Bead and Button Classes

There are some great polymer clay classes listed during the June Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee. The picture at the left shows a sample from Nan Roche’s extrusion class. Other teachers include Celie Fago, Christi Friesen, Diane Villano, Jackie Truty, Lindly Haunani, Lisa Pavelka, Kim O’Neill, Julia Sober and Pat Kimle.

I was looking for a class that would teach me how to construct those bountiful bracelets from yesterday’s posting. But they’re filled already! Book your classes online now.

Finger Weaving

Perhaps it's because my knotting, knitting, and weaving skills suck that I'm so intrigued by the bountiful bracelets I've seen cropping up on sites like Janet Farris'. When I read "use a simple figure-8 finger-weaving technique…" it gives me hope. Could I possibly learn something new?

This technique makes very simple canes and beads look quite sumptuous. I'm jealous. The roses bracelet is by Cheryl Harris. Very springy!

Toops in Tucson

If you can get to Obsidian Gallery in Tucson before April 15, you’re in for a treat. Cynthia Toops is showing some of her new work with Chuck Domitrovich at the gallery. The meticulousness of her micro mosaic work and the brilliance of her designs are nothing short of spectacular.

There aren’t many pictures on Obsidian’s site…just enough to whet your appetite.

Or if you’re on the east coast during March, stop in at Mobilia Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts and see the newest works from Ford and Forlano.

For larger pictures of their latest works (plus lots of other wonderful jewelers’ works), visit the Bellagio Gallery in Asheville, North Carolina.

Spring on Glass

Klew has come up with luscious spring colors in polymer clay cane slices that she applies over glass beads. She also adds polymer embellishments to resin base beads (like these). Check out the ideas in her photo gallery.

Ronna Sarvas Weltman sent me a huge list of links and I think that’s where I found both today’s post and yesterday’s. If I’ve attributed this to the wrong person, let me know. Those photo gallery sites are such huge reservoirs of work that I’d never find these gems without you viewers. Thanks.

You may need sunglasses…

…for the eyepopping colors on Ronit Golan’s site.

It must be bright in Haifa, Israel where Rita and her students are fanatic cane makers. I’m fascinated by the color palettes of various cultures and climes.

This week I’m ready for color and spring and Ronit’s site is nothing if it’s not colorful. It’s Monday! Wake up and smell the polymer clay.

The Humble Bic Updated

Another example of simple and appealing polymer work comes from Denmark. Eva Eriksen’s pens add some interesting twists to the humble Bic…great texture, well-designed tops.

Her attention to detail and attempt to go a bit farther with the design results in a very successful project. Here’s a whole gallery of pen pictures sent to me by Jackie Sieben from a Polymer Clay Central group called Discussions from the Claypen.

Buessler Revisited

Here’s lovely simple design from Mike Buessler. Elizabeth Campbell at has a few of Mike’s pieces pictured on her site.

Mike has shifted his focus to music and left polymer behind. Our loss. He is a master at synthesizing concepts and reducing elements down to simple processes.

Back to Basics

I’m still collecting great "simple" polymer art. Here’s Helen Breil’s brooch which combines good color, surprising texture and great shape. Simple and very effective.

Her site contains more examples.

Readers have prompted me to make some clarifications and upgrades. I’ll be modifying the navigation to make the new photo gallery more prominent (that’s new and I wasn’t sure it would work…but it does).

Pingree is a mystery to some viewers. It was my initial posting made at the request of the Rocky Mountain group and it’s password protected because they’re shy. I’ll move it to a less prominent spot but I have to thank them for launching me.

Howard, the Italian Pongo man, added a clarification. First, Pongo is plasticene and it doesn’t harden. Second, Howard is from New York! The site is a stitch…even if it isn’t polymer and he isn’t Italian.

Your comments and tips are very important to me. Thanks and keep ’em coming.

Think young

I’m a great fan of what young designers are doing with polymer. Florida’s Heather Wynn shows us some terrific examples. Her transfers and mokume gane show a different way of applying and using the media.

Heather’s ideas are showcased nicely by her web site. I’m fond of the way she photographs her work…soft, from many angles, with uncomplicated backgrounds, a bit mysterious. Usually I have a bias against "flash" web sites and this one loads slowly. It’s worth the wait. Her polymer works are in galleries 2, 3, and 4. And thanks to Jan Norwood for the tip!

Class List

I’ve added a "classes" page to the navigation bar at the top of this page. It may not be comprehensive and I won’t try to keep up with all the beginner classes and guild events…those are covered elsewhere.

This list gathers the best professional-level classes that might otherwise get overlooked (like the Nan Roche class at Arrowmont and the Dan Cormier & Tracy Holmes new workshops). If you know of other similar events, send them along.

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