Faster, higher, stronger polymer

Olympics

Someone had to polymerize the Olympics, right? The gold medal goes to Croatia’s Nikolina Otrzan and her Citius, Altius, Fortius necklace. That’s the Olympic motto – Faster, Higher, Stronger.

Nikolina’s polymer rings are colored with chalks, sealed with a glossy coating, and joined with large jump rings.

She’s also been perfecting her writing on polymer, hiding messages in her graphic designs for pendants. Browse around her Flickr and her Etsy sites and enjoy an Olympic weekend.

Chalks and inks

Virginia dentist, Page McNall rolled out a sheet of ecru polymer and added a few scrap clay pieces made using Maggie Maggio’s watercolor technique.

Then she colored the flat surface with alcohol inks and liquid chalks, textured it and embedded Mykonos ceramic beads for accent. She calls the resulting polymer assemblage Currents.

From this flat sheet, Page cut out pleasing shapes that became brooches and pendants. These two she calls Faux Stone Dentates (tooth-like, of course).

Her soft painterly chalks and inks are deftly applied. Page’s beautiful results may have you heading back to your inks to try again.

Bushari’s chalk and polymer

When I first met Hilla Bushari several years ago at a guild meeting, I saw a sparkle in her eyes when she talked about polymer clay. Hilla started her journey in the crafts world as an art teacher. Over the years she experimented with various materials until she was taken over by polymer clay eight years ago.

She made polymer clay her profession three years ago after studying, taking classes with local and international teachers, and experimenting with materials, colors and designs.

Hilla works most mornings while listening to the radio, surprisingly not music but chit-chats. Sometimes, when the muse strikes, she can sneak back to the table late at night to create something new or to give a final touch to a previously made project.

Still searching for her path and personal voice and developing some marketing skills, Hilla is proud of her millefiori cane work, made in a technique she developed. Her Pandora beads are very popular in Etsy and her special stamping and chalk work is a color dance for the eye.

guest post fromĀ Iris Mishly

Chalk magic

Israeli polymer artist Tania Poldoleanu has a way with chalks and acrylics. The soft washes of color paired with graphic patterns give her beads an ancient-meets-modern look. Her Flickr pages give you the most comprehensive look at her work.

Thanks to Lindly Haunani for the link. She’s posted some particularly colorful info lately.

My excuse

This vacation picture shows why I’ve backed away from the computer this week. Talk amongst yourselves.