Rio Sumalinog is a polymer clay artist who creates nature and abstract-inspired jewelry pieces. Besides being a registered nurse and former retail professional, she established Charms and Clay in 2021. She shared that back then, one of her TikTok videos boomed on the platform, and her sales started to rise. 

Rio also believes that expanding your networks through different social media platforms is a must, for it is free and won't cost you anything while still being able to reach people. When it comes to the clay industry, you can do a lot of things, and as the polymer clay artist that she is, she said that there are different categories like food, and people will really ask for it. They will request variations that are not your branding, so you should stick to your brand and identity for her. That brand and identity will let you focus and won't let you get lost in the process, for it will make an identity for yourself as well.

She also said that she does ordinary things in extraordinary ways to achieve exceptional results. According to her, all artists have their own processes and routines when creating art. Basically, with her, she starts to mold the clay and then polishes them thoroughly before assembling them into a polymer clay accessory. Whenever she skips a step, that's when she sees that something is lacking in her artwork. 

These things that she does may seem ordinary, and when you think about it, they're simply part of her routine but what makes it extraordinary is when she still manages to accomplish these tasks even when she doesn't feel like doing them. To Rio, incredible things are not only for passion and love for your craft, but it is taking great care in your daily routine and completing it even if you don't feel like it.

As an artist, she sometimes gets demotivated and does not feel inspired because of some external factors, and that's where the question "how do you make your artwork extraordinary." Rio's tip to the young artists who want to build their own brand is to create an identity for themselves and their brand because that is what people will remember, and that is what you will be known for. In the future, Rio wants to open a boutique studio where she can share her knowledge with other artists. Share to other artists that you need to take great care in your daily routine besides sticking with your brand. Accomplishing your art even in times when you get demotivated.