About Me

Hi, I'm Kirsten Miller and I'm a polymer clay artist specialising in small animal sculptures. I started Quernus Crafts in 2009 after leaving behind a 15 year career in law. Yes, it is quite a career change! You can read more about my journey in this interview for Lady Lock Designs. And if you want to read the more indepth and personal story and the transition from lawyer to artist, read my article for The Real Us blog.

Since then, literally thousands of wee creatures have appeared! The wee creatures keep evolving, and there are simply not enough hours in the day to make all the ideas I have floating about in my head! 

The first design I came up with was the Pigling, still one of my favourite wee creatures. I had so much fun playing with ideas and trying out various techniques using polymer clay -it is the most versatile material I've ever worked with, and there's still so much more I have to learn about it.

One of the best things about what I do is that the wee creatures make people happy. They have a spark of life about them that I can't explain, but it makes each one unique and very special, with their own personality. Early in 2016, I created a group on Facebook called Quernoholics Anonymouse for all people who have been following and collecting the wee creatures over the years - it's a great place to hang out!

For the first seven years, I worked from home in a partitioned off part of the dining room, but in the summer of 2016, I moved into new workshop premises in Rochdale. You can read more about the move here. I now work in a lovely workshop in Milnrow, just a few miles from home. 

I originally come from Scotland, and moved to England in 1998. One day I might head back to the Homeland, but for now, Lancashire is a fine place to be, and I've met many wonderful, creative people down here. 

As well as wee creatures, I also love to sing, and I love to sing Renaissance polyphony in particular (as you do). I have recently set up a choir called Vox Pura Singers, so that keeps me busy when I'm not making wee creatures!

In January 2014, I adopted an elderly rescue dog called Zeus, a lovely, Staffie/lab cross, who faithfully kept me company until November 2017. I miss him every day, but I'm very glad we ended up together, and this video I took of him shortly after he came to live me always makes me smile :)