Artist Spotlight - Hillary Tschappat-Larson

Who are you? What do you do?

My name is Hillary Tschappat-Larson, and I am the owner and creator of Oliver Bean Designs. I was born and raised in Alaska and I have been an artist all my life. In December of my senior year of high school, I started Oliver Bean Designs to sell my sticker designs. In 2019, I began exploring with polymer clay and I fell in love with using it to produce unique, vibrant, and lightweight jewelry. I love the vast amount of possibilities that polymer clay brings to the table, and I haven’t looked back since. 

Who/what inspires you? 

I am most inspired by natural landscapes and bright color combinations. I look up to and am inspired by so many artists from all over the world. I love drawing inspiration from other art mediums as well, such as fiber arts, ceramics, and painting.

What is your favorite moment in the process?

My favorite moment in the process of creating with polymer clay is the trial and error stage of creating a new design. A lot of the time when I get a new idea, I have to give multiple attempts before I can get the clay to do what I pictured in my head. This part of the process challenges me to push past what I know and explore what I don’t.

What is a trick of your trade or a piece of advice for artists in your medium? 

A piece of advice for other polymer clay artists is to double-bake your pieces for extra strong clay! Polymer clay is polyvinyl chloride (PVA) mixed with plasticizers, stabilizers, and more that comes in a moldable state. Once you have created your final product, you will heat it up, by baking it, to create a hard and solid piece. By double-baking the clay, you allow extra time for those plasticizers and stabilizers to fuse together and create an even stronger bond. 

What’s next for you?

Currently, I am working on expanding my product line to be more inclusive of individuals who may not wear earrings. I am looking at offering necklaces, bracelets, rings, tie clips, and more!

Where can we find you? (Social pages, classes/workshops, clubs, etc.)

You can find my business at oliverbean.com and on Instagram and Facebook: @oliverbeanak