Polymer Clay Daily

Milner’s shifting geometry

Kylee Milner's autumn disk necklace

Need more Synergy? Try Heather Campbell’s site, Libby Mills’ or Julie Eakes‘ blogs and Kelly Russell’s site. Maureen Carlson commented yesterday and brought up issues to think about in the polymer versus polymer clay debate. Leave your thoughts and I’ll try to pick up the thread soon.

I’m going to let the topic rest for a few days as I pack for a month-long trip out west and prepare to take this show on the road.

winters_ifil_beads

The necklace at the left from France’s Kylee Milner (Bijoux and Banter) popped up as I was catching up on research. Polymer disks bump up against one another to form a shifting geometry amid the play of autumn reds.

This just in…

Elise Winters writes that while her jewelry’s debut on the fashion runways was exciting, it was, “…nowhere near as thrilling as seeing Gwen Ifill wearing my teal lattice rope necklace on the PBS news hour tonight.”

Synthesizing Synergy2

Janet Pitcher's polymer and filigree necklace

It’s taken me a couple of days to process what I heard at Synergy and boil it down to bullets. These are my takeaway points:

  • We are emerging from the polymer ghetto and crossing over into broader participation in the art world
  • We are making closer alliances with important advocates – museums and academic institutions among them
  • Mash-ups of media are commonplace and these collaborations signal an acceptance of polymer
  • Media tools bring our art in front of a wide audience
  • Many artists are working in polymer which is raising the bar
  • Calling our art “polymer” and dropping “clay” is becoming the most favored description and avoids confusion with ceramics

I’ll try to elaborate on these themes and share some of the techniques presented in future posts. You can sense the participants’ energy and excitement in this album of snapshots that I’ve assembled.

Janet Pitcher wore her new polymer and filigree design shown here at one event and I didn’t want you to miss it.

Weekend treasury from Synergy

Alex Pier's extruded polymer pendant
Carol Blackburn's polymer mobius strips
Kay Dever models a Jeff Dever assemblage
Laura Tabakman's stacked disks
Melanie West's brooch/creature
Jeanette Kandray shows no fear with her diva bangle
Updated mokume from Barbara McGuire
David Vanover wears a beret and a Belcher pin
Judy Belcher's dimensional pin/sculpture

The last night festivities at Synergy and the trip home left me both exhilarated and exhausted. Here’s a treasury of snapshots to delight you while I sort through my pictures and wash some laundry. More debriefing tomorrow.