Madrid’s Silvia Ortiz de la Torre is fascinated with shifting colors and patterns, from soap film to fractals. A look at her Flickr page shows you how she translates this fascination into polymer patterns. Polymer was made for artists like Silvia.
I’m mesmerized by these recent pieces. I can’t tell if they’re made from extruded blends or hand-built canes. The colors pop and the patterns play nicely with each other.
Friday Giveaway
My daughter’s visiting and she’s making me tidy my library. The brand new Art of Metal Clay, a beautiful revised and expanded book from Sherri Haab comes complete with a project DVD.
While there are several polymer and mixed media artists in it, this book deserves a good home with a metal clay artist. If metal clay rings your chimes, leave a comment and my daughter will draw a name on Monday. Have a lucky weekend.
m.e. ,
WOW ! Silvia’s flickr pages are a must see
Love,love ,love the way she combines colors!
A great way to start my weekend !
m.e. 🙂
Jeannie ,
WOW this just lifted me up. Silvia’s work is so exhilarating and high spirited.
Cynthia, I’m NO metal clay artist, but I do dabble. Who knows, maybe I just need the right book.
Enjoy your time with your daughter.
Sonja ,
Love your blog and all the artist you’re introducing to us, readers.
Silvia is making realy beautifull jewellry.
I’m reading all your posts but not commenting. This book made me do it 🙂 I’ve just ordered my first pack of silver clay, just could not resist any more 🙂
ClaymoreArt ,
Thanks for your generosity! My metal clay production is at a halt for now due to lack of a proper kiln – maybe this book will convince me to make the investiment???
Marjon ,
Wow this is giving me new inspiration!!! thank you!!!
Anna ,
colors full of life!
and yes, i’d like to participate in the draw :-))
claire maunsell ,
Another book? Yup – throw my name in the pot, please! I have been wanting to try bronze and copper clay since I found them…
Christine Kozicke ,
Pick me, Pick me !! Lovely
Janie ,
This looks like a book I need! Don’t know which of my addictions is worse; polymer or metal clay!
Janie Z.
Kathy Murray ,
Polymer Clay Daily is one of the first things I read every day. Thanks so much for all the great info.
Kathy M
Dot Winchell ,
Those beads are gorgeous!
Count me in for the book drawing. I have another of Sharri’s books, and it’s fantastic!
Susan O'Neill ,
The geometry of these and other pieces in Silvia’s Flickr stream are simply amazing! Great feature, Cynthia!
Shelley Wright ,
I just ordered my first clay metal tools and media and it should be here early next week. I have no idea if I will be successful at it, but I’m going to give it a go. Ever since I clicked ‘process order’ I have wondered if I got myself in over my head. Although I’m not a clay metal artist, yet, I hope to be. Perhaps a lovely book would be most helpful and I can say Silvia actually helped me get started! =) Your work is truly inspiring!!!
Norma ,
Thanks for your constant contribution to the clay world. I’ve been trying silver clay so please include me in the giveaway. Norma
Doreen ,
I would love to own a copy of this book! I have a kiln just sitting out in my garage waiting for me to become inspired! I have a feeling Sherri’s book would get me moving!
JL ,
This is funny, i am hoping to win this for my daughter! LOL! I got her interesting in Polymer last year, after she expressed an interest for several years in designing jewelry, now is learning about metal clay, PMC. I brought her Sherri Haab’s Art of Resin Jewelry a couple of years ago.
You have a great daughter to help you get organized! ~joanna
Sandra Dodson ,
I am just getting started using Metal Clay and would love the Sherri Haab book.
I have PCD set as my computer home page and check it out even before I have a
cup of coffee. Thanks for all the great inspiration.
Melanie ,
Silvia’s work is refreshing and fun!…enjoyed meandering through her Flickr… lots of inspiring work…I would love to get my hands on a copy of Sherri’s book as I am just starting to work in PMC… 🙂
Eva ,
Metal Clay is my new fascination. I’ve been scouring the web for all the info I can find. I hope my name is the lucky one!
Polymer Clay is cool…
ann schneider ,
I love Sherri Haab’s book that I have and would love this one. Her artichoke is a joy to make and easy to add your own touch to make it yours. Like make it a pinecone with a few tweaks.
Love your blog. Read it every day.
ann
Kathi ,
Sylvia’s work has always inspired me. I would be honored to be entered into the drawing for Sherry’s book
Zuda Gay Pease ,
Oooo, Silvia’s work makes my eyes sing!!
Debbie ,
I’m just starting to get into metal clay and could use all the help and inspiration, so please pick me. Thanks
Randee M Ketzel ,
Thanks for featuring Sylvia’s work-she is such a master of color!
Alas, I have enough addictions on my plate already–please give the book away to a deserving PMC enthusiast!
Alisa R. ,
I’d be glad to take the book off your hands. ^_^
Thanks for introducing us to Silvia’s work. Wow wow wow! I’m losing myself in her Flickr stream. Such kaleidoscopic color and design!
Pye Squire ,
wow her work is beautiful Love the chance to win
Thank you
Pye
Kim Schlinke ,
Your blog has been an amazing source of inspiration and learning for me. I would love to have a chance at the metal clay book to expand my horizons.
Kim
Priscilla Muniz ,
For inspiration I turn to Polymerclaydaily. Now I have a chance to take it another step. Add me to the list of hopefuls. And thanks for my daily fix! Priscilla
JAN MONTARSI ,
AMAZING
i POURRED THROUGH SILVIA’S FLICKR PAGE
IS THERE A WAY MO MARK THE ENTIRE CONTENT AS A “FAVORITE”
A PRIZE IN ITSELF
THANKS FOR THE DRAWING
JAN
Barbara Forbes-Lyons ,
As always, your site is treat to see in the morning.
Love to win the book – it would be a nice addition to our new Tallahassee Polymer Clay Art Guild Library
Linda ,
Such beautiful work.
Thank you for the chance to win this wonderful book
Linda
Kim ,
De la Torre’s colour and pattern shifts are totally inspiring. Her work is wonderful!
Went to a local Metal Clay class last month – just can’t wait to get my hands on it and play around with it.
The book would be great for tips and ideas!
Thanks for such a wonderful site.
LisaJ ,
I like actual beads made out of PC and I LOVE these. I would love to be able to create with these. Good job! Great find PCD!
Sherry Bailey ,
I’ve got the metal clay. I’ve got the kiln. (Great Christmas gift a couple of years ago…) What I lack is the nerve! Maybe the book and DVD would help!! Thanks for the opportunity to play!
Nicki Piaget ,
Thanks for the chance to put my name in the hat! I enjoy my daily visit to PCD!
Holly Taylor ,
PC Daily is my first stop of the day every weekday. Thanks for the inspiration, and the chance to play.
Joan ,
I may just have to get the book, even if I don’t win! ;D
Dede Leupold ,
Seeing Silvia’s work makes me want to go out of my normal color palette. The color combinations she uses are stunning!
Thanks for the opportunity to receive Sherri’s new book. I have been wanting to get back to working with metal clay.
Cindy Anderson ,
Great work by Silvia! Wonderful!! I would love to be included for the chance for the book! One can never have too many books 🙂
Sue Ossenberg ,
Love your pick for the day and love that you’re having a giveaway (how exciting!). Thanks for your generosity and thank your daughter for the motivation! Have a wonderful weekend!!!
Sue O.
Teresa Tyler ,
I’m so inspired by everything! I love all the colors, color combinations, patterns = everything!
Vickie Turner ,
My granddaughters are coming in a week and I get to spend two solid weeks in the studio!!!!!! Now if I could just convince my daughters that the dogs/cats can lick the dishes clean, kids can wash their clothes by going swimming in them (isn’t chlorine the new detergent?), a leaf blower will quickly get rid of dirt and dust bunnies on the floor, shirts can be pressed by laying them, slightly damp, between the mattress and box spring and sleeping a couple of nights on them, and hotdogs are the latest gourmet food, then maybe they could come and play with me too. Now all I need to add to my list of media to mix with polymer clay is metal clay – smile – – –
Ilese Levitt ,
I started working with metal clays this past fall/winter and I recently bought Patricia Kimle’s Perfectly Paired: Designing Jewelry with Polymer and Metal Clays (this is like clay artist’s porn – it makes get all hot and excited and drool) A few weeks ago I completed a multi-clay piece using 4 types of clay – polymer, paper, earthen and Copper clay. It was for a art show and I called her Awakening. What fun that was to create!And I have a packet of copper clay in my fridge. I think today is the day I pull it out.
Tina Bagshaw ,
Have enjoyed starting my mornings with a cup of coffee and polymer clay daily for quite a while now.Seeing your daily posts get the creative juices flowing . Am just beginning to incorporate pmc with my polymer so the book would be a great addition to my library! Keep up the good work!!
Ilese Levitt ,
To Sherry – I was like you too, a bit nervous to work with the metal clay. I started with copper (cuz it’s cheaper) and really love it. It really is not hard. Pretty much like polymer clay with some advantages – you can make slip by mixing a little clay w/a little h20, after it dries (like to bisque) you can sand and finish any rough spots before firing. You don’t have to sand after firing!!!!Check out the metal clay group on Yahoo. And just jump in!!
Rusty ,
I’m toying with the possibility of using metal clay in my pen making. I already use wood, acrylic and polymer clay. If it works it would be pretty unique I would think.
Thanks,
Rusty
Teena Krueger ,
I would love to win this book, I love this site and visit every day. Thanks for all of the hard work:-)
Sandra ,
Wow! I feel like I just came back from a great psychodellic trip, man! Thank you for sharing Silvia’s work with us – what a great inspiration for using colours.
Peg Harper ,
I hope you’re having lots of mother-daughter fun. I’m hoping that, having raised two boys and taught four grandsons how to bake , my granddaughter (5) and I will have crafting fun days in our future. Been working and playing with polymer since ’92. I realized a couple years ago that I want to begin adding metals to all these beautiful colors. I’ve taken this summer off from guild life to learn what I can. This would be a great addition to my library.
Have fun, you two!
Peg Harper, CO
Connie Nall ,
I just started my jewerly business and what a great addition to it would be metal clay. I have one book on it so far so I would love to have another one to help get me prepared. Thank you for your wonderful website by the way, I check it every morning.