Conversations with Contemporary Clayers: Dani Rapinett

Today's Profile: Dani Rapinet

1)Why are you an artist and what drew you to clay?

For as long as I can remember I have loved to ‘create’.

My Mum was always the artistic one in the family and whilst I used to nag her endlessly as a child to try everything she was doing, nothing ever stuck.

2)How long have you been an artist?

I never really found my ‘true calling’ until I discovered polymer clay about 6 or 7 years ago.

I think I was born an artist - I need that creative outlet to survive.  I feel strangely ‘at ease’ when I’m working in my studio – the outside world seems a million miles away. It is a wonderful feeling.

3)What is your favourite clay?

Without a doubt, Polymer Clay - more specifically Premo clay.

It is a magical medium unlike anything else I’ve worked with. There is an air of mystery surrounding it – what can be created with it? How far can it be pushed? I love its versatility.

Polymer clay never ceases to amaze me - there is always something new to learn and boundaries to break.

I also dabble in metal clay - usually silver or bronze - which I like to incorporate into my polymer pieces.

4)What other materials do you like to incorporate in your work and why?

I’m a little boring as I really do love working with polymer in its purest form and don’t use many inclusions.

5)What are you currently working on?

I have just finished working on a sterling silver and polymer bracelet for a friend. Each charm represents a little piece of her personality.

She loved it which was great.

I’m now working on organising my workspace/studio. I have a lot of unfinished projects on the go, a heap of half used MG stacks and a load of canes that need sorting.

I feel like I need to get all that into some sort of order and then I’ll move onto my next major project…..there are bound to be lots of little projects I’ll start in between  - I call it ‘creative procrastination’!!

6)What inspires your work?

My inspiration comes from the world around me. I am heavily influenced by colour and texture.

The majority of my pieces combine my love of colour and texture.

I also love mokume gane. Many of my designs are centred around different variations of mokume gane.

I never tire of it. The patterns and colours just suck me in – nothing is ever the same thing twice.

7)Is there a purpose to your artwork?

Not usually. I create when the urge strikes and most of my pieces are spontaneous and not planned.

If they are planned in any way, they usually end up being nothing like the original plan!!

8)Which of your artwork pieces is your favourite and why?

My favourite piece is a necklace I called  ‘Envy’.

It was the piece that pulled me out of a creative rut last year. It was a lot of work to create the individual components as each contains two polymer clay bails on the back and has been hand sanded and buffed. I enjoyed working on a big piece again. ‘Envy’ also won me 2^nd place in the 2011 Bead Society of Victoria’s Elly Feldman Award.

It’s not every year that polymer clay pieces get recognized within the Bead Society so I was quite proud of this achievement - it was very unexpected.

9)What advice do you have for aspiring artists?

Create what you love, not what you think everyone expects of you. Stay true to who you are as an artist and enjoy the journey.

10) Why do you like to teach?

I love to pass on my knowledge of polymer clay and I feel very lucky that people want to learn from me.

There is nothing like empowering someone with knowledge and watching that knowledge grow as their enthusiasm does.

Many of my students are amazed by what they have been able to achieve in class and leave with such a huge smile on their face and an eagerness to keep creating.

It is a wonderful feeling to know that I’ve helped create that happiness and enthusiasm.

 Dani's website and Facebook page:

www.thewhimsicalbead.com.au

www.facebook.com.au/TheWhimsicalBead