Poly Chic
Artist-Bio
Hi! My name is
Karen Omodt and I live in Georgetown, Texas. As a kid I was more of a tomboy,
I took my dolls apart to see how they were able to close their eyes or
bend their legs, etc., I am sure you get the idea. For sure, I never thought
I had an artistic bone in my body. My mother tried to teach me sewing but
she would always end up finishing what I started. <smiles> As for my mother,
she was talented; she painted, sewed, and took everyday junk and turned
it into art. I always felt the "Artistic
Genes" skipped
a generation.
I married at a young age and had 2 children (daughters) by the time I was 21 years old. I was in my late 20's when I decided I wanted to get my college degree. I started taking classes at the local Community College. I could only take 1 to 2 classes a semester because I had a family to take care of, working full-time and even went through a divorce. Almost ten years later, I finally received my Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in 1988.
I re-married in 1990 and my husband (Kenneth) was very supportive of me finishing up my Bachelor of Science degree. In the fall of 1994, I received my Bachelor of Science Degree (BS) in Chemistry. I was working for 3M Company, and was promoted me to Development Chemist, in the Research and Development Laboratory for the Electrical Products Division.
Finally I could pursue a hobby, so I took up golfing. I felt I was living the perfect life. I had a career I loved, a husband I loved and a hobby I loved. Then August 29, 2000, I was involved in an accident; my life instantly changed. I had a back fusion, but it didn't relieve my pain. I sought a Pain Management Doctor for relief. It was my Pain Psychologist who suggested that I needed to find another hobby since I was no longer able to golf. So I started watching Carol Duvall show and saw Barbara McGuire, Donna Kato, Maureen Carlson, etc. making all kinds of wonderful things with this "polymer clay". Now, being a Chemist, I became intrigued with this medium. I started researching polymer clay on the internet trying to find as much information as I could find about this material.
The information I found on polymer clay was over whelming, but I still didn't know which brand to buy and where. Finally, I found Sculpey III polymer clay Hobby Lobby. I bought 5 packages of Sculpey III but didn't open them for several months because I was terrified I would do something wrong. I even printed tutorials from Carol Duvall's web site hoping I could find something to make with my 5 packages of clay, but I didn't have the same brand as the Polymer Artists used. Several months went by before I finally gave myself permission to make something with these 5 packages of clay. (See what I made with those 5 packages of Sculpey III - see first pc creations below)
I found Polymer Clay Central (PCC) an online group that gave me encouragement to continue making things for which I will be forever grateful too, and I have made some wonderful friends from PCC. I joined as many swaps as I could find so I had a reason to learn and work with this material. Little did I know I would become completely addicted to this medium.
My first polymer clay creations. 
My second polymer clay project was a business card couch for my Pain Psychologist.
Copyright © 2003-2004 Karen Omodt, All rights reserved