Darlene Hardenbrook

When I was a little girl growing up in Spokane, at the age of nine or ten years old, I carved a bear out of a bar of soap. I never stopped creating since that day and so I have been sculpting items out of some form of clay for about 45 years. I am self-taught with the help of an occasional instructional book or video on varied techniques. I love animals, children, and all of the holiday seasons, so they are the focus of all of my designs. When you add my own playful personality into the mix, the pieces I create generally bring a smile to the observer. At least, that is the response I am hoping for. Each piece is hand made by myself out of Polymer clay. The clay comes in a wide variety of colors which can be blended into even more colors. It is baked in a regular oven, (I use a small toaster oven) at 275 degrees for 20 minutes. The finished piece is quite durable, very light weight, and is not affected by moisture. I originally joined the Pottery Place Plus in 1994 for one year, then took a 12 year hiatus!  It is good to be back! My work can also be seen at various Arts and Crafts shows throughout the Pacific Northwest.