Polymer Clay Daily

Artists

Birnco’s riot of color

I’d love to sit down and try some of the beads that Belinda (birnco) has been working on during her first year with polymer clay. The technique looks simple (an extrusion/mokume gane combination) and the effect is stunning.

She’s got a great sense of color that makes the end result luminous, improving as she’s progressed through the year. This riot of color is a good way to start the week.

My daughter’s here to visit and help with Thanksgiving festivities. Maybe we can sneak a couple of hours off to play in the studio like we used to.

Note: Carol Simmons gives a few more clues about reducing her cane with help from the microwave. Scroll way down in the comments on her post and you’ll see her response.

Frame’s polymer adaptation

Vacation mate Jan Frame strung and restrung the polymer clay disks she had created in a range of colors. She was dissatisfied with the weight of the finished necklaces and dismayed by her stash of beads that simply wouldn’t do what she wanted.

She restrung them again. This time they were in an 8′ strand that she hung from a tree in the New Mexico sun where they looked bright and sculptural. We’re encouraging her to try using the sculpture as a rain chain.

We’ve experimented, adapted and had fun with polymer this week. Adios, New Mexico.

Polymer clay with spirit

These two artists look like they’re having as much fun with polymer clay as I am this week.

From France, we have Evelyne (les RéCréaTiONS de Chamade) who tries every trick in the book and adds her own quirky style to each piece. I wish I’d thought to decorate my keys as she has.

And from South Carolina, Alisa (Treasurefield) takes faux to a whole new level with her faceted gems of polymer treated to look like weathered wood. Her whitewashed pieces feel nostalgic and she dabbles in styles and techniques with abandon. Thanks to Barbara Forbes-Lyons for the tip.

I’m hoping that this vacation can restore in me the spirit that these artists bring to their work.

PMC/polymer trends

I snapped this picture of Hollie Mion’s PMC pendants as she revealed polymer clay through holes in the designs and added additional seed beads. The effect was colorful and festive.

When I sneaked online (my vacation mates frown when I spend too long at the computer), I found that Cindy Silas has a new site up with many examples of how she is pushing the interaction of polymer and fine silver. Thanks to DailyArtMuse for the link.

I spotted Celie Fago’s sumptuous new PMC/polymer work on Etsy and David Vanover’s metal/polymer combinations there too. Shoot, I’d love to look for more but my computer time’s up. You’re on your own.

Pier’s objet d’art

Alexis Pier (of Pier and Penina) has also shifted her interest to making polymer clay “objet d’art”.

The small sculptures below and the 4″x10″ tile at the left show her first steps toward larger wall pieces and more sizeable sculptures.

Air-filled closed shapes build on a technique introduced by Pier Voulkos in 1997 with refinements and new style added more recently by Jeff Dever and others.

Note: I’ll try to pry Carol Simmons’ cane reducing secrets out of her before I leave at the end of the week.

Pier and Penina move toward sculpture

Penina Meisels' small sculpture

Alexis Pier and Penina Meisels (Pier and Penina) stopped by for a visit on Friday. They’ve both moved from California to Santa Fe to continue their polymer clay collaboration.

Their focus has moved from jewelry to sculpture. These two small sculptures are from Penina (look for Alexis’ tomorrow). The hollow form on the right is made of polymer and covered with organza which is painted with Prizmacolor markers and blender pen.

Since their web page hasn’t been updated recently, I’ll add a picture of Penina’s earrings here for your Monday inspiration.

More Simmons’ canes

Simmons New Mexico cane

Carol Simmons built this William Morris inspired cane here in New Mexico to add a new color way to her line of designs. I watched her construct the original extravagant cane that was about 6″ across by 2″ deep. Reducing the cane took a couple of hours with one or two 3-second trips to the microwave. She had only a miniscule amount of waste.

From this one cane, Carol generated at least 16 kaleidoscope patterns which will be turned into many, many beads. It’s a fascinating process that will soon be featured in a new color book by Maggie Maggio and Lindly Haunani.

New Mexico is a “target-rich” environment which means I won’t have to do much computer research this week. I’ll just pick up my camera and shoot. Even the sunsets are Skinner blends.

Polymer clay new works at CraftBoston

Noyes red bowl

Karin Noyes has a few new images on the CraftBoston site and her bio on her own site is a good read (the quickest, quirkiest life story I’ve read in a while). Like her life, her bowls show that what starts out simply can be combined and repeated to create a fascinating and complex work.

Louise Fisher Cozzi also shows some of her newest pieces on the CraftBoston site. The holiday show will be held this weekend.

I’m a bit jet lagged and gabbing with the girls.