Who is your favorite polymer clay artist?

Recently I asked the Smooshers who some of their favorite polymer clay artists were and I got a wide range of answers.  It's always interesting to find out which artists inspire others.  Often you can discover new artists and techniques that you may not have discovered on your own.  I'd like to share some of the Smooshers answers to this question here.
LeslieMariebyDesign said "I love what Donna Kato can do with Clay. I swear that woman can do just about anything. I will have to say though, I do not like her clay. I started out working with Kato clay. I switched to Premo because the Kato was so hard to condition and a lot of times it would be dry and brittle right out of the package."  You can check out Donna Kato's site at http://www.donnakato.com/Site/home.html.

ChristinaKosinskiDesigns said " Not really sure I have a favorite yet as there are so many wonderful artists out there that I haven't seen there work. I am in a group with Wendy Wallin Malinow and Maggi Maggio and they have really inspired me. Wendy does some really crazy off the wall stuff and Maggi is amazing with color.
Donna Kato I like some of her stuff. Christi Freisen is an awesome creator of cutesie things which just isnt my style.
Here on Artfire I am inspired by Strange Whimsy and DesertRubble. Even though Strange Whimsy is in the style of Christie Freisen I think I like hers better LOL.
So many to admire....

 Maggi Maggio  I admire for her ability to take a couple of  colors of clay and make a new color. She has imagination and is a very kind person and willing to share. She teaches all over the country but lives here in Portland Or.
 Wendy Wallin Malinow  has a great imagination. She does some of the most realistic teeth I have ever seen. Her nests that look like bones are amazing. I got  to see these in person this past weekend as we were at our Columbia Gorge Polymer Clay Art Network's clay camp. What a wonderful experience it was watching her and Maggi and also Laurel Swetnam do their thing with clay.
 There is also a person I admire but none of you will know who she is.. Debbie Martin.. She is great at finding things to give clay texture. This weekend she showed us how to make beads using  furniture carpet savers to roll beads between them for a great look.
 So all in all I think that I am inspired by so many. Of course the Smooshers are all very talented too!"
Wendy Wallin Malinow can be found at  http://wendywallinmalinow.com/, Maggi Maggio at http://maggiemaggio.com/color/, Christi Friesen at http://www.cforiginals.net/, and Laurel Swetnam's blog at http://laurelswetnam.wordpress.com/.

Amazing Designs said " I have recently discoved a polymer clay artist, whose work I truly admire for its simplicity and native style. It is one I have a hard time with. She has her own web site as well as an (oops) dare I say an Etsy store. Here is the link to view her work: http://secondsurf.com/wordpress/."

Fantasy Clay said 

"My very favorite is Christi Friesen- where do I start?
She emphasizes the creativity side of polymer clay. She never stops trying something new and when she finds it, she shares it with all - including those "extras" She learns something new and goes out of her way to share what she has found and how to do it.

Her books and tutorials are great for beginners but her ideas push an advanced clayer to try more. She uses simple shapes and makes them sensational. She has no issues with people selling her designs probably because she knows her own stuff is so unique,

Even better I have taken several classes with her including a cruise where I got a lot of one on one time with her, she is the same in person and more. I find myself drawn to her classes because she really emphasized creativity and bringing it out in anyone. She seems to be able to look at an piece during a class (and does) and see the potential and a direction to try.

Her work may not be fancy techniques or complicated styles but it is creative and original. I think more than showing the hows-tos, she really goes into exploring your own creative side. I guess I'm gushing a little but she is such a cool lady and so talented - she is definitely my fave."

There are so many wonderful and inspirational polymer clay artists out there that I'm going to break this up into two blog posts.  I hope the Smooshers have helped you discover some new artists and new ideas!  Leave a comment and share some of your own favorite artists- we'd love to hear from you! =)

Find the Smooshers on Facebook 

Visit the Smooshers Blog
Check out the Smooshers guild on ArtFire