In the "Bake and Bend" section of Naama Zamir's Israeli site, you'll find this simple and effective necklace design. The beads are two-sided circles bent in half and drilled.
While these beads were made with Sculpey's bake and bend clay, there's no reason it couldn't be done with other clays as well. A clever design to get your mind moving this Monday morning.
Let's finish out the week with a bit more sculpture, American style.
Utah's Lori Follett has an elegant, sensual series of sculptures and then there's her wacky, witty side (see the trophy wife). Her story's a good read too.
And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Katherine Dewey again. Jodi and Richard Creager's work (thanks to Christine Kozicke for the link) is simply stunning. I can't believe my eyes. Their sculpture is amazingly lifelike and engrossing.
If you've got the weekend to web surf, you can even take a look at the National Institute of American Doll Artists. I'm sure I've overlooked lots of polymer clay sculptors. We'll revisit that side of the craft from time to time.
So that's what envy looks like! Visit Chicago sculptor Jill Willich's site to view all sorts of faeries, goblins and polymer clay sculpture.
You won't want to miss the spoon doll tutorials…scroll way down the page for the complete effect. Jill makes the process look easy (the mark of a professional) and tempting to try.
This week's illustrators and sculptors remind us that polymer clay isn't just for jewelry and purses and frames. There are many creatures waiting to emerge from the clay.
Thanks to Alisa for the link!
It's hump day….bliss out by taking a look at French illustrator, Sylvie Perrin who uses polymer clay to make fresh, witty scenes.
It's fun to compare cultures reflected in the Japanese sites from the post a few days ago to the French today to New York's Marcia Rocha (well actually, she's from Brazil) from a few months back.
The French site of illustrator Sylvie Perrin (aka Queen of Clay) shows characters and scenes that come alive with humor and a finely honed craft.
The tip comes from Véronique H. whose site is also a treat.
If you're challenging yourself to look beyond an altoids box, a votive or a frame to cover with polymer clay, take a look at this site for ideas.
Somehow I don't see the bugs attacking the cucumbers in my garden as benignly as Denise Baldwin sees her critters.
Her polymer clay bugs, beetles, crabs and snails and have personality and charm. Take a look.
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East Vancouver photographer June Hunter transfers her closeups of flowers to polymer clay with stunning results. Hunter's close-ups are so extreme that flowers become dramatic abstracts. She's been experimenting with transfers to a variety of media – tiles, polymer, shell, fabric.
Be sure to look at the .pdf file of her pendants and read the stories of the things she notices "on the way to the compost." This reminds us to be vigilant and look closely at the beauty around us.
Like a breath of fresh air, these inspirations will start your week off right…thanks to Susan Rose's tip.
I guess it's the week for unusual treatments. Susan Waddington paints dogs onto polymer bases and fashions them into pins and pendants. With so many dog afficianados and Susan's skill, I'm sure she does a brisk business.
I'm remembering repeating over and over to customers, "It's not painted, it's a polymer cane." And now Susan comes along and confuses the issue…by golly, it IS painted.
Thanks to Merrie60@aol.com for the link. How did it get to be Friday? Have a great weekend.
There's a big contingent of artists in Japan who are using polymer clay for anime-like characters. The work is finely crafted and very cartoon-like. The whole movement is baffling to my very western mind and I'd love for someone to explain it more fully. It was Kiwis Belgium site that led me to Japan. Visit these sites and prepare to be intrigued.
I was in Israel cruising through Iris Mishly's site which has a huge gallery of work of both Iris and her students. I love her embellished Crocs clogs (see at right).
Iris' site linked me to a stash of Donna Kato and friends work at Flickr.
It was nice to have a Tuesday off to just wander and surf the web. Summertime…and the livin' is easy.
This work of Ruth Anne and Michael Grove, a husband and wife collaborative team from California, reminds me of fireworks. Unfortunately they've left the business, sold their fabulous equipment and moved on to other pursuits.
You can still see their work in the 1995 book entitled "Five Artists-Five Directions" and we are indebted to Ruth Anne and Michael for many of the ideas in vogue today. Their work is also in the permanent collection of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum.
Have a Happy Fourth!
