I’m digesting the ideas and information from the Synergy conference and may be rolling out new materials for weeks.
These new polymer clay earrings by Judy Kuskin were jaw-dropping (to use Ponsawan’s terms). By the time I got back to the gallery to buy some, she had sold out.
Don’t they remind you of the primitive ones by Philadelphia Perishables we looked at a few months back? There must be a tribal trend in the air.
Seeing Katherine Dewey’s work up close was stunning too. The detail and the power of this “Family Tree” piece was amazing.
The slides from my speech are available here. You may be able to glean some Synergy excitement and ideas just from following along.
I don’t know much about Massachusetts’ polymer clay/mixed media sculptor Max Payne but I love this slide show about her. It makes me want to poke around in her studio and rummage through her shelves of work.
Her sculptures are based on archetypes of myths and legends of the world. They represent “humans’ place in the world,” and she said, “we are a part of it, not the only thing.” Some of the sculptures convey this theme because they have human bodies with various animal heads.
In the midst of today’s hustle and bustle, it’s comforting to come across this quiet, thoughtful art. Here’s a little more about her.
Arizona’s Jill Penney (scroll way down that page) is a pop surrealist doll artist who makes polymer clay dolls that are part punk, part comic book, part anime, slightly deviant…what’s being called low-brow art.
The style has roots in tatoos and graffiti and is wildly popular on the west coast. When a pop surrealist gallery opened up in our midwest town with Penney’s dolls, I went to see what I could learn.
The craftsmanship in Penney’s dolls is impressive and her aesthetic fits perfectly in this gallery of like-minded artists. Her sassy waif-like dolls beg to be played with but their pricetags place them well beyond toy status. The blending of toys and art takes a bit of getting used to. Several serious young collectors were comparing their pricey acquisitions. The buzz reminded me of the early days of outsider art. It’s nice to see fine polymer clay art in the middle of this growing genre.
Ohio’s Amy Wallace mixes polymer clay and fabrics too (check Dayle Doroshow’s work from yesterday). Amy’s signature piece is her “stacker” bead which combines coils of patterned polymer strips.
Heavily influenced by fabrics, Amy’s focuses much of her work on buttons and she does them well.
If you’ve ever been tempted to try a coiled fabric basket, check out Amy’s recent HGTV segment. She makes it look so simple!
Yes, of course she’s got an Etsy site and some Flickr fun stuff. For more fabulous fabric treats, spend some time looking at Marimekko’s spring collection. Have a fun weekend.
Chicago polymer clay artist Dan Crowley loves characters. His favorites are his “Lady” characters which are loosely based on his aunts. Each face is made up of at least 18 pieces of clay.
Inspired by puppeteers like Jim Henson and Bill Baird, Dan began sculpting heads and finger puppets in 1992. His creations have grown in scale and complexity. His Christmas windows for Tiffany & CO won awards and his sculpted “Character Shoes” for Stuart Weitzman shoe stores have been a hit from Madison Avenue to Rodeo Drive.
I love the idea of sculpting heads onto small wood mannequins as Dan has done here with the Rolling Stones. There’s wonderful work on his site. Don’t miss his shoes, his puppets, and his characters. Some of his links aren’t working but it’s worth the wandering around.
Many thanks to another character expert, Maureen Carlson, for sending the link.
I hadn’t visited Arizona’s Richard and Jodi Creager’s site for a while when I bumped into their polymer clay sculptures on their EBay page.
Richard and Jodi have been designing dolls together as a team since 1979. They produce 10-15 dolls a year. You’ll immediately understand why their works are in private and museum collections across the country. The detail in their collaborative figures is breathtaking.
This was one of their special Holiday Dahlia Darkling offerings. The Creagers say of their work, “To be able to create a human form, an image, a personality…to be able to express what you have inside and put into form your mind’s and heart’s vision, and to stir emotion in someone … all from a piece of clay… this is our True Joy in Life”
I pulled these lovely polymer clay pieces from my stash of items saved for use during the holidays. But I neglected to name them properly so I can’t link them or identify the artists (one identified, one to go).
I love the elfish character speeding downhill. And the Christmas tree pin design (Kim Korringa’s!) was so simple and appealing that I just had to share it.
Enjoy these tidbits while I wrap your present. If you know the creator of the skiier, let me know and I’ll link you to the rest of his/her works.
Come back tomorrow to see what’s under the tree.
This polymer clay figure called “Frozen Slumber” could have been found in my snowy sparkly front yard. It’s one of many magical figures by Georgia artist Michelle Bradshaw.
Her world is filled with faeries and pixies; mermaids and selkies; dryads and dragons often so small they could fit into the palm of your hand.
Bradshaw has a remarkable imagination matched by accomplished sculpting skills. Look at the Julia Roberts likeness and the hunky men! Have a magical weekend.
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