Clay on clay

MaryAnne Loveless shares her own brand of mixed media. She throws ceramic pots, leaving spaces for polymer. Clay on clay.

A polymer stopper top or a band of color are added after the piece has been kiln fired. Of course the ceramic piece can tolerate another baking.

She added a wire and polymer handle to the ceramic teapot below. See how she mixes media on tins, wood bases, ceramics by checking her out on Flickr and Pinterest. What can you pair with polymer?

Nuts! I published early. My site’s clock seems to have a bug in it. I’ll try to fix it and bring you your regularly scheduled programming as soon as I can figure it out.

Polymer crystals

The UK’s Claire Wallis used translucent and metallic clays plus paint as she experimented with her imitative rock crystal ring. She plans to tweak and explore what she’s discovered and we’ll plan to watch!

This new work is a departure from the large and intricate complex canes that she demos on Facebook. She shows more on her site and on Flickr.

Polymer revealed

Margit Bohmer’s Carved Beads may prompt you to rummage through your nail tools for your old cuticle trimmer. These bright colors are revealed by shallow slices carved off the extruded strings which have been wound around base beads.

Margit’s fond of rainbow colors which look even more dramatic when exposed against the black exterior of the strings. She sometimes goes a step further, smoothing and sanding the carving to achieve a more shibori-like look. See how she manipulates color by slicing and sanding on Facebook and Flickr.

Inky polymer

Israel’s Iris Mishly has updated her look and combined all that she’s learned about polymer and inks into a new INKredible II class (live classes or online tutorials).

The news out of the New York design shows indicates that Iris is on track. “Our first trend pick of the season is the inky, hand-drawn graffiti markings threaded throughout many shows this season,” says the popular DesignSponge blog.

Get out your gloves, it’s going to be a messy, inky summer. See more of Iris’ graffiti on her blog, on Pinterest, Flickr and Etsy.

Personal polymer sculptures

This cheery eye candy comes from Maine’s Bonnie Bishoff. She and her husband, J.M. Syron create both large and small sculptures – furniture and jewelry from polymer and wood.

Bonnie’s jewelry statement sums it up nicely, “We endeavor to create daily messages of joy, balance, challenge and intrigue; small personal sculptures that enliven the wearer and communicate in intimate detail. We transform specific materials to create tactile, curious and wearable forms, and rich surfaces of continuing interest.”

This piece measures up to their intent, right? They’re also on Facebook. Don’t miss Bonnie’s shawl pin site.

Interrupted polymer

Jeff Dever’s luscious leaf, bulb and petal shapes echo the bright lilies and foliage in painter Marquita Fowler’s oil on linen panels. The 2012 collaboration is called Triptych Interrupted and stretches 76″ wide.

Jeff’s website has languished for years (we all know this feeling) and he’s recently launched a beautiful site that gathers his works and gives you a wonderful overview. The site primarily represents the last ten years of Jeff’s 20+ years working with polymer.

You’ll want to set aside some special time to savor all his galleries. Jeff’s also on Facebook. (My site’s alarm clock didn’t set properly…hence the lateness.)

Finding closure

Clasps and closures are always hot topics at polymer events. A clever design integration that works is the goal and Baltimore’s Linda Loew (she only has a private presence on Facebook) seemed to be heading in a promising direction with this rough, raw necklace.

The two ends with fixed beads simply slide through the focal bead in both directions. The catch is that the cable must fit over the wearer’s head. It’s a WIP.

Time to empty the suitcase and return the art supplies to the studio.

Elevating the bowl

I’m itching to get back to work as my week at camp winds down. All week long the humble little polymer bowl has been on our minds and work surfaces. Lynda Gilcher built several prototype wire bases to elevate her little vessels.

Bowls are on the rise. I’ll leave you with that and report more when I return home next week.

Lynda’s teaching at the French Lick gathering this summer and her Ohio shop (online here) carries some tool gems. Enjoy your weekend.

Scrap habits

While we’re focused on ways of working, I noticed that Emily Squires Levine accumulates her cane slices and in a designated scrap bowl and at the end of each studio session, she makes coasters from the day’s surplus.

Clay that isn’t used in the coaster collage is blended into backing to add thickness. What a good way to get rid of scraps regularly so that they don’t nag at you from an ugly pile that clutters the studio.

See more of Emily’s studio here and on Flickr.

Silk road

Julie Eakes (yesterday’s artist) is more than a one trick pony. While she’s drawn to mosaic portraits, she’s also a cane magician who’s been collaging her canes and patterns into a new Silk Road series of brooches and bangles.

Julie was intrigued by Meisha Barbee’s process of spreading out a big selection of component canes and colors on her work surface and then happily composing works from the array of choices in front of her.

Julie built up her own stash of stripes, colors and textile canes from which she’s building her new collection.

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