Bead Arts

Artist: Charlene (”Cat”) Therien
Business name: C. A. Therien Polymer Clay Arts
Location: Peoria, IL, USA

Website: C. A. Therien Polymer Clay Arts

Last week, I shared some pictures of wonderful polymer clay tea caddies that you made, Cat. Now we’re going to look more at your jewelry work…how do you describe it to people?
My work is feminine and floral, with Victorian/Edwardian and Art Nouveau influences. I’ve loved flowers ever since I was a little girl, and the majority of my pieces have millefiore flowers as the main subject matter. My earliest memory connected to flowers was at six years old. I noticed my neighbor’s geraniums and was fascinated by them. All through my childhood and into adulthood, flowers consistently surfaced in my creative hobbies, whether it was watercolors, salt dough, face painting, beading, embroidery, cake decorating, etc.

What is your creative process like?
My creative process has been in a constant state of evolution. I began working with polymer clay in 2001, greatly inspired by the work of Lisa Pavelka, Sarajane Helm, Candice Matthewson, and a host of others that there just isn’t room to mention. I worked at the coffee table in my livingroom, in the evenings after the kids were tucked into bed. Initially I had the goal of making jewelry and accessories that matched my clothes. Being a homeschooling mom, we lived on a single income and I didn’t have much in the way of money to spend on myself. Clay solved that problem in a wonderful way, and I was able to make coordinating jewelry and barrettes and pins to go with my clothes. I still wear a few of those early pieces. Generally I would just pull out all my supplies and make things up as I go along.

I still do that today, making things up as I go along. I host a weekly free demo on the internet with my webcam. Generally I have a schedule for what I’ll be teaching each week, but often times the demo will take on a life of it’s own as I’m demonstrating. I’ll toss in an experiment with this or that, getting input from the demo participants. It becomes a synergetic experience and I love every minute of it. It’s a very free-flowing creative process. [Note - The details for participating in Cat's demos are on her website; just click the "Demo Schedule" link for information. The demos are open to anyone, and all you need is a computer to participate.]

When I make complex millefiore canes, though, I usually follow a diagram I’ve sketched. I’ll do that especially for the more intricate designs, like roses or cats or doves. It’s nearly impossible to get the shading to go the right directions every time, if I don’t have a plan. So I have a sketch book, that holds all my designs in one place. I also have a year-long schedule of suggested cane subjects to work from if I get stumped for subject matter. And in some cases, I’m working on cane designs that have been requested by customers.

Sometimes I get really focused and can work 8 or 10 hours at a stretch without a break. I try not to let myself do that too much, because it isn’t very balanced. But there are times when I have a deadline to meet that I allow my world to just narrow down to the project, magazine article, cane, or whatever. My studio is in my home, which has a very open floor plan and a minimum of walls. So I share studio space with three of my sons, who are still homeschooled (one is a senior and will graduate this year, while the other two are sophomore and freshman). So the family has access to me even if I’m engrossed in my clay.

What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
I haven’t had much formal training, really. I have yet to experience a class by another polymer clay professional, although that is on my list of goals. In high school I took art courses every semester, and had a couple semesters of painting classes in junior college. But I’m a fairly quick learner, and a voracious reader, so when polymer clay captured my attention I read everything I could find on it. There is a wealth of resources, websites, and articles about using polymer clay on the internet alone. There are also books readily available and a good selection of instructional dvd’s and videos. I emailed people, asked questions, and joined a message forum, Polymer Clay Central. I experimented, shared what I made, and received a lot of encouragement. It spurred me on to keep trying new things.

About six months after I began exploring with polymer clay, I had exhausted all the free instruction on the internet and figured I’d take a class. So being naive, I assumed Michael’s would have one, and I took a few of my pieces down to the store. The Event Coordinator said they didn’t have polymer clay classes, but would I like to teach it? At the time I was shocked by the offer, but the lure of making a little money to cover my hobby won me over. So I began teaching in 2002, and just simply fell in love. I get the biggest adrenaline rush from teaching! I love the interaction with students as they go through the same process of experiment and discovery that I went through a few years prior. I learn as much from them as they do from me. I’m still teaching today, both at the local level (the Peoria Art Guild, and now the national level (I’ll be teaching two 6-hour classes at the Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee).

I wrote my first published tutorial article for PolymerCAFE’ Magazine in 2003. I’d always enjoyed writing, both fiction and nonfiction. So it was a natural combination for teaching, writing, and polymer clay. I’m continuing to write articles for that magazine, as it is the only magazine dedicated to the medium and I want to give it my continued support. But I’ve also branched out to other magazines this year, beginning with Bead Unique Magazine.

In the summer of 2005, I finally got serious about making polymer clay my career. I’d turned 40 years old, and my kids were growing up and independent. So the time was right, and I obtained a zoning permit and a business license. I opened an internet store on eBay, where I sell my millefiore canes. This summer, I’ll be opening up a store directly on my website, where canes, beads, and finished pieces will be available. Between the paperwork side of the business, making 4 - 8 new canes each week, writing magazine articles, making finished pieces of jewelry and beads, teaching weekly classes and web demos, and attending shows as a vendor, I put in about 60 hours a week or more. My business makes a small profit that adds to our family income, and I can still be home with my kids, so it’s the best of both worlds.

Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
Oh yes, there are two tools that are indispensable for me. The first is a food processor. I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in my wrists, and I can’t condition the clay by hand, or mix colors that way. So I put the clay into a food processor and chop the clay up into little granules. Next is where the other tool comes in: my pasta machine with motor. I press the granules of clay into a pancake that I feed through the pasta machine to blend the colors the rest of the way. Of course these tools are totally dedicated to my clay and not used for food.

What inspires you to create?
It seems like inspiration comes from everywhere. I could be in a restroom at a department store, and be inspired by the wallpaper. My husband and adult daughter are very good when it comes to design, and they often make sketches for me of jewelry or canes. Oftentimes I will get inspiration just as I’m waking up. I’m dreaming a piece, or a cane, and as soon as I wake up I have to sketch it or it will be gone. So I keep a pen and pad on my nightstand, since this is a fairly regular occurrence. I’m also inspired by the work of other hobbyists and professionals in the medium. There are just such a wealth of ideas when it comes to polymer clay that the possibility of getting bored with it is remote.

What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
I have a good friend, Elaine Robitaille, who is one of my whip-crackers. She is a very grounded person, and when I get whiny and don’t want to keep going, she reminds me of how much I love this work, and how much better I’ll feel after a nice nap! Usually when the work is frustrating and tough is when I have a lot on my plate, and the deadlines are piling up. My husband is my business manager as well as my biggest supporter, and he reminds me to step back and take a break when I feel like my head is going to pop off. My daughter is good at this too, and she’ll pull me away from it to go shopping, go out to eat, watch a movie, go for a walk, or whatever. Generally I can come back to work with a good attitude and a fresh layer of energy the next morning.

What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
I talk about rising in the level of artistry in my classes regularly. Professional presentation, a high-quality product, and investment of your time, energy, and money are prongs in the setting of any good art business. I’ve learned that artists generally have little business sense, myself included, and even though our product may be of the highest caliber, we lack the ability to promote ourselves, to direct the business in a way that will make it grow. A few people in my life have taken me by the hand (literally handlers), and have given me direction and instruction on how to pursue both the excellence in my artwork and the management of the business end. I could never do this without them, as they put into my life the things that are lacking.

For anyone who is interested in seriously pursuing polymer clay as their medium of choice, whether at the hobby level or the professional level, I would pay close attention to perfecting technique. The three P’s are indispensable: Practice, Practice, Practice! Paying close attention to finishing and detail, and striving toward making every piece as close to perfection as you can, will raise your level of work. But it is just that - work. It takes time dedicated to the three P’s to really advance with any medium.

I highly recommend networking with other artists in your medium. Is there a guild in your city? Join it! Many cities have polymer clay guilds, and there is a US national guild as well. Join a message board on the internet - many instant message and blog services have message boards and groups dedicated to a specific medium. I recommend Polymer Clay Central as an excellent place to connect with other polymer clay hobbyists and professionals from around the world.

What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
My family is a very close, affectionate one and we enjoy spending time together. We play board games, watch movies, tussle and tickle and chase. It’s a joy to be around our kids and we do a lot of things together. In the warmer months we love to go hiking, fishing and camping. We have a table tennis and dart board at home, and sometimes we’ll have impromptu tournaments against each other. We have a re-emerging interest in golf, and we’re lucky enough to have a public golf course less than 1/4 mile from our house. We do crazy things together - watching ballroom dance instructional videos in the livingroom and taking turns dancing with each other. I think sometimes people are a little intimidated by us, because we’re kind of loud and it seems like chaos reigns. But if I had the chance to do it all over again, I’d choose this life without a doubt.

Cat Therien

What are some of your favorite things outside of art and family, Cat?
My favorite foods are oriental. I love sushi, General Tso, orange, and sesame chicken, and I love a good, homemade hot-&-sour soup. I have to be careful about what I eat - I’m on Weight Watchers, and plan on staying with that program the rest of my life. I’ve been participating in it since October 2006, have dropped 2 sizes, and have seen a pretty radical change in my life. I’m replacing bad habits with new ones, and learning that an old (or middle aged) dog can certainly learn healthier tricks! Since most of my day is spent sitting in an office chair in my studio, I work out 5 days a week at a Curves nearby and walk whenever I get the chance.

I love to read, but I have a hard time with a good book - no discipline! If I’m into a really good book, I might read until 2 am, and I have to be up at 6 or 7. So I am working on building some control over my book addiction (with mixed results). My favorite genres are cozy murder mysteries, fantasy, and science fiction. Some of my favorite authors are Agatha Christie, Joanne Fluke, David Eddings, and Issac Asimov.

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