Creation at Your Fingertips

WHEN we praise a work of art, we often say it is lifelike. However, the polymer clay succulents hand-made by Gao Xiaolan have received even more exaggerated compliments. Many netizens left comments under photos of her work. “I can’t believe this is made of polymer clay,” said one. “They are so cute that I can’t even find a proper word to describe them!” said another, and yet another said that “people wouldn’t be able to distinguish them from real plants if they were put in garden.”

Gao and her students are making succulents with polymer clay at her studio.

From a hobbyist to an entrepreneur with her own business, Gao Xiaolan has never stopped moving forward on the path of creativity. She left her hometown – Panjin City, Liaoning Province – for Beijing to pursue her dream of becoming a self-employed artist.

Natural Talent, Keen Interest

Many people would naturally think that Gao must have studied art from an early age, but in fact she never received any training. She started to make art simply because she is interested in it. “I have loved painting since I was little. I often made small items by using any materials available. My parents couldn’t afford to send me to art classes at that time, so I kept learning and exploring by myself,” she said with a smile. “I think I probably inherited some gifts from my father who was talented at traditional Chinese painting.”