself back up and know you are enough! If you are struggling with inspiration or having a creative block, read on.

Finding Inspiration

Here are some of my favorite ways to find inspiration:

1. Nature- Take a walk or a drive, notice the colors, shapes and smells of your surroundings. Take photos of things you find beautiful or interesting.

2. Social media- learn new techniques from other creators (do not copy other artist work though), create Pinterest boards with inspiring content, watch YouTube or listen to podcasts to help your craft or business. Connect to others in Facebook groups or reddit.

3. Sitting with my tools- Just look and see what you have. Try to come up with new ways to use what you've already got. Have a cutter that looks like a heart? You can also use that to create leaves. Got a few scraps of colored clay you have no idea what to use for? Combine it to make a new color and use that for a new project. Just sitting with what you have can sometimes spark a new idea!

Try some of these tips the next time you are in a creative rut and remember that its completely normal to be in a rut in the first place.

Embracing the Creative Journey

As I continue this journey into exploring not only polymer clay but having a business being an artist, I am reminded that the journey is just as important as the destination. Through the highs and lows, the moments of inspiration and the challenges of creative blocks, I embrace it all and I hope you will too.

Remember to keep creating, dreaming, and inspiring one another. The world needs more art and artist like you.

Live inspired my friends,

Jen Ray <3

Ps. What are some of your favorite ways to get inspired? Send me your ideas on TikTok or Instagram!