Check Out Kendra Gilbert’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra Gilbert. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started my creative journey when I was about 7 years old. My mother was a painter and doll artist. She made clowns using a method involving wire armatures, styrofoam, and fabrics. It amazed me how she was able to take things that were so lifeless and boring and turn them into such lively and imaginative creatures. People loved her work, and she soon landed a contract with Circus World in the early ’80s. 

I guess you can say she was my early inspiration, which then kept evolving as I got older. 

I’m more of a mixed media artist today and work with everything from cardboard and fuzzy bits to silicones, resins, and epoxies… however, I usually always end up incorporating polymer clay, or some sort of “sculptural” aspect to my work. 

I love creating figures and have a tendency to always go in a whimsical or fantasy direction with my work. I tend to just creatively get my breath from the other-worlds, twisted fairytales and have a strong obsession with Wonderland. 

Over the past decade, I’ve focused on miniature eye making, as that is what gives most pieces their “life” and soul. I can proudly say I’m one of the first, if not the first, to create an eye mold as small as 3mm in total size with irises as small as 1.5mm. My eye making and eye molding is what has given me the most recognition in my niche, which I’m very grateful and proud of. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Challenges have been mainly product limitations, things I need, but cannot find or obtain. So, this forces me to basically become my own solution and my own supplier. This is how my eye molds came to be, when you need something done, sometimes you just have to roll up your own sleeves to make it happen. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create miniature eyes for the clay/sculptural/doll markets. Unlike most eyes, mine can be heated to 275F without denaturing or yellowing, something very important when using with polymer clay pieces… 

One of a Kind Figurative Sculptures 

Mixed media art including dioramas and miniature houses. 

How do you define success?
My unique miniature eye molds and tutorials have been very successful, but I still have much more to do and offer the world through the creative arts. 

Contact Info:

• Email: virgosalchemy@gmail.com
• Website: www.Etsy.com/shop/virgosalchemy
• Instagram: virgosalchemy_art
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/virgosalchemyart