Mixing polymer digitally

The UK’s Jon Burgess brings his computer drawings to polymer in the ways that don’t have the usual hard-edge digital transfer look.

He’s working on ways to camouflage the seams on round and tube beads and hints that he’s working on a tutorial.

If you’re not in love with your phone’s camera and editing software and printing, you may not share Jon’s enthusiasm (and mine). To us the mash-up of polymer and computers looks like a big unexplored territory with lots of possibility.

See Jon’s very personal way of mixing media on Etsy, Facebook and his blog.

Kelp and polymer

Gera Scott Chandler (aMusedStudio) pairs her polymer with materials that are readily available. Not only is kelp plentiful along the BC coast in Canada, but it also appeals to Gera’s penchant for making baskets.

Look closely and you’ll see that she pierces holes along the edges of the polymer bowls. She uses the holes to weave in the strands of kelp that trim her vessels.

Kelp adorns the edge of her popular Halibut Platters as well. The rock and shells and Vancouver Island beach finds make their way into Gera’s work that you can see on Facebook.

Read about how she incorporates the landscape into her work in this recent profile. What calls to you from your landscape?

Decoding polymer DNA

Samples of cane slices are not usually newsworthy but these translucent pieces from Maryland’s Kelly Russell will have you transfixed.

The patterns have a slightly DNA look. Kelly holds a #5 slice out in the sun and the delicate strands light up.

There’s much that we’re just discovering about building layers of pattern with translucent thanks to Kelly and other experimenters.

If you check her out on Facebook, you’ll also see the stunning results from her recent master class with Carol Simmons.

Disks dotted with energy

These dotted circle beads by the Czech Republic’s Eva Haskova may stump you. Zoom in and out and still you’d have to guess. Caned? Carved? Extruded?

The disks are part of a new “energy topography” class but the translation doesn’t explain much.

All that aside, Eva’s mind works in interesting ways and this new work is an extension of some of her distinctive earlier works that you can study on Flickr and Facebook. Can you follow the dots and unravel the mystery?

Polymer breakers

Splash through the 22 entries in the wave-inspired challenge of France’s ParoledePate group. The challenge was the idea of Florence Minne-Khou and included very few restrictions and lots of possibilities. You’ll see waves interpreted in jewelry, paintings, vessels, books and sculpture.

This 3-ring stackable set of watery translucent shapes is by Veesuel and you can see it from several angles here.

Creativity flows when group members get pulled into a challenge! Congrats to all.

Leaves of the world

Each side of Cecelia Leonini’s (ImpastArte) leaf-like beads provides a separate canvas. She uses very different geometric patterns on each surface to create her Leaves of the World necklace.

You may like her in-process photos that show how she shaped each of the 3-sided beads on a single gently curved wire. Here she is on Etsy and Facebook.

This more complex and updated worldview of fall leaves is right on target today. Have a great fall weekend.

Beyond either/or

Genevieve Williamson reminds us to think beyond “drop” or “dangle”. We can choose “drop” and “dangle”.

Are there other choices we’re overlooking? How are you narrowing your options?

Instagram may be the best place to see how Genevieve thinks through her series. Learn more on her site, Facebook and Pinterest.

Flying high with polymer

Linda Webb’s little 4″ polymer mosaic butterfly, Monarch Migration, won the People’s Choice Award in the Peoria, Illinois ArtPop contest and grew into a 49′ billboard where it will be featured for a year.

The inspiration for this piece came after Linda learned about the Monarch Butterfly Task Force, a local group that educates the public about the rapidly declining numbers of Monarchs. The group plants milkweed and other host plants for pollinators.

“My hope was to create an appealing piece of art that could assist the Task Force’s efforts,” she explains. By giving them the reproduction rights, Linda allows the group to produce bookmarks, cards, t-shirts, posters and other fundraising items.

“The positive feedback I’ve received encourages me to think about more ways I could use my art to help local groups,” she says. Makes you think, doesn’t it?

Ferns and flowers

Spain’s Manon van Kempen has a way with flowers and she’s not ready to give up summer’s brilliant colors.

The pink of this 3D flower brings the delicately silkscreened base to life.

See all the flower gardens Manon brings to life on Instagram, Facebook, Flickr and Etsy.

Pets in polymer

The commission list for 2017 is full but you might make the 2018 wait list for your miniature polymer pooch from HelenViolet.

In the meanwhile look at the in-progress videos of her sculpting, texturing and then painting Who’s Your Doggy pets in polymer and see past works on Instagram.

“If we could be a little more ‘dog’, we would love more, we would play more, and rather than ‘try’ to be – We would just be,” Helen says on a interview on Outlaw Kritters.

Could you be a little more ‘sculptor’?

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