Polymer Deco

These art deco polymer earrings from Germany’s Bettina Welker make me want to run and build graduated canes. These beauties are samples from a class that Bettina teaches on CraftArtEdu (which happens to be available on a 25% off sale until Thursday night).

Bettina’s website, Etsy shop, FB page, Flickr and Ipernity sites are classes in themselves and lately she’s been percolating with loads of new ideas.

Country connections

I have to walk down the lane to the small adobe wifi hut this month while I’m vacationing out west. I have to carefully schedule (and limit) my online time. Which is my way of saying, don’t be surprised if my email responses are slow or posts show up late.

I find that my head is full of polymer ideas and my hands are itching (in a good way) to get to work. But I haven’t forgotten my faithful readers.

Bisected polymer

If you’re feeling bored with your round polymer beads see what Dimitra Chiamanta (DemiArti) is doing with hers. This Greek artist who now lives in the Netherlands, bisects her brightly patterned circles and inserts felt disks in the middle.

She also combines leather, silver, wool and other materials with polymer. When the skies are gray and the winter long, Dimitra uses polymer’s colors to remind her of sunshine and spring. She knows how to breathe new life into common shapes.

This exhuberant design approach shows up again and again in the New Label Project store photos in Amsterdam (it’s considered one of the city’s cool shops) that you can track on Facebook. Here’s Dimitria’s own FB page too.

Polymer flora

Iris Mishly and her collaborator, cake decorating artist Sharon Peled, have teamed up to address an overlooked artform. Though lifelike flowers made from sugar and synthetic clays are popular in many area of the world, they’re just catching on in the US and Europe.

Iris and Sharon call their tutorial set The Flower Academy. Their course covers 20 types of polymer flowers that end up in 40 final projects including bouquets, boutonnieres, headbands, and jewelry.

To give you a taste of the content, watch the academy’s free video on how to make lifelike mistletoe (in time for the holiday season).

Iris and Sharon are offering one FREE online version (Silver Set) of the academy to one lucky PCD reader. Leave a comment and you’re entered. Comments will close on Thursday night with the winner announced Friday.

Sewn-on polymer

Virginia’s Angie Wiggins mixes handmade paper, felt, beads and polymer with colorful abandon and an embroiderer’s precision.

Following her on Facebook will give you the latest news about her creations. The pattern and texture pictures posted on her Pinterest boards show what catches her eye and influences her choices.

After she embroiders beads and polymer slices onto the bowls, Angie often elevates her vessels with a tripod of whimsical polymer legs.

When she tires of bowls, she moves to platters or switchplates or buttons or jewelry – all with her signature mix of sewn-on delights.

Curled polymer

These slinky earrings from Rome’s Michela Mokele may have a snake-like shape but they’re more sleek than slithery. The stripes end in a flat cut that reveals the solid center. The top of the cane curls seductively around the ear wire loop.

It’s a simple and effective earring design and you can see more cleverly coiled and twisted canes on her Flickr page and on Facebook.

Reminder tweet

A little birdie reminded me that tonight is I Love Tools night (8:00 EST) and if you sign up we’ll save you a virtual seat. I’m on the road and will have to join you from my hotel!

If you’re a lucky bird, you could win one of the many prizes!

This bird is from Bulgaria’s Mariia Kamenska and the combination of its caned feathers and Madonna face are intriguing. See more on Flickr.

A little Halloween

C. Rohal brings you a tiny bit of Halloween in polymer. Yes, that’s a dime next to the flying witch and there are many more small delights on the ArtisticSpirit Etsy site.

But there’s little information about C. Rohal. Anyone know more about this miniaturist?

There’s big enjoyment to be found in his/her gallery and be sure to check out the sold items because the Halloween items have moved quickly.

Adding polymer

You won’t find any polymer on Karen Totten’s Etsy gallery…yet. This artist usually works in ceramics and metals but she recently took an ArtBliss class with Christine Damm and polymer is creeping into her sketches.

On the ArtJewelryElements blog she explains, “I have long wanted to blend my painting skills with my newer dimensional work in ceramics and metal. I have been toying with layering and blending of glazes, underglazes, and wax patinas, but have never been fully satisfied with this. At ArtBliss I was introduced to the world of polymer. But what really got me jazzed was how well it took paint media.”

These are Karen’s samples from Christine’s class in Virginia. Here she is on Facebook and here’s her Etsy shop (stay tuned for polymer).

As more artists add polymer to their media mixes, it makes my job harder as I squint to figure out what material they’re using.

Dearly departed polymer

You’ll find yourself chuckling at these miniature gravestones from Nicholas and Sofie (Bewilder & Pine). These 4-inch tall stones are engraved with clever names and aged with cracks and moss. Dearly Departed decorations are perfect for Halloween tables. The couple create enchanting polymer HO-scale views of the world. Here they are on Flickr.

Free online party

Alison Lee from Craftcast throws great online parties and her free I Love Tools webinar is always a hit with prizes and giveaways galore. Come party with us on Wednesday, October 16 at 8:00 EST

Proceeds this time go to the Nepali Samunnat project whose ladies have donated some of their art to the event. Read all about the festivities on Craftcast and see who will be there. Sign up to see the latest gadgets and maybe even win some.

Polymer secrets

Slovenia’s Klavdija Kurent limits her polymer color palette and concentrates on textures, twists and surface treatments that tease the eye and beg to be examined by hand.

Klavdija will reveal her secrets at EuroSynergy in her Let’s Twist Again workshop. See what she’s talking about on her Flickr pages, her blog and on Facebook.

EuroSynergy

EuroSynergy represents a new direction in polymer art and I’ll be explaining which direction we’re headed with the opening speech entitled Those who tell the stories rule the world. The promo photos show someone who looks like she knows her stuff. The secret is that I rely on you, dear readers.

Isn’t it time you took a chance too? If I go out on a limb with my predictions, you can surely join me on that limb by showing your art. You can enter your artwork in the IPCA Awards competition from now until mid-January. Here’s the how-to-apply information.

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