I (Leigh Armstrong AKA Magick Minx) was born in January 1969, an Aquarian, known for being creative, quirky, impatient & generally someone who needs to keep life interesting in order for them to remain interested! All of this I would say is true about me, I am creative yet not artistic, I can be a bit of an odd ball & I am VERY impatient, all of these things make working with PMC ideal for me.

Although I studied Fashion at College I went on to become a specialist in Credit Cards in Financial Services organisations which whilst this took me far & wide, including Australia & it paid me generously I always felt that something was missing & that my creative needs were not being met.

When Financial Services finally bored me I started my own Health & Nutrition Network Marketing Business alongside Forever Living Products which was & still is fantastic, the earnings enabled me to give up work & the freedom to work around my family commitments was priceless. This business has now enabled me to start on my Precious Metal Clay journey & to achieve my new Crafty Goals.

Other than 5 weeks at a Silversmith evening class (got bored at this point as it wasn't quick enough for me!) I didn't have any formal training in Jewellery Design & Production, I started initially just making pieces of jewellery for myself to wear, I like unusual, chunky, funky & organic looking pieces which I found I couldn’t buy without spending a fortune. Soon people were asking me where I got my jewellery from & when they realised I had made it myself I started to get my first commissions. Magick Minx was born. I have since gained both Level I & Level II PMC Certification which now enables me to teach PMC as a qualified Artisan & Instructor.

My Inspiration?

I find inspiration sometimes from the strangest of things it could be a pair of shoes, my children, a song or a tree but the biggest source of inspiration for me is the Sea. When I was a child my Grandparents lived on a converted War Boat moored in Hayling Island. Every year I spent the entire summer down there & loved it. I realise now that this infact was something quite unusual but at the time I thought everybody’s grandparent lived on a boat, it came as quite a surprise as an eight year old to find that this was not the case!

The Sea has had such a strong pull for me that in 2007 we bought a beautiful Holiday Cottage In Norfolk, a mile from Overstrand where there is a huge stretch of sand for my girls Daisy & Tabitha to run around, I particularly love it there in the Winter with all the crashing waves, fabulous stuff.

I currently love my George Debenham Seascape prints, you can just get lost in them, very relaxing & inspiring stuff.

Oh & for Eye Candy my Adam Ant Canvas & my Johnny Depp & Daniel Craig Calendars!! (naughty Minx!)

Whose work do I admire and why?

For PMC, Kate Selene Williams, that girl works so quickly it’s impossible to keep up with her, the American artist MaryAnn Devos, such a lovely gentle lady & a very patient teacher & Gordon Uyehara who makes the most beautiful carved PMC pieces, it is my mission to own a piece of Gordons's work, he has kindly offered to do a commission for me. I also have to say that I have been in awe & very proud of some of the work my Students have achieved.

For beads, apart from obviously Sally Carver(aka Red Hot Sal) whose glass I use in a lot of my work I would have to mention Heather Culhane from Red Ocean, it was Heathers work that inspired me to find out more about Lampworking, which in turn led me to Sally, My Red Ocean pieces of Jewellery are very much treasured possessions. I also adore the little birds (or tweets as they are now known) that I have been using in my Birdhouse Collection, these have been made by Les at Flame Born Beads, a very clever girl.

Influences:

My lovely Nan (that was) Nell - A Cornish lady of strength & character

My Mum Wend - An all giving, hardworking gorgeous lady

My Family - All of whom have hidden inner strengths

Adam Ant - My first 'WOW' moment (& first 'Love') seeing & hearing him for the first time, I've had the pleasure of meeting him a few times & my personally autographed autobiography is a big treasure of mine. My Mother personally blames Adam for my weird dress sense & inability to conform.

Bing Crosby - Ha! I know, very odd but I LOVE Christmas & White Christmas is my favourite film, watched every year since I can remember. I love listening to the Rat Pack Christmas tunes.

Kat Von D - A ballsy lady whose commitment to her art & lifestyle I find both entertaining and inspiring.

Favorite Quotes

1) We have 2 choices - we can make a living or design a life - Jim Rohn
2) If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right! - Henry Ford

Favourite Music?

Generally an eclectic mix I have to say, obviously Mr Ant! Kings of Leon, 30 Seconds to Mars, Guns & Roses, anything Rock n loud! White Stripes, Pink, Lady GaGa, Christmas tunes, Nina Simone etc etc etc

What are my future goals?

To learn from the worlds best, be that the celebrated artists or the independent craftspeople whose work I admire. To attend trainings from renowned international artists.

To establish a permanent Studio that will have the capacity to train groups of people, this would allow me to focus much more of my attention in this area, I think that the Midlands lack art & craft facilities so I would love to be a part of something to change that. Places like Norfolk or Cornwall seem to have so much more going on all throughout the year.

Subject to any complications I can now confirm that Magick Minx Productions will have a permanent Studio at Creative Hinckley, in The Goddard Building, a fantastic project that will be openening hopefully in May in 2010.

To stay happy, healthy & PMC crazy!