Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Laura Dreyer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Laura, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
When I was in elementary school, there was a county-wide Arbor Day art contest. The winning drawing got their art produced on a T-shirt that was given to all the winners from each school. I entered every year, and finally around 5th grade, I won for the whole county! They put my art on the T-shirts, and my Dad went out and bought tons of them! He had our whole family wear them for a photo we used as our Christmas card that year. I could see on his face and in his actions how happy he was for me, and I’ll always remember that. Both of my parents came to so many of my art shows and awards, even when I was an easily embarrassed teenager, and that foundation of celebration is still a powerful memory that gives me confidence in the face of failures and successes I’ve had as an artist today.
Laura, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
At eight years old, I started making miniatures from polymer clay – tiny food, animals, people, fairies – if I could imagine it, I could make it! As I got older, my work as a painter and illustrator took my focus, but I never forgot my love of tiny things. Clay and I were reunited a few years ago, when I started to make little clay portraits as gifts for my friends who were getting married and having kids. As I began posting them online for fun, people wanted to buy them, and I was soon selling clay illustrations and custom clay portraits as Little Clay Land. I think everyone has that same little eight-year-old kid living somewhere inside, and Little Clay Land is where I go to let her out! I believe people are worth celebrating, and I love to use my custom clay portraits to help customers do that!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Growing up, I rarely failed at the art projects I attempted and received a lot of recognition and success early on. Moving into my 20’s, however, I encountered artistic and business failures for the first time, and it was rough! I had to learn how to persevere without the same level of external affirmation I had been used to. Therapy, my Christian faith, and time have helped me so much to figure out why I believe I matter, to recover from disappointments, an recognize the source of my creativity in my Creator.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I have always been fascinated by people’s faces – they were the first things I ever drew! I want people to feel special and seen as they already are when I create portraits of them. For them to recognize the innocence, simplicity, and uniqueness they were born with.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.littleclayland.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/littleclayland
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/littleclayland
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/littleclayland
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/littleclayland
Image Credits
Lauren Venning for the profile photo