Leslie Blackford is breathing a sigh of relief as she finishes her first major batch of orders for galleries. The tagline for her “carnies” series is “Damn everything but the circus.” The theme continues through the sculptures to her imaginative packaging. Pendant cords travel up through the top of her boxes through a slit that […] Read more
Genevieve Williamson (Jibby and Juna) shows off a fetching necklace with 60 polymer clay dots on a silk cord. Simple and lots of fun. Her fresh designs created from uncomplicated processes and compelling color surely point the way to the future of our craft. No PowerPoint progress on my Synergy presentation but lots of encouragement […] Read more
If, like me, you overlooked the hands-on classes that have been added to the Synergy2 lineup, be sure to look again. There are some gems being offered before and after the Baltimore conference. The trick is that you have to contact the instructor directly (or his/her website) to get in on the deal. Check out […] Read more
I’m allowing myself an existential moment. And Leslie Blackford’s polymer clay figure says it all (the mask flips up to reveal a much less benign character). I’m doing a little self-talk about how to be a studio artist. Who knew the prospect would panic me? Here’s a great little video piece by Ira Glass. It’s […] Read more
Not too many artists would see extruded polymer clay canes as perfect snakeskin! Leslie Blackford saw the knot hole in Marla Frankenberg’s turned wooden bowl (from a woodturner at Arrowmont) and this decorative element sprang from Leslie’s fingers. In rural Kentucky, Leslie is well acquainted with snakes so the piece looks very lifelike. You can […] Read more
Leslie Blackford’s polymer clay art is quirky and powerful in its personal intensity. Most artists work hard for the kind of unselfconsciousness that flows easily from Leslie. Currently her day job keeps her out of the studio, a difficult circumstance for someone so dependent on art to communicate. Her “Pain of Words” sculpture in the […] Read more
Just guessin’, but rough calculations suggest that there are about 1500 polymer inchies on this 30″x52″ wall piece that Leslie Blackfordand her husband assembled during quarantine. It’s quite a collaborative piece that contains Leslie’s collection of 1″ mementos from conferences, classes, and events around the world. The silly squares almost became a nuisance to make […] Read more
Kentucky’s Leslie Blackford (MoodyWoods) wanted to make clear that she wasn’t planning for the good witch in her new Oz series to look like me. It just happened…and I’m honored. Leslie’s been offering online classes and everyone who joined in has been delighted at the creatures that fly off their fingers. There’s still time to […] Read more
What looks like a comfy mod sofa is actually Nancy Nearing’s version of a recliner for her iPad. “I got tired of balancing it on a couple of drinking glasses and a book – it looked messy and was wobbly. I spend enough time on Zoom these days to need something better. I remembered seeing […] Read more
Friends came back from a weekend class with Kentucky’s Leslie Blackford gushing about how much they’d learned about clay…and themselves. There’s something touching, innocent, and vulnerable in Leslie’s unending series of loveable animal sculptures. How does she do that? For the next few weeks, she will show how she imbues simple sculpted animals with irresistible […] Read more
