Polymer Clay Daily

Artists

Faux birch

Wendy Malinow was decked out in polymer finery when we met up. On one arm she wore her signature antler bracelet paired with an early pebble bracelet by me (yea!) and topped off with a new birch bangle with skull, teeth and bone dangles. She has long arms! Organic with a strange, delightful twist.

The branches look separate but form one incredibly realistic stack. She admits that the piece took at least four bakings with a metal armature under the main branch to provide stability. The textures fool both the eye and the touch.

These pictures were taken late at night in the kitchen. I added a couple more here and here to give you the full effect. Check out her bracelet of thorns on her Etsy shop too.

Extruded whirlwinds

These tourbillon (whirlwind) designs are from France’s Miriam. I admired them last week and wondered how she’d done them.

Apparently I wasn’t the only one wondering because this week she posted a tutorial on Parole de Pate that shows her method step-by-step. “Bien sûr,” I say to myself (and hope that the phrase translates).

Whirlwind designs resonate with me as I quickly pack to leave town for a week. I’m hoping that one of my travel mates has something interesting packed in her suitcase that I can bring you tomorrow. The next few posts will have to come from our on-the-road adventures.

Polymer indecision

There’s so much inspired new work in Fabi’s recent posts that it’s hard to choose what to feature.

This bolo-style pendant has a clever construction that Fabi details on her Flickr page. She’s worked out a water transfer technique and embeds the results on thick textured pendants. She’s teaching her methods in April in her Madrid studio.

And if that’s not enough, follow along on her mosaics! Here’s an abstract textured one, and here’s a mosaic of her son made from leftover polymer scraps baked, cut and applied to wood.

Great colors, shapes and a huge variety of experiments. You choose.

Big moon and Supernova

This Galaxy bracelet and Supernova pendant are from Austria’s Izabela Nowak. They’re updated, upscale polymer versions of the familiar rolled paper beads which were such fun to make. She calls it the spiral up technique.

Monday meanderings

In case you missed the weekend’s big moon, enjoy this Michigan version from polymer artist/photographer Babs Young.

The pictures and reviews from the UK’s first Polymer Pamper Play weekend make it an event you’ll want to pencil on your calendar for next year. Who couldn’t use a little pampering along with their play?

Cutting it thin

The sun shining through these thin translucent polymer and copper wire Tiffany Leaf earrings by Valerie Ashley adds a bright note for Friday.

Valerie, also known as the Leaf Lady, is fond of miniature fantasy sculptures and creatures found on the forest floor. (I’m late on St. Patrick and Valerie is a fitting artist for that day.)

See more of this Rhode Island artist’s work on Facebook. Have a lucky weekend.

Polymer visions of the future

Stroll through entries into a european polymer design contest, Visions of the Future. (No translation problems – it’s offered in several languages though the names of the artists aren’t revealed.)

After all that’s happened in our world recently, it’s refreshing and restorative to see such optimism.

The contest was organized by the French supplier, Perles & Co, in partnership with groups and guilds from France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Holland, and Italy.

Be sure to vote for your favorite before the end of March when winners will be announced.

A new twist on polymer strips

France’s Florence Minne-KHou (CreationMyWay) has been playing with polymer strips and this lovely Wave necklace is her latest version.

Her starting point was the lantern beads we made as children from paper. As I remember, you take a rectangle of paper and cut strips between the two long uncut edges. Then you glue the rectangle into a tube shape and twist to make your lantern. If you see her post here, you’ll get the gist.

The Wave is a more elaborate version and the pearls provide a bubbly, finishing touch. Other artists, like England’s Carol Blackburn, have toyed with polymer strips. This is a delightful new twist.

Sound and fashion designs collide

Santa Fe’s David Forlano is the western half of the Ford/Forlano design duo. (Steven Ford lives in Philadelphia.) The art magazine, Riveting Riffs, features David and his work as both a polymer jeweler and as a sound designer. He co-produces the suspenseful web series Cyphers.

David recounts how he and Steve ricocheted from art school to roofing jobs to polymer clay. He tells the story of how they sold their work at first in surf shops and later in museums. They continue to change.

David traces the thread of collaboration, innovation, and fearlessness throughout their careers which has taken turns not unlike the curving paths in their Ribbon Brooch at left. It’s a good read and he discusses the relationship Ford/Forlano have with the Texas design studio, Allie-Coosh. Prepare for a rich read and an inspiring story with lots of eye candy.

Beads – before and after

Who couldn’t use a little “before” and “after” on a Friday? The thought of salvaging polymer beads gone blah sounds appealing at the end of the week, doesn’t it?

Take a look at how Anna Anpilogova solved her problem. There’s no wasting polymer in Belarus (or Boston or Bellingham). With some judicious carving (before on the left), Anna has turned ho-hum into hot (after on the right)!

Tidbits for the weekend

This link to Alison Torres’ video of Sarajane Helm creating an impromptu face from a lump of polymer is mesmerizing. I missed this tutorial of Geninne Zlatkis’ bird mobile during the holidays but it’s never out of season. Here’s the finished version. Have a dazzling weekend.