Delft-like

Oregon’s Dede Leupold doesn’t google well and I have only these pictures for you to enjoy today…no links to chase. I wish I could show you more of her fine polymer clay kaleidoscopic canes.

Dede’s precision, her colors (mostly blues) and her fine silver work combine into the most amazing delicate pieces. She often works in blue and white Delft colors and makes beautiful buttons.

These kaleidoscope caners are a reclusive bunch. Come back tomorrow to see who I’ve been able to roust.

Mandalas

To Colorado artist Yuriy Luzov, reality consists primarily of geometry and music. With this in mind, he began to study symmetry and fractal patterns, replicating kaleidoscope and mandala patterns in translucent polymer clay. Yuriy lists M.C. Escher among his favorite artists and it’s easy to see why.

If you’re overwhelmed by his deviant art site, check out the presentation he gave to the Pikes Peak guild. The pictures explain the process more clearly than words can.

There are several kaleidoscope cane experts in our midst that we’ll revisit this week.

Sculpted Florals

Some polymer clay floral morsels for your Monday morning from Barbara Fajardo’s blog. You’ll have to scroll to the bottom of her page to see this New Mexican artist’s newest works. She says she got a bit carried away with the paint.

We’re seeing a nice revival of 3-D designs with surprising textures and delightful twists.

Barbara has also published her "rules to live by" in her polymer clay life. It’s worth reading. Her commercial site is located here.

Bolder Works

Another look at Turkish artist Alev GÃ¶zonar’s new works can invigorate us this Friday. She takes a bold, self-possessed approach to polymer clay in her art. It’s helpful for those of us who take a smaller, more self conscious view of our craft (myself included) to see this display. Sometimes it takes another culture’s perspective to shake our preconceived notions.

Alev says, "I want to make art that is new and accessible in order to reach a wider public." Have a bold weekend.

Off the Hook

NPCG show coordinator Diane Villano responded to yesterday’s concern about the web publishing of works that might be entered in the Progress and Possibilities show. Says show coordinator Diane, "Previously published means in print format, i.e., magazine, book, etc. Images mounted on web sites are perfectly okay to submit to the exhibit."

Regatta

Regatta is what Julie Picarello has named this luscious piece that’s among the designs she’s working on for submission to NPCG’s Progress and Possibilities show. The colors really sing and she manages to incorporate her signature watch parts into the necklace.

She’s fleshed out her web site and added a page of works in progress. You’ll want to take a second look.

You have a couple more days to get your entry into the NPCG show. Go online for the paperwork and have another look at the new NPCG site. There’s a terrific article on Robert Dancik by Marcia Laska with an accompanying hollow bead trick.

Spring Bracelets

Here’a a set of springtime bracelets from California’s Syndee Holt. Scroll to the right on her page to see all the pictures of Syndee’s appealing designs. She says that bracelets are her passion…and it shows.

If you’re looking for more inspiration, click down this list of artists from Dazzle sent to us by Martha Aleo. There’s inspiration (but no polymer clay) from A-Z.

Paradise

You’ll find three polymer clay sculptors in the Paradise City shows this season, Laura Balombini, Lannie Hart and Amy Crawley.

Lannie Hart’s work is new to me. Her assemblages often incorporate metals, wood and found objects. Her pieces evoke nature, religious imagery, a strong feminine point of view and a touch of the surreal. Raised in the south, she currently resides in Sleepy Hollow, NY.

Susan Rose forwarded the link along to PCDaily.

Spring Training

Yes, these are polymer clay canes so detailed that it seems impossible. Since 1991, Wes Warren from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, has been perfecting his caning technique and making his living from his well-developed skills.

Many of his beads are built on sports or team imagery. His word canes are incredibly precise.

You can see a sampling of his beads on his Flickr page and read his fascinating life story on his ebay site.

I picked up this Canadian inspiration by way of Israel from Iris Mishly’s blog, Polymeri Online. You’ll want to check out her finds often so I’ve added a link to her in the sidebar.

Sneakers

The Manabu Ito site (Clay Work Technique) is rich not only with polymer clay illustrations and sculptures but with links to lots of other Japanese artists who work in a similar vein.

The pieces are amazingly detailed and stylized. There’s even a video showing the artist at work and a peek at his workspace. I wish I knew some Japanese so that I could understand more about his extensive sneaker collection.

If the language is garbled (I’m not even sure about his name), it’s because I picked up this Japanese link via the Kiwi site in Belgium. There’s plenty here to keep you entertained all weekend.

NPCG Website

Hats off to NPCG webmaster and the board who have revamped the National Polymer Clay Guild web site. Webmaster Barbara Forbes-Lyons installed a more powerful engine behind this popular site to allow more member participation and quicker updates.

This is phase one of a multi-phase project says Barbara. Galleries, albums, community groups, subscriptions, and other features will be added down the road.

Barbara has wisely taken a vacation after getting the site launched. (She's also the person behind the pixels on PolymerClayWorkshops.com)

If your name is spelled wrong or you find some other error, send it to her and she'll get to you as soon as she can. Barbara's contributed hundreds of volunteer hours. All she should hear for the next while is cheering and clapping.

If you aren't a NPCG member, there's a handy online form. It renewed my membership so I know it works. Please join.

The polymer clay chili peppers are from Judy Dunn. Her recent successes are an uplifting read for a Thursday.

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