Here’s Sandra McCaw’s piece from the ACRE show postcard. Judy Belcher’s new work for the show includes pieces that spin and turn (at right). Barb Fajardo says she’ll be there as a visiting artist.
Whining about photo size yesterday paid off with these photo contributions.
On Karen Park’s Art and Tea site look at the pictures from Laurie Mika’s workshop. They’ll put you in the mood to learn something new this spring.
Don’t you love the way Laurie has mounted her pieces on the wall? Karen’s pagoda mosaic reflects her tastes perfectly. Have a perfect weekend.
Judy Dunn’s been preparing for the ACRE (American Craft Retailers Expo, the trade show for Wholesalecrafts.com) show in Las Vegas in April. Doesn’t her necklace go well with PCDaily’s site colors?
Thumbing through the list of ACRE artists, I came across a number of other polymer clay artists who will be in the show. Some of them like Tish Collins and Joyce Fritz (see the bug) have almost none of their work on the web.
Judy Belcher has a bit and you can also visit Gwen Pina’s site. Meisha Barbee, Lindly Haunani and Sandra McCaw will be sharing an NPCG-sponsored booth there as well.
It’s fun to browse through the ACRE site even though the pictures are frustratingly small. Let me know if you find any artists I missed.
By the end of last week, you could spot Meisha Barbee’s work on the neck of many Synergy shoppers. She combines simple canes and soothing colors in graphic ways with subtle textures woven in. The modern minimalist design continues through her findings. The harmony and detail in these pieces make them very pleasing to wear.
Since Meisha has no web site (her studio and shop are in the Spanish Village Art Center in San Diego, CA), I’ve assembled a few pictures here. Her brothers are glass artists and they urged her to enter her work in the Niche competition which she and Loretta Lam won earlier this month. Have yourself a winning weekend.
Last week during Synergy I flew past the 700 booths in the Baltimore American Craft Council show with no time to photograph polymer clay work from more familiar artists like Louise Fischer Cozzi, Kathleen Dustin, Mary Filapek, Ford/Forlano, Karyn Kozak, Sue Fleischer, Karin Noyes.
It’s difficult to attend a conference, report and shop at the same time. I tried to stop only at artists you might not otherwise see.
| Virginia’s Wiwat Kamolpornwijit and Wisconsin’s Susan Dyer allowed me to photograph a sampling of their work. You may not be familiar with them and Susan has no web site. Ponsawan Sila is a friend of Wiwat’s and assisted him in his booth. |
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There’s more coverage of the Synergy conference over at the fun blog, Art and Tea.
Perhaps the best view of the Synergy conference is from the newer polymer clay artists who were there. Cynthia Blanton continues to post pictures and her impressions. Ponsawan dropped her jaw repeatedly. “I am happy to be here among all other fine artists. The first time in 26 years living in this country, I felt I belong,” she says.
Lisa Clarke (aka Polka Dot Creations) gives a great glimpse of what she experienced.
Lisa’s a self-described “wife, mother and geek” who sells various products, publications and her own artwork on an assortment of sites. She has an impeccable color sense and creates buttons to embellish trendy fabrics and handmade items. Lisa seemed astonished when I told her that I’d been following her charming blog closely.
Be sure to see Lisa’s photo of the international attendees at the Synergy conference. We’ll soon put names to all those faces for you. I’m worn out from the long drive home and still riding high on the positive response that my keynote address received at the banquet. And I can’t miss the Oscars!
If you have any good vibes lying around, send them my way. My camera is resting under a chair in a convention hall classroom. With any luck (and your spare karma) it will be there in the morning and you’ll get your post…just a bit late.
Word is that the male polymer clay artists have dreamed up their own event, billing themselves as the “Clay Hunks.” They’re overwhelmed by our estrogen-laden atmosphere and long for something manly with more power tools.
Found the camera. Thanks. Here are a couple of quick pictures. Susan Lomuto and I are posting hurriedly from the coffee shop. The chic pendant above is from Maggie Maggio. The pin is from Linda Loew who’s new to polymer clay. I like the way it uses rough clay to good effect (similar to the European guild post the other day). 
And here’s a pile of business cards from Laura Tabakman onto which she’s glued a thin textured piece of clay stamped with her web address. On the opposite side is her normal business card. Very clever, very effective.
Cynthia Blanton gives a great update on the conference if you’d like to follow along.
Polymer clay artists from around the world are on their way to Synergy in Baltimore. England’s Carol Blackburn sent these pictures of her colorful, cheery bowls that will be offered in the silent auction.
Israel’s Iris Mishly shopped ’til she dropped in NYC and is blogging about it as she rubs her feet and prepares for the flight to Baltimore. Browse her Flickr photos from the comfort of your home. 
Germany’s Bettina Welker blogs about a layover in Cincinnati that she’s dreading. Wish I could make her brief stay in Ohio more pleasant.
Melanie West is unveiling a great new bangle design that she’ll be selling and Martha Aleo has pictures of the bracelets she’s added to the auction.
Check in with PCDaily to attend the conference virtually. I’m gathering all my techno gear, cameras and batteries to keep you in touch with the action.
LAST MINUTE DONATIONS: Bring an auction item with you to the conference. There’s still time! Simply fill out this form and present the item at your check-in (there are forms at the desk as well).
Three polymer clay artists who have never done a major wholesale show have been chosen by the NPCG to share a booth free of charge at the American Craft Retailers Expo in Las Vegas next April.
California’s Meisha Barbee (right), Washington’s Julia Sober, and New Hampshire’s Sandra McCaw (left) were chosen from a large slate of entrants. Thanks to Judy Dunn who headed up the process for NPCG.
Slow internet connection tonight…oh my, you folks with dialup are a patient lot. More news tomorrow.
Here’s Sandra McCaw’s piece from the ACRE show postcard. Judy Belcher’s new work for the show includes pieces that spin and turn (at right). Barb Fajardo says she’ll be there as a visiting artist.
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