Meet Asi Panoutsopoulou
Origin notes
“I was born in Greece in Patras which is a small town. It's about 250,000 people which is considered a big town for Greece but it's relatively small. I lived there for 30 years. I have an Early Childhood Development degree. I worked for many years in the private sector babysitting and taking care of children, working in hospitals and later on I decided although that was good work, I was done. I then worked as an office manager and I decided that I wanted to go to a different field so I got a business administration degree which always fascinated me so I did that. Later on I decided that I wanted to do something else. My cousin told me about polymer clay which was something that I had not seen before. She encouraged me to start playing with it and see if I liked it. I'm always trying to learn new things all the time. Polymer clay is a nice material that you can actually work with.”
Q: What inspires you?
A: I think a lot has to do with my Greek heritage. I have a lot of things in my head so I think my background gives me a lot of inspiration but I can get ideas from everything, especially nature. I love bold colors - I like black and white, they give you a lot of flexibility but I like bold statement colors. I like creating my own colors and pieces - colors that I cannot even describe. People see items, I see colors! Apparently, I’ve always had an eye for color, I don’t even think about it. When I am creating my own colors it just feels right to me.
Q: How does living in Arizona inspire your work?
A: Because I relocated from California and did not know many people in the beginning, I spent a lot of time perfecting my craft at home in my studio - then it was my kitchen countertop! Fast forward to today, I am happy because I am a part of Ocotillo Artist Group, which is a talented group of artists in Chandler, Ariz. and we organize a lot of outdoor and indoor events to promote local talent. I also promote some of my jewelry pieces in a gallery in Bisbee, Ariz. and my homebase is a clothing boutique in Chandler, Ariz, called Judy Wear Boutique where I sell my jewelry and compliment the boutique’s apparel.
Q: Who do you design for?
A: I design for women who embrace what makes them different and aren’t afraid to show it. They have a distinct sense of style and want what they wear to reflect their personality, not follow the crowd. They’re drawn to pieces they can make their own, express themselves through, and wear in a way that feels uniquely theirs. They don’t shy away from stepping outside the box, they embrace it.
Shop Asi's designs at www.designsbyasi.com