Polymer Clay Daily

Small World

It was like old home week except that I’d only met Todd Popp and Doug Motz online. Local gallery owner Sherrie Hawk threw a glitzy party for Motz and Popp (PoMo). Their polymer clay jewelry personalized to local and personal themes has developed quite a following.

Illustrator Jeanette Canyon was there (she’s got a new book) and we were surrounded by the works of Ford and Forlano which were on exhibit. Pretty heady, small world stuff.

Todd and Doug recently did a segment on HGTV’s That’s Clever about their bracelets that was playing in the gallery. They use hot glue to attach their photos to the glass pebbles and their process, which they generously share, is terrifically smart and easy. Be sure to take a look…and have an easy weekend.

String and Software

Ponsawan Silas’ necklace stringing slide show is worth a bit of clicking. (It first appeared as a very small image but if you click around or wait a bit it turns into a workable viewing version.)

Not only does Ponsawan string polymer clay beads in fanciful ways, but she makes very clever use of the slideshow software (and it’s free). No need for a video camera, just add your step-by-step pictures to a slideshow. Genius!

Make sure you scroll down her page and see the rest of her "wild things" necklaces.

Vacation on a String

A whole contingent of polymer clay artists have been experimenting with liquid polymer. Marcella Brooks has her mysterious process that we covered on Monday. Today we’ve got Carly Seibel who creates faux glass beads using the liquid stuff. Where have I been?

While I was looking at Carly’s site, I ran across this necklace that looks like a vacation on a string to me….a perfect July image. Her site shows a nice mixture of techniques and tutorials and her combinations of seed beads with polymer clay is very effective.

Faux Fabric

Fran Abrams’ small-scale three-dimensional polymer clay works are on exhibit through August 19 at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center in Federick, MD. Many of her pieces are sculptural and are presented in deep shadow box frames. Viewers often think that they are seeing fabric. The piece at the left is called "Stay Warm."

"I find polymer clay fascinating because I can work with color, form and texture at the same time," says Abrams.

Mary Sumner sent the link along after her aunt saw the exhibit and remarked on the pieces. There’s not much on Abrams on the web and we’d love to see more of her work if you’ve got a source.

Temptation

Oregon’s Marcella Brooks is tempting us with a new liquid polymer transfer technique. The pictures on her photo site are intriguing and you can see a sample in this week’s slide show. Marcella’s liquid polymer expertise was also recognized in one of Polymer Clay Central’s challenges.

Says Marcella, "I’m still refining techniques and finding new applications. I’m able to coax sturdy but flexible design elements out of liquid polymer clay which normally wouldn’t be interested in doing much more than spreading out into colorful puddles. I wake up wondering what else I can do with it! For PolymerCafe’s upcoming Big Bead challenge, I submitted images of a 4" hollow bead featuring panels of liquid lace suspended on tulle netting."

This looks like a lovely new twist with great possibilities. Keep Marcella on your "must watch" list.

Dexterity

We end a busy week with busy polymer clay artist, Donna Kato and these lovely pieces from her latest book. Donna’s dexterity is a wonder and the ease with which she assembles these flawless inro constructions is remarkable.

Donna has some updated information about photo transfer papers (some formulations have changed) on her site along with a raft of pictures from her teaching travels around the world.

If you’re planning ahead for classes, save space on your calendar for Donna’s October 2008 cruise that departs from Tampa with a boatload of polymer clay teachers and a full roster of classes.

Wine, Caves and Classes

Lentils two days in a row! What’s happening? I couldn’t pass up this half polymer clay/half PMC variation from a class by Kelly Russell at Sonoma Wine Country Festival in August. The polymer clay/dichroic pendant at the left is by Christi Friesen who’s teaching a number of classes there too. Polymer clay and wine…ponder it.

And while you’re pondering fall classes, consider an affordable weekend in a cave! The Mammoth Cave Kentucky/Tennessee Polymer Clay Retreat will be held October 5-7. Contact Leslie Blackford for all the details.

Circus Memories

Inspired by a childhood spent growing up in the Australian traveling circus, Sonny King creates captivating polymer clay dioramas of circus life. More than 50 years after he traveled with his father’s circus, Sonny King found expression for his vivid childhood memories.

Two years ago King decided to interpret his memories through 11 three-dimensional dioramas, each about 2 feet wide and 20 inches tall. King crafted each performer, animal, scene and object from scratch, using polymer clay and LED lighting. Every person in his audiences has a distinctly individual facial expression.

His collection of dioramas is on exhibit through October 7 at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles. Museum Director Maryna Hrushetska says, "It’s the essence of folk art and craft mixed together. They draw you into this vibrant, vivid place and time."

Rosey Monday

France’s Cristalline signed into the guest book with this polymer clay roses necklace. It’s a bountiful botanical piece that combines crystals, wire, seed beeds and polymer into a virtual garden.

It will take a diva to wear this lovely sumptuous piece.

The English translation of her blog isn’t really helpful but the pictures are explanation enough. I particularly enjoyed Cristalline’s tutorials…no English translation necessary. Thanks for getting our week off to a rosey start.