Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Polk.
Hi Victoria, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I was around 16, I worked as an assistant in a Colombian bakery for a wonderful cake artist who taught me many techniques using fondant—she helped me form an eye for detail. Flash forward to 2020 when I purchased my first pair of clay earrings and I noticed the clay was very similar to fondant. I thought, “I love the look of these, and all the fun shapes I could make, I’m going to try my hand at making my own jewelry.” It started as a hobby, I made them for myself in between my kids nap times, but friends and family loved them and wanted their own, so I began making more and it’s been growing ever since. Now, I set my kids up next to me to make their own, while I get my work done. I take my inspiration from nature and Latin artesanía (in English, its handmade artistic goods, but the Spanish term captures it much better). I’ve always been drawn to unique handmade goods and that, along with YouTube tutorials, is what has helped me define and continually refine my style. I’ve loved learning and honing my skill with clay because there is just so much one can create with it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been more of a road of learning. I take everything that comes as a learning opportunity. The main challenge has been learning how to juggle the creating with motherhood. I have four kids that I homeschool, so being present with them takes top priority, but I always try and carve out space in the day to create new and beautiful jewelry work. Another challenge of has been putting my business out there. Gaining an audience on social media is a constant challenge and something I didn’t expect. I wish I could just make my jewelry and not worry about the marketing, but I’m a one-person show, so I have to in order to gain an audience that would love my work. Finding in-person market events to showcase my work can also be tricky. Some months are great, while others are wait-listed. As a new and small business, I never really know how each month will go, I can be present at many markets, but the day is slow, or I can make the perfect social media reel video but it gets very limited views, the uncertainty can be very discouraging. But I’m learning just to keep creating and putting my work out there because at the end of the day, that is what I love doing, and if I pick up a few customers and friends along the way, that’s great!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create polymer clay jewelry. I oftentimes combine clay with resin, brass, wood, and macrame. I believe combining different mediums really showcases my business name: Mestiza, which means of mixed blood in the Latin/indigenous culture. I’m known primarily for my statement earrings because I strive for uniqueness and a clean and modern look. There are many polymer clay artists making beautiful work, and so my main goal is to make sure my work stands out individually with my own twist. While I do sometimes look to Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration, I ultimately make sure that each piece defines me using a cane work technique. In which I form clay into logs, then slice to form a picture. They can be of flowers, leaves, birds, and stone. It’s generally something that is unique to the creator, so it is always fun to see what comes from the work. I would say I am most proud of my bangle jewelry. They look like ceramic bangles, but they are light, and I would say take the most finesse to create. I love the process behind them. A close second would be my dangle earrings that involve beadwork, again they require finesse and a delicate hand that really helps them stand out.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
What has helped me in networking is getting out of my shell and meeting other creators. A lot of the opportunities I’ve had have been at physical market pop-ups meeting different people. So, I would say meet, greet, and chat about the work and your personal story with fellow creators and do markets, they help a lot!
Pricing:
- Dangle earrings generally run $25-$30
- Stud earrings range generally from $15-$25
- Bangles generally range from $30-$40
- Pendant Necklaces $30
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mestizaclay.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/mestizaclay
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Mestizaclay
