Arawak Design™

Claudia A. Fox Tree (Arawak) is the owner and artist for Arawak Design™, established in 1994.

The Arawak are the original inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. In 1492, they greeted a lost sailor named Christopher Columbus. Though that event may have given the Arawak a place in history, we have gone on to survive as a contemporary people in today's world.

Claudia incorporates indigenous designs into her art by applying a "Millefiori" technique to polymer clays.

Each bead can take from two to six hours to create, depending upon the intricacies of the design and the amount of colors involved. There is no paint, only different colored clays. Here’s a quick summary of the process in her words:

I create the designs on paper,
I select the colors of clay,
I mix, knead, and blend the clay,
I sculpt, wrap, roll, and cut the clay,
I build the individual design shapes,
I keep the final vision in my mind,
I press together the shapes,
I roll down the canes of clay,
I slice the beads,
I hope for image integrity,
I make the holes,
I bake the clay,
Now, I can create the jewelry.

Close up of bead work below:













Currently, Claudia's work is available only in person (there is no store or shop). You may purchase her designs at one of the man the local Massachusetts Pow Wows she attends.

The Clay Bead Making Process

First, I locate authentic pottery, rock carvings, and petroglyphs. Then, I sketch and lay out the colors of the design on a piece of white paper. I love my Berol Prismacolor colored pencils. Then, I match the clay colors, planning to blend Fimo (a hard clay) with Sculpey (a soft clay) and other polymer clays in a food processor, which I set aside to use only for clay blending. The pea-sized pieces are then kneaded to a workable texture.

I find an image like this stock photo from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/126523070775870130/

Next, I usually start by building the "face" of the piece.  This is really a sculpting process.  It's okay to have "seams" because they will blend when I roll down the clay.  This face is about 2 inches high and 3 inches wide.  After I have the face, I add the other parts of the shape and begin to integrate the background colors.

 

After the sculpting part is done, the clay is gently pressed and stretched into a "log" or "cane."  From there the beads are cut.

Bake for 30 minutes at 260º in the oven on a piece of sturdy cardboard.

 

Here are other finished clay beads next to the initial design.