A naturally creative person, with a strong flair for design, Claire has always studied and practiced art, craft and design in some form. She has gained extensive experience during her lifetime, having tried most types of painting media and many crafts, and regularly sold her work through craft fairs, exhibitions and galleries in the UK
Since moving to Auckland
“I love to bring texture and pearlescent colour into my work and polymer clay allows this in such creative ways. There are so many different techniques you can use; I like to incorporate samples of these in my designs. Polymer clay is such a versatile medium, I don’t think I could ever become bored with it”
The idea for the HANGA arose from talking to visitors at craft markets and her desire to make her art and craftwork functional. She says:
“As a wearer of reading glasses myself, this is a useful and decorative accessory that I genuinely use, and with its multi-functions the HANGA makes a novel gift when you are stuck for ideas for something to buy”.
Claire is a member of the New Zealand Art Guild and the International Polymer Clay Association.
WHY THE NAME 'HANGA'?
Claire says:
"After making a prototype back in August 2010, which I road tested at several events for both functionality and feedback, I needed a suitable name for my new design. I wanted something short and memorable, which conveyed its function - ‘a brooch/pendant to hang your reading glasses, sun glasses or identity badges from’.
The very first name that came to mind was HANGA because it is a brooch/pendant on which you can ‘hang a’ pair of glasses, badge or other item. Various alternative names were considered, but when I checked on Google they already existed as some other object, and so going with my initial instinct the HANGA brooch/pendant was chosen".
"After making a prototype back in August 2010, which I road tested at several events for both functionality and feedback, I needed a suitable name for my new design. I wanted something short and memorable, which conveyed its function - ‘a brooch/pendant to hang your reading glasses, sun glasses or identity badges from’.
The very first name that came to mind was HANGA because it is a brooch/pendant on which you can ‘hang a’ pair of glasses, badge or other item. Various alternative names were considered, but when I checked on Google they already existed as some other object, and so going with my initial instinct the HANGA brooch/pendant was chosen".
