Today we’d like to introduce you to Christi Friesen
Hi christi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
i was born as a very young child… hee hee
So my life as an artist did indeed start as a very young child and i’ve created and sold my art for most of my life.
This business version of myself started in 2000 and since then in addition to creating art, i’ve written a dozen books on polymer clay and creativity. Up until covid, i taught around the world and since then, my teaching is online. These days i have several membership groups in addition to workshops and a youtube channel.
For many years, my product line production and shipping as well the location for many of my workshops was in Denver, which will always have a special place in my heart and career as an artist.
Now I live in Maui. My brother moved there years ago, and when i came for a visit at the beginning of 2020, I asked him how long I could stay and he said for as long as I want. And here I still am!
It’s been lovely to create with Mount Haleakala as the view out of my studio window and the ocean on the other side. I may never leave!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Without challenges, life would be dull and I’ve always tried to find the opportunities for joy along the way.
Being an artist as a career means a lot of work – long hours and for me, always a bit of a hustle to figure out new ways to generate income. So it’s been intense.
But with that also is the chance to do something that i’m good at and that i truly enjoy.
It means answering to myself and not a tedious workplace.
My days as an artist are full of variety – creating, teaching, marketing, traveling, social media interaction. it’s never dull. and these days, if i want to, i take a nap! so there!
i would love to not always have to think about where the next sale is coming from, but it’s part of the challenge and it is interesting. i’m working on not letting it be too stressful and just expecting that it will all work out. so far it has!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
i create mostly small sculptural pieces – like wall pieces and small figures. my main materials are polymer and epoxy clays, to which i add all kinds of embellishments! gems, stones, pearls, shells, found objects, beads – anything that amuses me. So, what i ofter call a “sculptural mosaic assemblage” style. I also draw and paint. I like to be amused and interested by my creativity to i just follow where it leads.
so as an artist, i am very proud of being able to gather together a variety of different items to integrate into a new thing.
but i also love quirky and silly and some of my creations are my signature “glowinthedark ghoulies” which i’ve made for decades – just odd little creatures made from glowinthedark clay. i am known for those and i love making them.
my work as a teacher and a kind of cheerleader for creativity is also a part of my artistic life that brings me a lot of joy. i like sharing how to create with others and fostering a feeling of play and possibilitiy!
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Creativity and art is one of the things, along with chocolate, that makes being a human amazing.
Create if you can, as often as you can!
Support those who create as well and fill your world with their interesting art!
Pricing:
- monthly Creative Circle membership: $10
- artworks $25-$2000
- ebooks/tutorials: $5-$25
- monthly Diamond Club membership (dibs on my original artwork): $5/mo
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.christifriesen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realchristifriesen/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christi.friesen.5/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristiUniverse
- Other: pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/realchristifriesen/
Image Credits
all photos by me