About the Artist:
Before devoting full time to creating unique and aesthetic functional crafts and works of art, Lesley Magaril DeLia, the artisan behind “Down the Road Designs”, practiced law for over 35 years as a staff attorney and ultimately as the Executive Director of a Statewide public interest legal services program serving individuals struggling with mental health challenges.

She took her first painting class at the Art League of Long Island in the mid-1980s and subsequently studied painting privately with a local artist. During those years she reminded herself often that “down the road” she could someday retire and paint full time, satisfied that on her journey she had had used the power of the law to help make the world a better place. One day during these busy years juggling family and career, she became fascinated watching an accomplished polymer clay artist create a polymer clay cane. She left her friend’s studio that day with some spare clay and tools and started to experiment with polymer. She was immediately seduced by this remarkable, versatile medium and set to work to understand its behavior and all of its unique properties.

Lesley retired from the practice of law in 2014 and is finally “down the road”. She refers to her current work as “claynting” … painting with polymer clay.