About the Artist: Garie Sim

An artist, designer and teacher in Singapore, Garie is a self-taught clayman. He has been making models from Plasticine since he was a child. Since his discovery of the versatility of Polymer clay in the early 1980s, he has created lots of clay miniatures for his own children.

Garie created the world's smallest teddy bear and other smallest item in polymer clay, tested the clay in water and combined it with other materials like magnets, film spool, ping-pong balls etc. to create toys, gifts, jewelry and crafts. Garie's years of research and experiments started the controversial technique of microwaving polymer clay and the technique of shrinking styrofoam with polymer clay to create clay containers. With Garie's experiments and testing of liquid clays , new techniques were created. Some of the new techniques were, liquid clay paints, realistic miniature cake that are added with baking soda and many others. Using polymer clay Garie also creates various types of Living Habitat for Ants, the ants successfully live up to its life span proving that the polymer clay is non-toxic to living things. information can be found on his website.

During the past twenty-seven years, Garie's diversity in creating with the clay were featured in newspapers, local magazines and international craft and clay magazines, on news and kids' programs on television, both locally and internationally. Many of his original creations with polymer clay are unique, unusual, whimsical and imaginative. With more than eleven years of conducting play clay and drawing classes, Garie and his family, is currently promoting creativity with his arts in Singapore. Since the polymer clay is not commonly used in the local schools or found in most of the local art retail outlets, he is now a major supplier for polymer clays, tools and accessories. This will ensure a continuous supply of the mediums for the play clay classes, also for his young and adult students. In addition, he is also actively promoting polymer clay as a very versatile material for artistic creation, conducting demonstrations in schools teaching in international schools, clay parties, fairs and other events for kids in Singapore. He creates polymer clay tutorials and projects for the international magazines and online journals. Versatility of using polymer clay to create clay animations for commercial and educational projects. The play clay classes is catered, both for children and adults, teaching them from basic to learning the various clay techniques. Kids with learning disorders such as Dyslexia, Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder or Hyperactivity have improved their conditions from play clay classes. These classes have successfully groomed many young and creative artists, many were featured in local kids newspapers. To further promotes his creativity in the polymer clay, Garie has published a book " Got Clay Can Play " This is a unique polymer clay project book for children, fun and easy to follow with step-by-step pictorial instructions and illustrations. It is currently available in the National Library Singapore, all the major book stores in Singapore and distributing in the USA.
The book does not only illustrate the various steps toward the materialization of a child's idea, it shows the way toward self-expression and the attaining of a sense of self through the act of creation. According to Garie, clay art is a powerfully therapeutic activity and it helps realize any child's dream.

RECYCLING OF FILM SPOOLS INTO ART

Garie's philosophy toward life is to recycle discarded items, like tin foil, springs, magnets from damaged motors etc., that can be transformed into art and hobby pieces. Sometimes, he is called a rubbish collector. He picks up things which are visually interesting that can be integrated into an art form. For example, he has recycled film spools into a new and interesting art form. The Magician pulls out a film strip with a string of pigeons flying out of the spool. The Chess pieces sit on a matching film strip chess board.

Courtesy of Singapore Weekend East Dated 11th March 93



Take a Peek into the Past



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Articles are published with the permission of the following: Weekend East 1986, Living Magazine 1987, Asia Magazine 1988, The Singapore Newpaper 1992, Fresh Magazine 1998, International Dolls' House News

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