Gone fishin’

Leslie Blackford doesn’t think much about photographing her extraordinary small sculptures but I can’t resist snapping pictures of them.

The segmented fish and smiling alligator wiggle and writhe on the cords that run through them. I snagged these recently as Leslie was preparing samples for the Las Vegas Clay Carnival where she’ll be teaching with a great cast of characters in late August.

Leslie grew up in the woods of Kentucky and Tennessee and she has an affinity for snakes and birds and other woodsy creatures. She dresses her versions in costumes and puts them in baffling situations that charm and delight. Here’s a reclining bird, a deer in camoflage, a girl with a bucket of snakes, and a wine glass that might give you pause.

Yesterday’s broken link to the PolymerClayGlobal site has been fixed. Thanks for letting me know.

Sister site

Let me send you off to PCDaily’s new sister site, Polymer Clay Global. It’s the companion site for the brand new book, Polymer Clay Global Perspectives, and was created to help you find out more about the artists in the book.

Enjoy a look at the 13 featured artists. Try the free tutorial from Kim Korringa and explore the links to over 100 artists featured throughout the book which arrives in bookstores in July.

We’ll be adding to Polymer Clay Global regularly. The new site will provide enhanced resources beyond what’s offered in print. Pre-ordering online will get the book to you hot off the presses. Don’t forget to meander back to PCDaily!

Fixed the link!

Polymer geometry

Today squares popped out. These square bangles by Belgium’s Moise Vanden Broeck have been circulating around Pinterest and even though his post about them is a couple years old, the concept is fresh and the overlapped construction would be strong and attractive. Layers of square and rectangular clay pieces are stacked around a form and baked. Moise is a metalworker whose mind churns out polymer tools as well as designs.

Tanya Mayorova’s squares applied on a solid color bangle base continue our square theme. She takes a more painterly approach to her geometry, inserting small squares into larger ones. She uses the technique on beads as well. Clever, simple, effective!

Intense polymer

Put on your sunglasses to enjoy Dusdee Chotipruk’s small sculptures, hangings and jewelry. This picture of her work area shows how she immerses herself in color.

Thailand’s popular Dichan magazine featured Dusdee in its June issue. “I am a very low profile person but my creations may be loud,” she says.

She mixes crocheted rounds, bright polymer canes and glass beads into an updated ’60s fashion statement.

Micro polymer babies

Camille Allen’s polymer babies are not made of soap or marzipan or chocolate! They’ve been the subject of many internet myths and viral hoaxes. Camille uses her polymer originals to create a less expensive line of resin molded babies. The originals are rare and very pricey and most everything on her site is soldout.

It is extremely difficult to create a lifelike baby in polymer at micro size and Camille does it very well. Here’s an early PCD post about her. We’re expecting another grandchild in July and I gravitate to babies in preparation for our own tiny miracle.

Playtime polymer

When Carol Simmons gave herself time to play, she found some new ways to make use of her kaleidoscope cane pieces. “The lack of perfection adds a primitive charm to the necklace. To me it looks tribal,” she says. Read her post about how playtime helped her.

If you need some partytime/playtime, sign up for Wednesday’s live online Craftcast class with Tejae Floyde. Tejae’s romantic polymer Spinner Hearts combine elements of a wheel of fortune game with a pocket-sized memento. Sit down at your computer and join the group watching Tejae explain her methods live. You can download the video and review it again when you’re ready to play on your own.

Tejae is one of the 13 featured artists in the Polymer Clay Global Perspectives book coming to bookstores soon.

Taller polymer

Illustrator Doreen Kassel’s usually squat, rotund polymer characters (made over glass ornaments) are sprouting skinny necks and spindly legs as she gets ready for for a busy schedule (scroll down her home page to see the dates).

These sculpted and painted Blended Beasts will make their class debut next year. Her preparations for teaching have unleashed a flurry of creature (plus totems and shrines) that must have been brewing in her brain.

Flickr’s new big format pictures makes Doreen’s animals brighter and more boldly bizarre. Go have a look on her blog, on Etsy, on Facebook – they’re everywhere! And she’s won another Niche Award this year!

Garden polymer

Cornelia Brockstedt’s Morning Dew bracelet recalls the dew shimmering on spring moss. Her polymer clay and silver creation is part of a recent garden-themed series that includes City Garden, Shelter and Street Life and shows vegetation thriving unexpectedly in earrings and brooches.

Conny was trained as a goldsmith and has worked as a designer for years. Polymer allows her to combine her talents. “As much as I love black and white, I love all shades of green – and dots,” she says.

She likes to look at her subjects intensely and is fascinated by repeating forms. You begin to understand how her mind works as you flip through her Flickr photos and you will see why polymer fits her vision perfectly. Thanks to Donna Kato for the link.

Oxidized polymer

Spain’s Ana Belchi celebrates 500 blog posts with a shower of new work. Her Industrial Disease series shows Ana’s efforts at oxidizing polymer clay. Wires appear and disappear in these rough pieces that were inspired by the work of Montserrat Lacomba.

Her Cuerda Seca (translates as dry rope?) group shows ragged edged brooches made of blocks of color divided by deep black channels. Explore all of this and more on her Flickr site.

Ana will teach her oxidation class at the August GredosClayFestival in Spain. Visit the site for all the class listings.

Free folded tutorial

Helen Breil’s new free video tutorial is so clear and concise that it leaves you thinking, “Oh sure, I could do that!” It will start your week on positive note.

The first Folded Bead Tutorial shows you the basics. Part 2 shows you how to add a surface effect and Part 3 explores design possibilities. Simple and straightforward yet stunning.

A clean work surface, manicured nails, a calm voice – Helen presents a pleasant interlude and a thoughtful approach to clay even if you hadn’t considered folded beads previously. Here she is on Facebook.

Kazuri West (where Helen’s books and texture stamps are sold) is offering a free giveaway with purchase.

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