Nature Nurtured

Polymer clay — transformed.

In a word — stunning. How else to describe the wearable fine art of Kathleen Dustin of Contoocook?

Dustin has taken a crafter’s medium without a fine art history and given it a shining presence. Polymer clay (Fimo) is relatively simple to work with, but the patterns, the textures and the shapes that are brought to life by her hands transcend the simple compound from whence they came.

It’s all about the color. Dustin studies the minute color changes in nature and mixes a vast array of colors for variable greens or pinks, adding a touch of realism to buds, pods, wood grain and granite — just a few of the surfaces she has rendered.

Her “exquisite evening bags” are truly functional art. Seed pods and flower buds become vessels for a few personal items and a showpiece with a statement.

— Susan Laughlin