Take a look at some of the questions posed on Tumblr that these college students answer in their class sketchbooks.
The college-level studio class in polymer clay is taught by Diane Levesque, Associate Professor of Art at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Students learn color theory, create a repertoire of textures and patterns and develop compositional strategies to make a variety of polymer and mixed media objects.
The class uses Lindly and Maggie’s Polymer Clay Color Inspirations: Techniques and Jewelry Projects for Creating Successful Palettes as the textbook. “The book is now out of print which is challenging,” says Diane.
I felt a mixture of pride and jealousy at those fresh faces tackling the exercises. Where will they take our art form?
Hats off to Diane and a whole bunch of artists who worked to get a college-level polymer class launched several years ago. How could we help the class continue and spread it to other art schools?
Suzanne ,
This is so wonderful.. About time art classes hit the BIG time !!!! 🙂
Deborah E Goodrow ,
Taught in college! Fantastic. It’s time has come.
Luann Udell ,
Just shared this on Facebook. What a commendation for our beloved art medium! Thank you for sharing this today, Cynthia, we’ve waited for this moment a looooooooooong time.
JANE GASSNER ,
OMG OMG OMG!!! What I would give to be a student in that class!! I wonder if there is any way or version of doing it on-line, since I’m in Northern California.
Joan Clipp ,
My mind is blown, how amazing for them. Makes me want to go back to college!
Diane Levesque ,
Thank you so much ,Cynthia, for this lovely write up on the Carthage College Polymer Clay Course. If anyone would like to see all the original course documents when it was first developed in 2014 go to : https://polymerartarchive.com/education/curricula/higher-education/carthage-college-polymer-curriculum/
I could never have developed this course without the generous help of Lindly Haunani, Maggie Maggio, Elise Winters ( who shared her own course proposal with me), Cynthia Tinapple, Rachel Carren, Dan Cormier and Tracy Holmes and so many other top polymer art masters that I met at the International Polymer Clay Conference in Atlanta. In order to expand the possibilities for invention, I always show demos for the techniques as jewelry, a vessel and sculpture so they have the option to choose the approach they want to take.
Wendy Moore ,
Utterly inspiring! So fun.
Eli Collins-Brown ,
As I look around the room at my guild meeting, I recognize the need to start attracting and bringing in a younger generation of artists and makers. This is an amazing way to do that. Thank you!