Nan Roche is a name you probably know if you’ve been working in polymer very long. Nan was an early force in shaping our community and her book, The New Clay, published in 1991, is widely recognized as the book that launched thousands of artists.

Here are the recent creations that she brought to Colorado. All show a distinctive Asian influence.

Only now after retiring from her career in research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is she able to consider being a full-time artist. She’s spending more time online (though she doesn’t have much of a presence) and approaching her studio with the same trepidation and concerns that most of us feel during periods of change.

What led her to write her successful book and does she have another book in her? I sat down with her in Colorado and you can meet her and hear her answers in a video of our chat in this Saturday’s edition of StudioMojo.