Muse in polymer

Angela Barenholtz recreates Matisse portrait in polymer veneers on PolymerClayDaily.com

Israel’s Angela Barenholtz recreates Matisse’s Green Stripe painting in polymer using an assortment of veneers. Angela’s version measures 6 1/2″ x 7 1/2″.

You can find her methods for creating these marvelous scrap quilt veneers in her Etsy shop.

The simple geometric structure of the portrait of Matisse’s wife translates perfectly into our medium. It’s a good day to feature a portrait of a woman.

If you need a break from the news and political hubbub, come on over to StudioMojo for a deep dive into the polymer world where everything is colorful and full of creative promise. It’s your Saturday morning dose of enthusiasm and sanity.

Succulent polymer

Iryna Chajka's subtle succulents bring delicate colors and small shapes on PolymerClayDaily.com

Ukraine’s Iryna Chajka (Eteniren) and her succulents provide a calm break from the week’s blast of high energy color.

Her shapes are smooth and small. The colors are soft and delicate. She makes succulents look fashionable growing out of ears on Instagram where she has a big following.

The succulent craze continues and why not try it in polymer?

Painted pod necklace

Doreen Gay Kassel's pod necklace will turn heads on PolymerClayDaily.com

Since riotous colors have emerged as this week’s theme, we’ll revisit beads that New York’s Doreen Gay Kassel made for a swap.

After the swap, Doreen created another batch of pods, ruffles, and berries and combined them into this sumptuous necklace. She builds the beads from white clay shapes and then with an illustrator’s practiced eye, paints each one in beautiful colors.

The riot of color and shapes becomes a party necklace that will make heads turn.

Pour yourself a cup of energetic polymer

Energetic polymer to start your day from Yehudit Yitzhaki on PolymerClayDaily.com

This over-the-top covered ceramic teapot is from Israel’s Yehudit Yitzhak. What kind of mood do you have to be in to create a piece like this? And how many canes must you have at your fingertips?

Her works are full of energy and colors that require sunglasses. Way to start a Tuesday!

If you could use a shot of energy, go look at all her works on Flickr.

Springy polymer bracelets

Bonnie Bishoff covers a springy wire with a folded collection of patterns on PolymerClayDaily.com

Thanks to Maine’s Bonnie Bishoff for starting our week with this great eye candy, her new springy bracelets. Take a closer look on Instagram.

Polymer circles and tubes covered in an assortment of lively patterns are folded over memory wire (or something similar) that spirals itself into a bracelet.

The patterns bounce around and stack on top of each other in the most satisfying way to bring you a happy Monday treat.

From the rabbit hole

This is what happens when I’m writing StudioMojo, searching for cool tidbits. Right down the rabbit hole, I fall. This week I ended up in Belarus with Solar Bird on Instagram.

Aren’t Kseniya Iokhna’s cutout earrings just perfect?

Then I started thinking about my neglected Silhouette machine and how I could fire it up and start cutting polymer again. There are far too many distractions out there in polymerlandia. How will I ever get this week’s news covered at this rate?

Somehow I do get back to writing. We’re on our 376th issue! Amazing! Join us on Saturdays at StudioMojo.org where we die-hards spend some guilt-free time savoring the juicy bits that flow by.

Polymer brainstorm

Shannon Tabor paints through the storm on PolymerClayDaily.com

Shannon Tabor’s (CharlestonClay) series of squares shows her abstract paintings combined with polymer to great effect!

Were her swirling images inspired by the storm? She’s from South Carolina and I’m hoping she’s dry.

The polymer mokume gane pieces are mounted with lifts that make them appear to float above the canvases. The triptych will be sold as a set. See them on Instagram.

Shannon’s brainstorm enlivens her paintings and shows us a tantalizing twist.

Gilded leaves

Tina Holden adds glitz to fall with metal leaf on PolymerClayDaily.com

Wednesday could use some seasonal glitter and British Columbia’s Tina Holden (Beadcomber) provides it with her colorful sparkling leaves. Looks like metal leaf, right?

Usually, she sticks to beach themes that reflect the world around her. But in the fall the leaves put on quite a color show that Tina takes up a notch with inks and glitz.

Chunky polymer hoops

Flat polymer shapes turn into hoops from Genevieve Williamson on PolymerClayDaily.com

Pennsylvania’s Genevieve Williamson shows the chunky polymer hoops on her work table.

Subtle texturing on the polymer adds intrigue. The variety of shapes and muted colors make it hard to choose a favorite. Bending the wires to hang just right would be challenging. Genevieve was trained as a metalsmith so she jumps right in.

Look at them on Instagram. They’ll be in her Etsy shop soon.

Waffled beads

Vera Thom Kleist makes a waffle weave for fall on PolymerClayDaily.com

Germany’s Vera Kleist Thom twirls extruded strings around a ball of clay and carves (or maybe she just textures) the surfaces so that they look woven. The result is a necklace with a thermal waffle weave accentuated by its muted winter colors.

Vera has perfected her woven methods and I’m only guessing about how she makes it happen. Go to her Flickr page to study how she applies similar strategies to vessels, disks, and other beads.

As the season changes, Vera shows us how to shift our palettes and our wardrobes.

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