Welcome!!

An award winning artist whose work has exhibited on the national scene Kathleen handcrafts limited edition and one-of-a-kind adornment pieces for women and men, eye glass boxes, key fobs, kaleidoscopes and her original HeartBox™ collection.
From here you can link to Clay Jewels and The Original HeartBox™

Influenced by Pueblo, Navajo, Chinese, Japanese and West African art traditions the process Kathleen uses to create patterns in clay is borrowed from the Italian glass making traditions of millefiori and murrini cane work incorporating combinations of only the strongest, most durable translucent and opaque clay.   Over the last three years Kathleen has been developing what has become her signature style, what she titles the “kdqCane”. 

Awards and Recognition

2015 Group Show, CircaNow Gallery, Amherst, MA

2015 "Artists/Artisans" Group Show, Paper City Studio, Holyoke, MA

2014 Selected artist, National Juried Art Exhibit of 100 U.S. artists, "Black Creativity", Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, Ill.

2014 Second place winner, Jewelry, Mattoon St. Art Festival, Springfield, MA

2014, January 10, featured artist on Polymer Clay Daily website.

2013  Juried, contributing artist: "The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style and Identity", Smithsonian Institution, Folklife Festival, Washington, D.C.

2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 "First Place" Best in show, Jewelry, Mattoon St. Art Festival, Springfield, MA

2012 Selected artist, National Juried Art Exhibit of 100 U. S. artist, "Black Creativity", Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, Ill.

2012  Artist Square Group Gallery, Springfield, MA

2012  Featured Artist, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester State University, Worcester, MA

2011 Guest Speaker, Austin Riggs Center, Erikson Institution for Education and Research Creativity Seminar, "Finding Voice, Lifting Voices: Oppression and Creativity"

2011 Shout! Polymer Exhibition. Online at Crafthaus

2009 Juried, contributing artist: "Giving Voice: The Power of Words in African American Culture", Smithsonian Institution, Folklife Festival, Washington, D.C.

What people say about Kathleen's work:

"Thank you sooo much for sharing with me your jewelry that is more like works of art!  Each piece was more beautiful than the next and it makes me think of what clothing to wear with it in order to compliment your unique jewelry.  Your explanation of the painstaking techniques you use helped me to understand just how elaborate the process is and how special each piece is.  You have truly given a voice to what Black-American jewelry looks like."  Tiana P.

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"Your work is sooooo beautiful!

We are lucky to own a piece...José loves the piece I bought for him."

Phyllis L., Artist

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"Hi Kathleen,
Your art is so moving. I will pass the pictures to
friends."  De

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“Hi Kathleen, WOW. Your jewelry is stunning---completely unique and glorious in the colors! I never knew clay could do such things!"     Dorothy C, Artist

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“Kathleen creates colorful patterns in polymer clay. Some of her jewelry has a tribal feel while her boxes, to me, look more modern. With clay in hand she also takes the time to demonstrate to visitors how she combines canes of clay into the blocks that she cuts to create her designs. I'm still not certain most people realize the time, forethought, and patience this process requires." Jan Bajgier, Polymer Clay Artist

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“Kathleen’s designs have a meditative quality; you can look at them again and again and see different things in them and find different expressions off the Africa-American experience.”   Cynthia P., editor

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 "What a beautiful necklace!! She is a true Artisan!" Debbie

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 " You are a phenomenal artist. Just phenomenal.  Really. You belong in the Met Museum." Daisy B. Author

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Publicity

Greenfield Community College
Community Education Instructor Selected for Black Creativity Juried Exhibition in Chicago

Amherst Bulletin Newspaper--Arts & Leisure
"Notes for Aunt Margaret"

MV Times Newspaper--Martha's Vineyard
"Small Wonders at the Louisa Gould Gallery"

Contact

Kathleen DeQuence Anderson
P.O. Box 1078
Amherst, MA 01004-1078
kdqdesignsclayjewels@gmail.com

Shop Kathleen's online store