Dever at del Mano

My studio is under construction this week (see construction photos here). As long as I’m planning what I want it to look like, it’s a good time to think about readjusting this website as well.

Writing daily has become a comfortable habit but there are days when I fear I sound like an infomercial and I’ll bet you can predict what I’m going to say. Thousands of polymer clay blogs cover our craft. How can PolymerClayDaily continue to be of value to the community?

I’ll be rethinking content this week and I’d love your input. What are you hungry for on the web?

I can’t let your week begin with my whiny rant, however. Here’s a new piece from Jeff Dever who has an August show, Fiber Art Explored II, at LA’s del Mano gallery. These juicy new works should start your week on a high note.

Allard’s life is grand

Melanie Allard is an illustrator/sculptor/animator from Quebec. I was mesmerized by her “Life is Grand” animation (even though it’s probably plasticine). She uses plenty of polymer clay in her work. (Look under “bricolage” which translated to DIY!) Much of her site is in French so I’m guessing again. Here’s her Flickr site and more of her animated work.

Summer living has cut into my research time so I’m happy when artists write in as Melanie did, admiring and linking through to another artist’s work. A bit of summer serendipity.

Darker, rougher polymer art

Monday’s child is full of angst…or at least it appears that way. Here are two young male polymer clay artists, one from Canada and one from Israel, who like our art’s darker side.

Roy Ginat (fimoman) from Israel, based his small man-eating bird at the left on a character in a Hieronymus Bosch painting. The one at the right is a more contemporary monster.

Andrew McCaffrey from Edmonton, Alberta, follows mostly music groups, capturing the intense gestures and poses of his musical heroes in polymer. The muscular stances and intense facial expressions that he builds in his rough style are remarkable.

Both artists express passionate sentiments that may make the viewer uncomfortable. A Monday reminder that polymer clay is not just for pretty.

Thanks to Italy’s Leila Bidler for the link to Andrew McCaffrey.

Kramer’s art in relief

New York’s Pat Kramer says that working with polymer clay art lets her preserve fleeting feelings, "how it feels to see the first flower bloom after a very long winter" and remembering "how warm the sun feels on a crisp cold fall day."

Most of her work is sculptural or in relief as in this pin and tile (right). She began her career as a watercolorist and started selling her polymer clay art eight years ago. Her style is an enjoyable departure from many of the usual techniques. You can see more of her works on her Etsy gallery.

Thanks for the tip goes to super web surfer, Susan Lomuto.

King’s inventive portraits

“Endlessly inventive” is what some call Arkansas’ Jay King who makes polymer clay heads that are remixes of other faces and molds of found objects. The hybrid personalities and the accompanying descriptions act like a fun house mirror. You may find yourself peering intently, trying to figure out the strange reflections.

I was particularly tickled by this one, called “Multitasker”.

But Jay doesn’t stop at visual jokes and stories, he also has a rollicking audio podcast. For the full treatment, visit his Flickr page and his blog. I lost myself in his artwork and I’ve completely forgotten how I got here. If you sent me the link, remind me so that I can credit you.

Have a rollicking weekend.

Polymer squid and octopi

California’s Amy (aka SocietySedSo or BunnyXProductions) is taken with sea creatures and has created many jointed variations on this theme (including a zombie one and this gas-masked version) in many colors of polymer clay.

Her love of this species comes through in the color and detail she obviously enjoys adding to each tentacled necklace and squid pendant.

Amy’s in touch with her sunny side and makes graphic and flowery pendant designs as well.

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