Polymer Clay Daily

Books/Magazines

Generating new ideas thanks to Williamson and Blackford

Genevieve Williamson (Jibby and Juna) shows off a fetching necklace with 60 polymer clay dots on a silk cord. Simple and lots of fun. Her fresh designs created from uncomplicated processes and compelling color surely point the way to the future of our craft.

Blackford's tin apple polymer clay shrine

No PowerPoint progress on my Synergy presentation but lots of encouragement from you readers and calming influences from this personal shrine (note the tin apple) made by Leslie Blackford.

The animation in the right column (via SwissMiss) helps out with timely tips for better ideas. That’s it. No more talk about my angst. I’ll share the results with you after the event.

Tidy Tuesday – Polymer in the news

My desk is littered with notes about polymer clay in the news and it’s time to tidy.

The January Art Jewelry Magazine contains two significant polymer articles, “A conversation with Kathleen Dustin” and Seth Savarick’s “Go Big with Lightweight Polymer Clay.” Kathleen shares how she plans her pieces and says that playing around with small jewelry often gives her ideas for larger works.

The articles, additional photos of Kathleen’s work, and one of Betsy Baker’s in the gallery make polymer prominent in this issue. ArtJewelry also has a terrific online gallery where readers are invited to submit their work. The brooch above is by Jan Geisen.

In her “Getting the Most from a Jewelry Class” article in the winter StepbyStepWire Magazine, Ronna Sarvas Weltman advises students to, “…push your boundaries and test the materials while you have an expert to answer your questions.” It may mean that you won’t end up with a beautiful project but you will learn more. Ronna delves into the minds of eager students and gives them sage advice.

Susan O’Neill (11BoldStreet) has won first place in Interweave’s Bead Star Contest in the plastics category for her faux turquoise choker pictured here. Winners are chosen by readers from around the globe.

These are tidbits that you’ve sent me or that I’ve come across. It’s gratifying to see more polymer articles popping up in a surprising number of publications.

New book and Saturday school

haunani_maggio_book_09

Polymer Clay Color Inspirations, the new book by Lindly Haunani and Maggie Maggio, has hit the bookstores just in time for the back-to-school season. This is the text you’ll need to advance in your polymer education. You can explore your color instincts and develop your own palettes through a series of projects.

Starting next Saturday, September 5, Maggie will be posting “Weekend Extras” on her blog to encourage you to go through each of the exercises in the book. You can send in your questions and comments as you work along.

Lindly and Maggie have long been friends of mine and I wrote the book’s forward (which is scintillating). I may be a bit biased but everyone agrees that they’re the best.

This week has taught me many things and made me appreciate what those of you with slow and unreliable connections have to endure. Thanks for your patience and your help. Have a spectacular weekend.

Farris and Haab – Cuties

This bug from Janet Farris is just too cute. If you look closely there’s a steampunk surprise that takes this design over the top. There are more in her new Etsy shop.

Janet’s added new jewelry to her Flickr site too. Her woven pieces are thick with beads. Janet’s a master at finger weaving.

More Cute

Fifteen years ago, Lisa Clark (and lots of others) were introduced to polymer clay with a few bars of clay and the Klutz Press children’s book by Sherri Haab.

Sherri’s written a new book, Clay So Cute, full of trendy bangles, simple charms, easy rings, and clever ponytail holders. These projects are certain to lure another generation of young artists to the medium. She tells a bit more of the backstory on her blog.

Polymer clay in style

Need a shot of inspiration to jumpstart your week and validate your choice of polymer clay as your medium? Take a look at American Style magazine’s February April issue. (I must have gotten an early copy…it should be on newstands very soon. Read the web version for now.)

Arts Focus: More Than Meets the Eye looks at how polymer clay is stretching the boundaries of art and covers a few artists who are moving the medium forward (like Merrie Buchsbaum whose pendant is pictured here).

Not only are there flattering profiles of fourteen polymer clay artists, but also three full pages of polymer art ads (click each page to see a larger version). Pretty impressive showing!

Hughes mobiles, new blog

Tory Hughes is working on polymer clay mobiles for the Sculpting Color in Your Hands show August 8 through November 22. The event will be organized by the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA and curated by Kathleen Dustin. This exhibition will include a variety of large scale forms, including sculpture, furniture, wall pieces, and installations by artists who are pushing the qualities of polymer clay.

Tory found mobile design a different and very compelling type of design challenge. “It involves things that move in space, things we see from below or across. Personally it is nice to have more reasons not to use my imitative techniques; I like the opportunity to develop a different esthetic given the design criteria,” Tory added.

Be sure to bookmark the new Log Notes section on Tory’s updated site. In her intro she explains that, “My job is to navigate the landscape of creative action and come back to discuss what I find. Check in regularly, because I’ll be telling you all the juicy and useful things I encounter.”

Kato clays for hay

Donna Kato is up to new tricks. First, she’s selling some of her polymer clay work on her new “weclayforhay” site to support her equine habit. What a treat for both us and the horses.

She’s also reformulated Kato clay to a greener version, juggled her event calendar (no cruise this year), and put out a new “Tips and Tricks” DVD set.

The DVDs offer three and a half hours of looking over the shoulder of a polymer clay expert who excels at simplifying and explaining the most arduous techniques.

My favorite tutorial is one that’s free on HGTV and in it Donna boils a very complicated design down to a few simple steps. I can’t wait to see what Donna has compiled in this new set.

Rings & Things Winners

Lynne Ann Schwarzenberg swept the table at the Rings & Things contest with her polymer clay “Three Tiger Lilies” necklace winning first place in the polymer clay category as well as the $1000 grand prize. Congrats to Lynne Ann!

It was heartening to see so many good entrants in this year’s contest including (some, I see now, are from prior years…thanks Kim):

Ann Inman’s Cedric and Bubba, Lynne Ann Schwarzenberg’s Good Things Come In Threes, Eugena Topina’s Wild Fire, Deborah Anderson’s Reversible Tile Bracelet, Sandra Cowan and Lori Bouchard’s Roses of One Garden, Ginnie Parrish’s Happy New Year Vessel, Judy Dunn’s Fall Floral Splash, Cheryl Moore’s Nile River Goddess, Christina Cassidy’s Trot On (pictured here), Judy Dunn’s Underwater Starfish Box. Thanks to Tommie Howell for the link.

Velmachos’ ancient polymer

Sometimes polymer clay pieces can feel primitive and iconic. Callie Velmachos has a crude but captivating way of embedding beach pebbles and found objects in polymer clay. And she’s got a tiny tutorial on her site that shows you how she does it.

Callie admits that it was cRis Dupouy’s book, Creating Your Own Antique Jewelry, that got her started. She’s got an article in the Spring 2008 edition of Belle Armoire Jewelry that will tell you more.

Diffendaffer’s Book

My mind doesn’t work like Grant Diffendaffer’s . Which is why his new book, Polymer Clay Beads, from Lark Books is just the ticket for me. Recursive beads? Mandrel-formed beads? It stretches and bends my brain.

I had to read the instructions…and then read them again. Slowly his processes began to make sense and small sparks began to light up my dormant engineer, math/science lobe.

The book is available now. Grant has a luscious portfolio of his work on his web site if you want to sample his techniques there first.