Polymer Clay Daily

Wheeling to Atlanta

Humpert on PCDaily

While Anke Humpert is excited to bring her work to America (like these new distressed hollow Wheely beads) and visit the U.S. for the first time, we Americans are excited to meet our European counterparts.

Anke is speaking at the IPCA Synergy conference in Atlanta, talking about the European scene and the German polymer clay group, Polyclaykunst.de. She’s trained as an architect and has published a number of books and classes. Read more on Flickr and Facebook and check back here for the next few days to see what I see at Synergy.

Rainbow polymer

Tatiana Begacheva of Russia admits that this Rainbow bangle made of extruded cane bits became quite heavy on her slender arm. Still, the construction is fun.

If I’m reading the translation right, she sandwiched memory wire between the layers to give the piece more strength.

She’s got some great ideas. Go browse through them while I pack for Synergy where I hope to find another rainbow of ideas to bring you.

Magic polymer

Dixie103 on PCDaily

These shapely complex beads from Dixie103 (Julie) provide a pleasant start to the week. Her husband thought they looked like magic lamps and dubbed them Alladin beads.

The shapes and patterns and muted colors make your eyes dance around to take in all the delightful curves and canes.

Julie is still shy about her work though it’s now her fulltime day job. See what she’s up to (she even posted her first tutorial) on Flickr.

The Deerclayer

When Arlene Groch‘s son asked her to cover a resin deer’s head to hang on the wall of his San Diego office, he was serious and it was a request she couldn’t refuse. The black and white pattern was his choice.

In a post on the Philadelphia guild site Arlene explains how she covered and baked the beast. Arlene doesn’t divulge what kind of business her son is in. Aren’t you curious to see how the mounted head looks in place?

For more of Arlene’s work, visit the Xanadu Gallery site. She was a finalist in this year’s Niche Awards (and not in the taxidermy category).

Guild web writer Sarah Sorlien sent the link along.

Raw polymer

Anar on PCDaily

Anarina Anar puts raw energy into her rough and vibrant pieces. You can feel the Greek sun and the heat in the colors.Texture and dimension add a tactile quality to the pattern on her striped bracelet.

Anar on PCDaily

Anarina also shows a hemisphere necklace on her Flickr page. I thought readers might mutiny at the sight of another one of these designs that have captivated me so you can see it here if you’re a fan of the trend.

Polymer damselfly

Obakke on PCDaily

Lestes, the Damselfly is a 12-inch tall polymer and fabric creature created by the Filigree, a Nashville-based husband and wife team. Martin Øbakke, native of Denmark home to the little Mermaid, met Celena Cavala, ballerina and Nashville native, in Italy where they started making fairy tales.

Martin does the illustrating and polymer sculptures while Celena sews and writes about the fantasy they live in, the Filigree. In their world the filigree are thin gossamer strands that connect everything.

The couple offered their latest creations this week and already they’ve all flown away. Each Damselfly comes with immigration paperwork. You can see the entire collection including their dragons and unicorns on Flickr.

Floating around the hemispheres

Kato_flat_disks

Techniques float in the wind currents around the globe, don’t they? Donna Kato posted this Natalia hemisphere necklace on her Facebook page in mid-February – well before PCDaily caught onto the flat disk craze.

But then Donna claims that she was just giving her African twist to Natalia Garcia de Leaniz’ design from a while back. PCD followed with this post and then this one.

Though we don’t know exactly how the fad started, you can see that decorating the edges of flat disks has become a popular fashion trend this season.

Kato_clasp

Donna finished her piece by adding a clever clasp. The flat disk has a groove cut in its edge. A rubber buna cord circle slips into the groove. “It works really well, the clasp doesn’t turn and it’s comfy, plus it’s the right scale!  I was very pleased with that – had to think a while about the mechanics but then it all came together,” says Donna. More sample designs on her Facebook page.

Clay combinations

Cindy Silas entered this intricate metal clay/polymer necklace in the 2013 Saul Bell Design Awards and she’s a finalist!

This mosaic inlaid piece also serves as the glamor shot (original photo by Robert Diamante) for Lark Jewelry & Beading’s call for entry for a new book, Clay Combinations, which Cindy is busy writing.

If your art combines polymer with metal clay, you have until April 1 to photograph your best work and submit it for publication in the book. Here’s the information and the form. What are you waiting for?

Liz Hall is also a Saul Bell finalist and here’s Liz’ entry on Facebook along with in-progress shots. The awards will be presented in June.

Giveaway announced

The winner of yesterday’s quick giveaway is (drum roll) Karen Keech. Since I have to go to the post office anyway, I added two runners-up. They’re Karina at Kabidesigns and Rose of Witch Rose Am I. That was fun.

Buggy polymer…and a giveaway

Lehmann on PCDaily

The problem is not your monitor, there really are bugs in the system and they’re polymer from Jana Lehmann. You can watch these beetle brooches escaping from their cute little boxes.

Lehmann on PCDaily

Jana’s work is consistently the most graphic and the tidiest I’ve encountered. There’s considerable sanding involved and lots of attention to detail.

Her polymer-covered pens always appeal to me with their shapely Skinner-blended bodies and their whimsical tops. Just for fun, I’m offering five of the wooden pen bases that Jana uses as a giveaway today. I ordered a bunch from the German supplier (Bettina Welker delivered them) and they’re fun to try.

Make a comment and you’re automatically entered. I’ll announce a winner tomorrow.