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OCW: Which is your favorite piece? Why?
RP: that's actually a hard one. I'm pretty simple. However, my favorites are the ones that were fun to make. I think that my balloon dog necklaces are the best which is weird because they're not food. Maybe because when I look at them they remind me of how my 30-year-old brother is still really scared of clowns.
OCW: How's business?
RP: Business is great! I love having control of something and feeling good about overcoming obstacles, achieving my goals, and being proud of the products I produce. I've only been working with poly clay and selling on Etsy for a little over a year an a half but one of the best parts about having a business, especially on Etsy, is that I've made TONS of friends. I've made several friends that do local craft shows and they are some of the most talented, self-driven, independent, and creative people I've ever met. I think that aspect is probably one of the reasons that's kept me going with my business.
OCW: Would you ever do this full-time?
RP: Right now I'm focusing on my biology career although a tiny part of me would think it would be so cool to do that part time and be a tiny food factory; however, biology is what pays the bills!
OCW: What other types of crafts are you interested in?
RP: I've taken a jewelry metal-smithing class and loved it. I think that if I couldn't work with poly clay, I'd be at the bench with a torch making jewelry. I think that I prefer working with more tactile media that produce three-dimensional creations. I like thinking about the process and making something that can be viewed and manipulated from all angles.
