Work, work, work, work, work, work

How things got started! From 2020 to now, I've made more with polymer clay than I can even remember. Earrings and jewelry, of course, but also small trinket dishes, bowls, coasters, soap dishes, small charms for random adornments... and there's even more in my sketchbook that I've never gotten around to making.

I started taking ceramics classes at the KIA (Kalamazoo Institute of Arts) in 2021 and haven't looked back! So far my creations are more for me and friends/family, but maybe one day I'll sell these creations at markets.

Where it all really began! Around 2018, I got very into handpoke tattoos and practiced my drawing skills often (usually on-the-job when I was working front desk at a hotel). This is when I first started my art instagram account (now @cargocreates, previously @friesinkfibers (Fries, my nickname; Ink for tattooing; Fibers for knitting/sewing)).

Where it really, really all started. My grandmother taught me to knit when I was a kid (and then again in high school when I got more into but had forgotten a lot of her lessons) and it was the first time I ever sold anything I made: I knit myself a faux fox stole and my teacher saw me finishing it up in class and asked me to knit one for his wife to gift her for her birthday! I felt so proud of myself and it really encouraged me to make things that I love--because someone else might just love it too!