One of my goals when starting this blog was to be able to use it to feature artists I’ve come across or interacted with. While I’m happy to say I’ve done these in a few posts, I would love to do more.
It has been almost a year since I last did a trade, so I was really excited to sneak one in between my art show and opening up commissions. I started following Amanda on Instagram not too long after I started working with polymer clay. I love her unique style and color palettes. When she created a series of flower fish for a class project last year, I just about died from how adorable they were. I am a happy owner of one of those fish, as well as a sunflower dragon.
Check these babies out!
Today, I’m here to share the gorgeous wyvern she created for me as part of our art trade. We both ended up picking a spring/flower theme, which I thought was AWESOME! I love seeing how two (or multiple) creators interpret the same theme.
This wyvern features vibrant colors and SO MUCH DETAIL. I wish photos did this piece more justice, but here is what I received:
As part of this feature post, I wanted to give Amanda the opportunity to share a bit about her process, inspiration, and work.
1) What inspires you to create?
Can I say I’ve always had the art bug? Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always had the urge to create things all the time. It’s a fun outlet to pour my energy into. I would say as far as what inspires me, it would be animals or fantasy. Those two things have been my main drives when it comes to creating.
2) What is your favorite medium to work in?
As a kid, it was definitely dragon–markers, crayons, oil pastels, pen, pencil, whatever I had available to me. When I got into high school and the first two years of college, it became drawing and painting (oil, watercolor, and acrylic). Then when I was required to take a sculpture class for my major in college, it became clay. I’ve been stuck on clay ever since. I prefer polymer clay most of all because I like working with colored clay and it allows me to be able to make things all from home.
3) How did you get into working with polymer clay?
In my sophomore year of college I was required to take a sculpture class so I chose ceramic and got super interested in clay during the course. But with most clay, you need access to kilns and glazes which I didn’t have when I finished my ceramic class and had that summer off. So I went out and bought polymer clay from my local art stores like Michaels and Joann ’cause I knew I could use my oven at home…which I then fell in love with and have been using it ever since :).
4) Why did you decide to start creating dragons?
I’ve always loved dragons. Some kids had rock or doll collections growing up, but I always had a dragon collection–stuffed animals, figures, eggs, books, etc. When I was first given clay back in first grade, I made myself a green dragon out of it (I still have him)! Later on in elementary school, I also read a book series about people who made clay dragons that would magically turn real once they baked them which I always thought was really cool. So when I got older and decided to focus on using polymer clay, dragons were still what I was passionate about and wanted to focus on.
5) Where can people find your work?
Instagram at @artistaemouras is the main place where I regularly post my sculptures and work-in-progress pictures. When I’m selling anything or have my work in an art show, I always post it up on Instagram. I also have a Facebook page as well under ArtistAmandaMouras where I post pictures of my finished sculptures sometimes too.
6) Anything else you’d like to mention?
I just wanted to say thank you so much for having me! 
Amanda asked for a flower fairy type dragon, so I created this little one. She is pretty brightly colored, featuring some spring flowers (daffodils and crocuses) down her back (I was inspired to do cascading flowers like on my Rapunzel-inspired dragon). Her wings are sparkly white petals shaped like butterfly wings, and she holds a little daisy-like flower.
I’m so glad I was able squeeze in this trade. I’ve greatly enjoyed watching Amanda’s pieces evolve and grow. If you love polymer clay sculptures like I do, make sure to follow Amanda online to see what she creates next!