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.
Quebec’s Claire Maunsell will construct these butterfly beads, hollow joining elements and clasp this Saturday (May 9) live online in her Elusory Leaves class on Craftcast. (Her first international class at Galerie Friesleben was a big hit.)
A hot glass artist for decades, Claire embraced polymer because it offered color, malleability and portability. She happily left the heat and heavy equipment behind. Because of her experience with glass Claire approaches polymer with a fresh perspective, stretching, moving and coloring the medium very differently.
She has several ways of making hollow beads (one in my book) and her most simple stacked hollow bead photo tutorial is still my favorite.
If you look at Claire’s ideas on Pinterest, on Flickr and on her blog, you’ll begin to grasp her aesthetic – organic, ethereal, dark – and begin to appreciate her skill and creativity. Craftcast classes are recorded so that you can revisit the instructions whenever you need to.
Melissa Terlizzi also interprets nature in polymer with her bee colony. She was inspired by the Victor Hugo quote, “Life is a flower for which love is the honey…” and says the piece is almost like sunshine in a box for her.
On her Facebook page and on Flickr she shares photos of her work in progress and tells how she created her swarm.
Is Mother Nature speaking to you in the language of polymer this spring?
Who uses silver tea sets these days? Alice Stroppel does. This set immediately sent her to Wonderland and she embellished the serving pieces with polymer characters from Lewis Caroll’s tales of Alice. Examine the pots closeup on her Flickr page. Here she is on Etsy and Facebook.
Syndee Holt took the pictures as she visited Alice’s shop/studio in Florida. Continue the tour on Syndee’s Facebook page. You’ll spy a silver pitcher in the front window that’s revived with polymer. Nothing escapes Alice’s talent for recycling.
Spring makes us look more closely at leaves and Israel’s Tami Shvat gives us a lovely interpretation in polymer to study.
She prepares a cane of variegated greens (sort of like camouflage) and then adds black veins that feel just right. Tami intends to mix these leaves with flowers for a larger millefiori cane but the leaf cane stands on its own.
Tami thinks like a caner (she has a cane brain) and brings her watercolor sensibility to polymer. Go see what she’s done on Etsy, Flickr and Facebook.
Polymer can spruce-up, fix-up forgotten treasures around your home as you tackle spring cleaning. Redecorate cheaply with upcycled finds.
Israel’s Hila Bushari provides a video of ideas to get you started. A bit of paint and flourishes of molded polymer turn this dull picture frame into a trendy accent.
Find out more about Hila’s tutorials and artwork on her blog, Etsy, and on Flickr. She offers more free videos here.
Natalia Garcia de Leaniz is one clever and efficient artist. Look closely here and you’ll see that she built these polymer earrings right onto the findings. Her method is perfect for those of us who have trouble assembling and finishing earrings.
She filled the earwire’s bezel with clay and textured it then wrapped slim strips over the background clay and the bezel. She tops her construction with a small bowl shape with a bright shiny interior. Bake and wear!
Donna Kato shows these earwires on her favorite findings page and other vendors offer them as well.
Natalia will teach her tricks at the July 30 – August 2 Clay Carnival in Las Vegas.You can find more about this Spanish artist on Facebook, CraftArtEdu and Pinterest. Her free tool tutorial explains how she builds texture tools.
Nothing like a trick to start the week right!
You may not be drawn to Sarah Sorlien’s polymer imitative rock but there are plenty of dogs who love it!
This Philadelphia physician makes Odor Stones, hollow polymer stones that are used as hiding places for dog training and competitions. She creates these functional faux stones for a canine sport called Nosework. Now you understand the holes.
Sarah says she learned rock basics from my online class and then added her own magic ingredient – cement. “Add a little liquid clay if it gets too powdery,” she suggests. It’s cheaper than embossing powders and was already available in the garage. “Don’t get it near your eyes,” physician Sarah cautions. See more of her examples on Pinterest.
An interesting diversion from jewelry on a Thursday. PCD took an interesting diversion too and stopped posting on schedule. Technological spring fever!
Miniaturist Stéphanie Kilgast (PetitPlat) has been on a steady diet of polymer fruits and veggies for 70 days. Can she possibly keep this up for an entire year?
She posts her new food sculptures almost daily on Facebook where you can follow her progress and cheer her on.
“I’m starting to feel a bit tired with this daily challenge,” Stephanie admits. “It is a lot of work to handle and I can’t seem to be able to make them in advance, say make 3-4 veggies in one session. Ah well, I need to get a grip about this, otherwise I’m going to exhaust myself.”
Why miniatures? “Miniatures are usually appreciated because they make you think you can put the world in your pocket,” says Stephanie and the colors are endlessly inspiring. She also ventures into other subjects including a line of City and Galaxy jewelry.
Read more about this French artist on Instagram, Pinterest and Flickr. Yep, she’s got a whole page of tutorials in case you’re inspired and you may enjoy this older video about her work.
Heather Powers’ Wedgwood Pottery-inspired beads contain promises of a new season. Her imitative Jasperware beads feature raised white relief sculpture on matte backgrounds in spring colors. Here the Wedgwood beads are paired with leafy designs and topped by birds.
Heather is one busy blogger! Tonight she presents her tips for Promoting Your Jewelry Business Online to the Baltimore Bead Society. She’s gathered her source material, over 300 articles for artists/sellers, into one hugely helpful Creative Biz Pinterest board.
She operates multiple shops and teaches on cruises, workshops, bootcamps and retreats. She writes books. She blogs and connects like crazy. Go marvel at her talents and don’t miss her free jewelry tutorials!
