An easy and free design tutorial from the Cech Republic’s Petra Nemravova.
Grab a bangle, get out your cutters (or freehand it), mix some colors and do a little cut and replace. Enjoy a free and easy weekend. More of Petra here and here.
Feeling much better, thanks all. I wasn’t going to post but this video from Adina Pastelina (Israel’s Adi and Sam Leder) brightened my day and I thought you’d enjoy this (and all their videos). Don’t miss their site, Pinterest and Facebook bits too.
The flood of Facebook posts from PCD has stopped. Thank you for your alerts and your support. Of all days, I was sick in bed with a bad cold and not checking in.
The autoposter went crazy and you got a crash course in polymer. I’m still under the weather and will take a couple of days to regroup and get over my embarrassment. Your notes were all very kind and understanding and I heartily appreciate that. What a kind audience you are.
MaryAnne Loveless shares her own brand of mixed media. She throws ceramic pots, leaving spaces for polymer. Clay on clay.
A polymer stopper top or a band of color are added after the piece has been kiln fired. Of course the ceramic piece can tolerate another baking.
She added a wire and polymer handle to the ceramic teapot below. See how she mixes media on tins, wood bases, ceramics by checking her out on Flickr and Pinterest. What can you pair with polymer?
Nuts! I published early. My site’s clock seems to have a bug in it. I’ll try to fix it and bring you your regularly scheduled programming as soon as I can figure it out.
The UK’s Claire Wallis used translucent and metallic clays plus paint as she experimented with her imitative rock crystal ring. She plans to tweak and explore what she’s discovered and we’ll plan to watch!
This new work is a departure from the large and intricate complex canes that she demos on Facebook. She shows more on her site and on Flickr.
Margit Bohmer’s Carved Beads may prompt you to rummage through your nail tools for your old cuticle trimmer. These bright colors are revealed by shallow slices carved off the extruded strings which have been wound around base beads.
Margit’s fond of rainbow colors which look even more dramatic when exposed against the black exterior of the strings. She sometimes goes a step further, smoothing and sanding the carving to achieve a more shibori-like look. See how she manipulates color by slicing and sanding on Facebook and Flickr.
Israel’s Iris Mishly has updated her look and combined all that she’s learned about polymer and inks into a new INKredible II class (live classes or online tutorials).
The news out of the New York design shows indicates that Iris is on track. “Our first trend pick of the season is the inky, hand-drawn graffiti markings threaded throughout many shows this season,” says the popular DesignSponge blog.
Get out your gloves, it’s going to be a messy, inky summer. See more of Iris’ graffiti on her blog, on Pinterest, Flickr and Etsy.
This cheery eye candy comes from Maine’s Bonnie Bishoff. She and her husband, J.M. Syron create both large and small sculptures – furniture and jewelry from polymer and wood.
Bonnie’s jewelry statement sums it up nicely, “We endeavor to create daily messages of joy, balance, challenge and intrigue; small personal sculptures that enliven the wearer and communicate in intimate detail. We transform specific materials to create tactile, curious and wearable forms, and rich surfaces of continuing interest.”
This piece measures up to their intent, right? They’re also on Facebook. Don’t miss Bonnie’s shawl pin site.
Jeff Dever’s luscious leaf, bulb and petal shapes echo the bright lilies and foliage in painter Marquita Fowler’s oil on linen panels. The 2012 collaboration is called Triptych Interrupted and stretches 76″ wide.
Jeff’s website has languished for years (we all know this feeling) and he’s recently launched a beautiful site that gathers his works and gives you a wonderful overview. The site primarily represents the last ten years of Jeff’s 20+ years working with polymer.
You’ll want to set aside some special time to savor all his galleries. Jeff’s also on Facebook. (My site’s alarm clock didn’t set properly…hence the lateness.)
Clasps and closures are always hot topics at polymer events. A clever design integration that works is the goal and Baltimore’s Linda Loew (she only has a private presence on Facebook) seemed to be heading in a promising direction with this rough, raw necklace.
The two ends with fixed beads simply slide through the focal bead in both directions. The catch is that the cable must fit over the wearer’s head. It’s a WIP.
Time to empty the suitcase and return the art supplies to the studio.
