Polymer Clay Daily

48,283 and 500

Ron Lehocky turns scrap in love on PolymerClayDaily.com
Ron Lehocky turns scrap in love on PolymerClayDaily.com

48,283 – That’s the number of hearts that Ron Lehocky has created for his Kids Project since 2005. Year by year he moved the goalposts and predicts he’ll crack 50,000 in 2021. Each heart raises $10.

When Ron put out the word, scraps from artists far and wide started arriving. He transforms scrap into heart brooches. This scrap is from Canada’s Susan Andrews. Ron rolled, twisted, and textured her cane end into all these variations.

Ron Lehocky turns scrap in love on PolymerClayDaily.com

“I certainly have enough “remnants” from generous and supportive fellow polymer artists to help me reach the goal,” Ron says. Happy Valentines Day to our King of Hearts.

“And the 500?” you ask? This Saturday’s StudioMojo is my 500th edition of the weekend insider’s newsletter. Hard to believe where one step after another will get you! I’m turning 500! Come celebrate with your StudioMojo friends.

Tone on tone

Not too big or too loud earrings from Toria Warner on PolymerClayDaily.com

Texas’ Toria Warner (oriadanyizzle) says there’s no need to be too big or too loud with her earrings. These are her tone-on-tone Rayna studs. There’s a self-possessed, no need to show off attitude in her collections. Muted colors with a touch of texture.

“Our inspiration comes from earthy elements and earth tones, the sun, those ‘feel good’ vibes and embracing one’s individuality,” she says.

Making polymer memories

We make for lots of reasons – personal pleasure, financial gain, gift making, stress relief. Maryland’s Tamaira Ramae reminds us of another reason that prompted many of us to work with polymer. We dovetailed time for our children with time for ourselves.

Allow Tamaira to take you back to those sweet times with this little mother/daughter video and their version of Roll, Roll, Roll Your Boat. She’s Bekind_Ramae on IG.

Tamaira has five children and started with polymer using the clay kit that came with her daughter’s Easy-Bake oven.

Picnic polymer

Kate Lee Foley starts a fresh, graphic picnic collection with this cane on PolymerClayDaily.com

Let’s see what happens with this work-in-progress cane from Australia’s Kate Lee Foley.

It’s the beginning of her “Picnic” series which sent me fantasizing about spring and outdoor dining and life as usual.

“What is life as usual?” we wonder in this week’s StudioMojo We may be returning to simple delights and projects made only to give pleasure. Mobiles, magnets, book nooks. Join us as we explore in our Saturday edition.

Powerful polymer

If you’re searching for powerful polymer, look no further than Lisa Mathews.

Her sculptures stand firmly, proud and unafraid. They square their shoulders and lean into the moment as in this 13″ caricature of singer Macy Gray.

Lisa renders each stance and every toe and fingernail, every wrinkle in dramatic detail.

She’s an Ohio girl influenced by Marie Segal and Maureen Carlson. At 45, she threw caution to the wind and plunged into polymer. Lucky us!

 

Hearts in tatters

Anita Kennerly's hearts are in charming tatters on PolymerClayDaily.com

Georgia’s Anita Kennerly creates tattered heart earrings for the season. The frayed dark polymer edges frame her earthy cutouts and make a bold outline. The cutouts hang from a baked-in wire loop.

Anita’s hearts have a childlike charm that overrides the tatters and makes us see love and beauty.

As seen on tv

Stacie Binford brings back the 80's on PolymerClayDaily

Alabama’s Stacie Binford (StayandMarie) loved her grandmother’s big, colorful earrings. Stacie found polymer in 2011. She’s marketing her new line energetically and the  collection and story were picked up by three TV stations in her area.

Her Memphis collection is a throwback to the 80’s with high voltage colors mixed with big black and white elements.  Her earrings are bold and inspire confidence in those who wear them – completing an outfit or inspiring one. Here she is on Etsy, Instagram, YouTube. She’s busy!

Hearts and history

Kathleen Anderson brings African patterns to her HeartBoxes on PolymerClayDaily.com

February will be a mash-up of Valentines and Black History Month. These HeartBoxes from Massachusetts’ Kathleen Anderson hit all the right notes.

Kathleen designs her boxes to be filled with heartfelt messages on business-card-sized notes for all kinds of celebrations –  weddings, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, retirements, and memorials.

Her lidded containers have been widely exhibited and collected. West African patterns influence her polymer designs. She will be teaching at Snow Farm this spring.

PCD will be trolling for loving hearts and remarkable works from Black artists all month long.