by Cynthia Tinapple on September 20, 2011 · 13 comments
The once-snubbed material is making a grand entrance in the art world, thanks to one woman’s vision and drive.
That’s the tag line for polymer’s coming out story in American Craft Magazine this month and you can read the whole article here.
Written by Monica Moses it celebrates the efforts of Elise Winters and a host of artists who have muscled their way into museums by demonstrating the power of polymer. The pieces chosen for this article were drawn from the upcoming RAM exhibit and you can sneak a mouthwatering peek at the catalog.
Smaller chunks of the collection Elise gathered have gone to the Philadelphia Museum of Art; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Newark Museum; and the Mingei International Museum in San Diego.
As Elise’s husband Woody says, “We’re stepping on the surface of a new world, just beginning an artistic exploration of a medium that will reveal itself for decades to come.” Read all his comments on the PolymerArtArchive blog.
by Cynthia Tinapple on September 19, 2011 · 8 comments
Artists are testing the limits of Kato clay. This bangle from Laurie Prophater is constructed of thin strings of copper colored Kato that have been wound decoratively around a pop can and embellished with pearls on wire. I was surprised at its strength…and beauty. Laurie links to design sites on her blog. If you want to see her personal work, you’ll have to go to her Flickr pix.
Rebecca Watkins built a strong faux wood prototype bangle out of intertwined extruded triangular strings of Kato. She brushed it with dark metallic powder and sanded off the excess. Her minimalist approach is very appealing.
I can’t believe I’m uploading to the blog mid-air on my flight home from Denver. Southwest offers wifi for $5! By creating an in-flight post I can avoid testing the limits of my marriage by heading straight for the computer when I get home.
by Cynthia Tinapple on September 16, 2011 · 6 comments
When Laurel Swetnam wore this study of polymer cone shapes the other day you couldn’t miss the movement of the shapes and vibrancy of the colors against her blue shirt. The oranges and yellows added an unexpected pop.
Mystery and surprise in our work have been a topic of conversation that we’ll explore on PCD as soon as I get home and get settled.
Laurel’s a Portland artist who’s delving into color studies. You may recognize this design from Maggie and Lindly’s book and Laurel’s taken it in a direction that’s entirely her own. Laurel shyly admitted that she’d put a few of her works online so you must visit and welcome her. (Mari was bowled over with your visits and kind comments yesterday.)
I’m missing all of you and will be happy to return to my daily ritual of scrolling through what’s new in your art world. I hope your weekend offers a bit of mystery and surprise.
by Cynthia Tinapple on September 15, 2011 · 16 comments
A brand new site from Maryland’s Mari O’Dell fills in nicely while the Colorado network taunts us with an intermittent signal.
Mari extrudes polymer with an Asian influence to create a great selection of jewelry, treasure boxes and beloved bowls. After 30 years as a public school teacher and travels around the world, she’s settled into teaching and creating with polymer in her treehouse studio.
The quote that guides her is, “To the wise, life is a festival.”
Do a happy dance for this terrific polymer artist who joins the online community.
