Local sculptor creates clay fantasies
Bonnie Hagyari stands near a display of her polymer clay sculptures.
Bonnie Hagyari works on a new piece of artwork.
A dragon sculpted by Bonnie Hagyari stands near the Monongahela River.
Along the Monongahela River, you may stumble upon a place filled with mythical creatures like dragons, elves and witches.
If you find yourself in a place like this, you are most likely in the home of Bonnie Hagyari.
Hagyari is a 58-year-old resident of Fredericktown and lives in her home along the Monongahela with her husband. It is here where she spends hours crafting sculptures out of polymer clay. Her creations are nearly all fantasy characters. Her shelves are adorned with characters from Greek mythology, “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of The Rings,” and even some that originated from her own imagination. While she began getting into polymer clay only about 13 years ago, art has been a lifelong passion for Hagyari.
“When I was a kid … we didn’t have all the electronics. I always had a piece of paper and pencil in my hands. I sat there and sketched my mom and dad. Anything I could look at, I sketched,” Hagyari said.
As she got into middle and high school, a teacher helped her and taught her how to use oils. He encouraged her to pursue art school, but Hagyari’s parents insisted she get a “real job.” So she went on to college, and put art on the back burner for many years.
“I got married and had a daughter. She’s 32 now. For years, I gave up art. I got back into it after she graduated, got married and moved out,” Hagyari said.
Hagyari was introduced to polymer clay through a friend. She was instantly hooked and began to teach herself all the skills she needed by reading books and watching YouTube videos.
“It’s really easy to work with. This type of clay stays soft forever until you bake it, so it’s real forgiving. There’s lots of colors you can mix together,” Hagyari said.
When she isn’t working on her art, Hagyari works part time at Northwest Savings Bank in Fredericktown. She points out that clay sculpting isn’t necessarily a steady job you can count on. Regardless, she has seen many successes with her art. She is a member of the Pittsburgh Polymer Clay Guild and the International Art Doll Registry, has displays in the Artbeat Gallery in Waynesburg, and has had pieces auctioned at the Carnegie Museum of Art. She also receives private requests for sculptures.
Fantasy is her favorite genre of fiction, which is why most of her sculptures are characters from those stories. She used to do some more realistic work, but has settled into strictly fantasy, as it allowed much more freedom and imagination.
“When I first started out I did a lot of stuff for people, their kids, their grandkids, firemen and soldiers. I don’t like to do the realistic stuff,” Hagyari said. “It’s boring for me. You have to duplicate the face just perfect, (or) people aren’t happy. (With fantasy) the body proportions and such don’t have to be perfect.”
Hagyari may sell some of her work, but her continued sculpting comes purely from a lifelong love of art and fantasy. It is something she can do with her spare time to allow her imagination to run free.
“It’s my stress relief,” Hagyari said.