Online photo galleries give us the added benefit of tracking how a polymer clay artist’s work is developing. I was startled by the changes in Austria’s Bettina Mertz’ work.
Her June class with Sarah Shriver must have struck a chord and her work became much more detailed and controlled. Next she shows crocheted beads where again she takes to the technique with ease.
Bettina’s combination of new skills are helping her find her voice that shines through her new pieces. Her "blackberry" beads are crocheted combinations of polymer and seed beads that look just like their name. Her polymer clay sand beads are shown here. Her earlier work is shown on her guild’s site here.
Sharon Sahl, formerly of Ohio and now from Washington, has added her 2007 line of polymer clay ornaments to her web site enabling her Ohio collectors to get their annual fix of her charming and precise works. 
Sharon’s added a couple of interesting demos. If you scroll down her demo page you’ll see an example of her process for a cathedral windows quilt and witness Sharon’s legendary attention to detail. Be sure to browse the gingerbread houses section.
Italy’s Bernard Stimpfl-Abele shows some high style polymer clay rings on his gallery site complete with his working drawings. Stimpfl-Abele’s work is a collision of organic and surreal in the vein of Peter Chang, Wendy Malinow and Ford/Forlano.
It’s a type of design in polymer clay that’s gaining momentum. Food for thought and a feast for the eyes.
I’m sorting my conference pictures and notes and will share them later this week.
No better way to start your week than with a look at these new polymer clay purses from Kathleen Dustin. (Click on each one.) Her "voluptuous vegetables" signal a move on from Dustin’s layered transluscent women and more recent boar bristle series. These new species made me gasp with awe and admiration.
Thanks for the pictures go to super friend Hollie Mion who tracked down Kathleen at the Ann Arbor, MI arts festival. I’ve included a few larger images of her works and her display.
France’s Cristalline signed into the guest book with this polymer clay roses necklace. It’s a bountiful botanical piece that combines crystals, wire, seed beeds and polymer into a virtual garden.
It will take a diva to wear this lovely sumptuous piece.
The English translation of her blog isn’t really helpful but the pictures are explanation enough. I particularly enjoyed Cristalline’s tutorials…no English translation necessary. Thanks for getting our week off to a rosey start.
These hot summer days have made me lazy and my polymer clay research has consisted of thumbing through the guestbook and clicking artist links to see who’s showing new work. While these names may be familiar, their new work is not.
Judy Dunn has a whole page of new feathery and soft shapes that she’s calling "Organic Chemistry."
I’m still pondering faces and self-portraits and thought the face pin that Julie Picarello dropped in the guestbook was worth a second look. Simple and bright mokume gane faces. Have a lovely lazy weekend.
Some polymer clay floral morsels for your Monday morning from Barbara Fajardo’s blog. You’ll have to scroll to the bottom of her page to see this New Mexican artist’s newest works. She says she got a bit carried away with the paint.
We’re seeing a nice revival of 3-D designs with surprising textures and delightful twists.
Barbara has also published her "rules to live by" in her polymer clay life. It’s worth reading. Her commercial site is located here.
Another look at Turkish artist Alev Gözonar’s new works can invigorate us this Friday. She takes a bold, self-possessed approach to polymer clay in her art. It’s helpful for those of us who take a smaller, more self conscious view of our craft (myself included) to see this display. Sometimes it takes another culture’s perspective to shake our preconceived notions.
Alev says, "I want to make art that is new and accessible in order to reach a wider public." Have a bold weekend.
Off the Hook
NPCG show coordinator Diane Villano responded to yesterday’s concern about the web publishing of works that might be entered in the Progress and Possibilities show. Says show coordinator Diane, "Previously published means in print format, i.e., magazine, book, etc. Images mounted on web sites are perfectly okay to submit to the exhibit."
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