OTTUMWA — Artists from all over will be featured at this weekend’s Walk on Art Street in Ottumwa. This series by Courier staff writer Pat Shaver will showcase a few locals who will display their unique talents.

Keila Hernández

A childhood 4-H project turned into an artistic outlet for Kelia Hernández.

She has been working with polymer clay for about 15 years. She blends blocks of clay together to create different patterns and colors. Her most important tools are her hands and a pasta machine. After the colors are blended, she uses a technique called caning, which is adapted from glassmaking. She forms the design she wants into a cane shape, and then that can be rolled and stretched into different diameters.

Once the canes are at the size she wants, she uses those designs and mixes them with others to make a variety of pieces.

“When the kids are in bed, this is what I do to stay sane,” she said. She has a 4-year-old daughter and a 2-year old-son. “It’s one of the ways that I relax.”

Hernández turns the clay pieces into jewelry, small bowls, refillable pens and bookmarks. She gets inspired by nature and other things she sees throughout the day.

“I do it because I like it. If someone else likes it, great, and that’s really satisfying,” she said. “If I make something and nobody likes it, that’s OK because I like it.”

She said she’s content with where she is now and doesn’t have intentions to turn her art into a profit-making project. Now, she is experimenting with creating larger pieces with the polymer clay.

“I’ve always been a crafty person. This is something that stuck with me,” Hernández said. “I do it because I love it.”

Hernández started selling her work about a year ago, and since then has sold at art shows in Oskaloosa, Des Moines and Ottumwa. She will be selling her handmade pieces at Ottumwa’s Walk on Art Street this weekend.

Regenia Bradley

Regenia Bradley doesn’t consider herself a very creative person.