Polymer Clay Daily

Fine tooth combed polymer

See what Marina Rios does with a comb and an idea on PolymerClayDaily

Homemade tools are such a relief and a pleasure. No need to run out and splurge on the latest cutter or magic potion.

Chicago’s Marina Rios reaches into a drawer and shows us how she sacrifices a comb to make a spectacularly textured snake of clay that becomes a cool bead.

Her generosity and her cleverness remind me of the joy that polymer clay art brings to lots of us. Thank her for sharing.

Sure, StudioMojo looks at what’s trending but we’re really interested in art that requires heart and shows you something new and exciting that makes you slap your forehead with delight. Come take a look.

Iconic earrings

Chloe at Blue Beetle Co looks for women to feature on her icon earrings on PolymerClayDaily.com

Chloe at Australia’s Blue Beetle Co creates this new line of earrings and imagines Malala staring out her window, with the twinkly sky behind her. She thinks of all the ways Pakastani activist Malala is changing the world.

In her search for women icons, Chloe has also created a line of Dolly Parton earrings too. She’s searching for a third icon. Your suggestions?

 

Wearable gremlins

This is William Wallace’s (HighlandCreative) version of the gremlin that terrorized Bart Simpson. It’s complete with a swinging tongue and a menacing grin. Very wearable if you’re in that kind of mood.

Wallace is on a quest to create the ultimate Tiki necklace. Check his Instagram and you’ll see that he’s well on his way.

Patriotic polymer

Venus De Chela's earrings send a strong message and funds to Cuba on PolymerClayDaily.com

Miami’s Venus De Chela usually takes her inspiration from paintings – Monet’s waterlilies or  Picasso’s women. Her latest collection, a mosaic of the Cuban flag, is closer to this Cuban-born artist’s heart.

“VIVA CUBA LIBRE Y VIVA,” she says as she raises money for her homeland. Her polymer earrings send a strong message.

How do you like your mokume gane?

Julie Picarello reveals her mokume gane tricks online on PolymerClayDaily.com

California’s Julie Picarello is famous for her mokume gane in soothing mellow palettes. She haunts hardware stores for obscure metal tools and gizmos repurposed to make surprisingly pleasant abstract paintings in clay.

How do you like your mokume gane? Scratched, half-toned, custom cut, reversed, quilted, landscaped? 

The organizers of the August 7-8 weekend online event decided to take a deep dive into a single technique. From its Japanese roots in metal to today’s homegrown varieties.

Shaving slivers off a Mokume Gane block reveals layers of unpredictable and fascinating beauty and a world of endless possibility. How do they do that?

This is the last week to sign up for a look at Mokume Gane approaches from seven polymer experts. 

FOLLOW FRIDAY: The gathering

Kathleen Anderson educates the Gathering on PolymerClayDaily.com

We’ve been flying under the radar for a year and now we’re ready to be seen. Fourteen polymer artists, 7 black and 7 white have been meeting every other week on Zoom since July 2020 when I interviewed Debbie Jackson.

Are the conversations comfortable? No. Interesting? Yes. Tears? When we can’t hold back. Anger? Uh-huh. “I can’t stand this!”…from time to time.

We continue to learn about ourselves and about the racial ideas that are baked into us and into the polymer community. We are changing.

Kathleen Dustin committed us to an exhibit in New Hampshire this fall. Joey Barnes brought her blog out of hiatus.

We’ve just come out on social media (our links may be wonky). No guarantees, no promises but a whole lot of learning going on. Follow us. (I plan to use this powerful image of Kathleen Anderson in my work for the exhibit in October.)

Want to dig deeper? Come on over to StudioMojo for more dips into what lies ahead. The Saturday morning overview might not be comfortable, but it will tickle your brain. 

Working outdoors

These visitors are welcome in Gael Keyes' garage studio on PolymerClayDaily.com

New Mexico’s Gael Keyes works with the garage door open. It’s no wonder that she is visited by bugs.

She gently returns her inspirations back outside as she makes her own fantastical versions from leftover patterns and bits of shimmer. They’re delightful and harmless.

 

FRIDAY FOLLOW- Athena Barda

Athena Barda follows her bliss with polymer on PolymerClayDaily.com

Greece’s Athena Barda (manusinmano_jewelry) is all over the map…and I’m liking that. Follow her and hang on. She’s philosophical and hangs out with the Euro set. If you want to feel like you’re traveling somewhere exotic, scan her latest to catch the colors and the vibe.

Athena Barda follows her bliss with polymer on PolymerClayDaily.com

Check out her vessels here or her sizzling colors. She’s worked at polymer for years and she never seems to tire of trying new things. She’s obviously having fun.

If fun is your pursuit and you want to up your game, try the Saturday StudioMojo where we suss out the passionate polymer explorers and innovators. “I’ll have what she’s having,” we tell ourselves.