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Denise Fitzsimmons

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I’m Totally Wired!

I started using wire with my polymer clay projects about three years ago and I have been hooked ever since. My mother was a fantastic knitter and sewer and although I did learn how to knit, I never learned how to properly sew.

I wanted to see what would happen if I started sewing wire into my polymer clay pieces. That discovery was mind blowing for me! I then started adding wire in other ways to my clay pieces and adding my own wire chain with other mixed media like gemstones, fiber, glass, acrylic, ceramic, and more, to create finished pieces unlike anything I had been producing before. I find that sewing with wire is so … well, just cool….and adding other mixed media so creative that it keeps all my pieces fresh and new.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

My name is Denise Fitzsimmons and I have been making jewelry of some kind for over twelve years. I started with beading, moved to metal and wire, on to enameling, and now my passion is polymer clay. I just love the way the clay feels in my hands and how I can mold and create something unique with every block of clay.

I am inspired by texture, color, and shape and I try to bring all of those things into my items and pieces. I consider myself a storyteller artist as each piece comes from memories and stories from along my journeys. I often combine media and gemstones to create unique and fun designs.

I was a member of the CreateAlong design team and have been published many times in Passion for Polymer. I was an instructor for Polymer Clay Adventure 2020 and 2021 and Polymer Clay Symposium 2021. I was a high school Spanish teacher for 27 years. I am currently the President of the Southern Connecticut Polymer Clay Guild as well as the Vice President for Communications for The IPCA.