Mystery in twelve parts

Olga Perova's patterns zig and zag around this vase on PolymerClayDaily.com

Perth, Australia’s Olga Perova showed this 7″x11″ polymer vase in the Wanaroo Arts Awards exhibit.

She is drawn to vessel shapes and bargello-like patterns. Here she combines both favorites, lining up multicolored patterns in a most meticulous way.

By my count, there are twelve segments to this piece. Can you imagine applying all those strips of clay? It seems too textural to be a cane. It is baffling.

Look more closely on Facebook and Instagram.

Last minute creations

Kathy Koontz' handy magnetic and easy vases for last-minute gifts on PolymerClayDaily.com

South Carolina’s Kathy Koontz (Flowertown_Originals) reminds us that there’s still time to make a gift or two like these small magnetic vases that would look so pretty on a fridge or a wall.

“The leaf imprint was done by pressing some leaves from my lantana bush into the clay before curing and then highlighting the design with white paint. Simple and minimalist,” she says.

Kathy offers polymer covered seam rippers, crochet hooks, and buttons among the items on her Etsy shop.

It’s faster (and more fun) to create something at home than it is to get caught up in the holiday shopping crowds.

Slow show, new work

La Perle Rouge found a new way to work at a slow show on PolymerClayDaily

France’s La Perle Rouge admits in a post that one of her shows was not well attended so she kept herself busy making canes and visiting nearby thrift stores.

Voila! A new way of working!

Unleashed from her usual setting, she sliced thick cane pieces and formed them into cuplike shapes that she arranged on the thrift shop finds. The results have a happy and unconstrained look.

We could use your help with the artist’s name which we couldn’t find on either the La Perle Bijoux site or Facebook page.

Thanks to PCD reader Aims Abson for the link!

Pour yourself a cup of energetic polymer

Energetic polymer to start your day from Yehudit Yitzhaki on PolymerClayDaily.com

This over-the-top covered ceramic teapot is from Israel’s Yehudit Yitzhak. What kind of mood do you have to be in to create a piece like this? And how many canes must you have at your fingertips?

Her works are full of energy and colors that require sunglasses. Way to start a Tuesday!

If you could use a shot of energy, go look at all her works on Flickr.

Flower pot

Arieta Stavridou makes an unusual flower pot on PolymerClayDaily.com

Arieta Stavridou’s polymer-covered teapot moves away from the usual cane-slice covered pot and turns toward sculpture. Her son has dubbed it a Flower Pot.

See this pot from all vantage points on Facebook and enjoy her whole stash of teapots on her BigFish page.

Carefree and Seuss-like

Joey Barnes makes carefree a catching concept on PolymerClayDaily

This wonky, carefree vessel was built over a wooden form and has a bright red interior. The Dr. Seuss-like form is from Texas’ Joey Barnes and its carefree attitude made it a hit in the conference auction. Examine Joey’s whimsical piece on Instagram and Facebook.

After a long drive home I’m reinvigorated and back on schedule. A few days of playing and experimenting can wake you up and move you in surprising directions. PCD is back!

 

Flowers with a snug fit

Lisa Haney's flower box holds treasure securely on PolymerClayDaily.com

Another Clayathon find. This small treasure box is from Virginia’s Lisa Haney. Her Skinner blended flowers stand out in colorful relief on the dark blue background and are highlighted with paint.

Lisa Haney's flower box holds treasure securely on PolymerClayDaily.com

Look inside and you’ll see the flowers repeated there.

Lisa is proud of the way the lid seals tightly on the all-polymer container. No loose lid here!

Lisa’s mostly on Facebook and Pinterest where she gravitates to 3D vessels and floral scenes.

Budding vase

Phyllis Pollema Cahill's vase moves us to spring on PolymerClayDaily.com

This lily bud from Colorado’s Phyllis Pollema Cahill hints at spring. Dark veins cut through the Skinner blended green and lavender petals.

Phyllis spent years as an illustrator which helps explain her thorough planning and construction of this vase. She’s also been trying out her carving skills on this necklace from her Symmetry/Asymmetry online class with Christine Dumont and Donna Greenberg.

Phyllis carefully documents her technique and product experiments on her blog which contains lots of DIY tips and solutions.

Phyllis shows she’s ready for a new season. Watch her bloom on Facebook and Instagram.

AiryBeasts

Brooke Duckart merges a love of characters and airplants on PolymerClayDaily.com

This lot of AiryBEASTS from Oregon’s Brooke Duckart has already sold out and there will be a new batch on Etsy on February 4.

Brooke works at a stop-motion animation studio in Portland and has a head full of characters which sometimes emerge as AiryBEASTS, small containers for air plants. You can see what she’s up to on Instagram.

Brooke Duckart merges a love of characters and airplants on PolymerClayDaily.com

I just discovered that Claire Maunsell will be teaching her Artisanal Polymer Bangles on Craftcast today (Wednesday, January 31). Claire approaches clay from a background in glass so her methods feel very different and she’s forever finding some stunning new surface techniques. Catch her if you can or add the recorded class to your library.