New Mexico’s Barb Fajardo rolled out a new series of Controlled Chaos pendants that combine a smorgasbord of techniques. She shows off a mix of work in her recent posts on Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest and Instagram.
Her inundation of new pieces feels like the grand finale at the fireworks. It’s exciting and leaves us wondering, “Is there more?”
The southwest colors and simple shapes play a big part in the success of the pieces. Studio chaos is sometimes a good thing.
Look at the scratches and scribbles on LaLa Ortiz’ beads. She digs right in and gets to work.
While we sit here thinking about what materials she used, she’s carved (maybe…and/or drawn) with abandon. Energy and spontaneity make these beads interesting.
LaLa picked up the technique for these big hollow beads at Sandy Camp. There’s more on Instagram and Facebook.
It’s Monday. Let’s not think too much and dive in.
Switzerland’s Justyne Schwery continues our circle theme. Her disks are painted, crackled and distressed for a wintery, worn effect with dashes of collaged colors. The graceful domes connect and overlap each other.
Justyne gravitates to subtle, muted palettes that you can sample on Flickr and Facebook. Her colors are calm and soothing, meant to coordinate with denim and comfy sweaters. They’re perfect for the chill of the coming weekend.
Has your palette been affected by the season?
A jolt of color propels us through the week. This one is an award winner from France’s Alabala Bijoux (I couldn’t find her name). It was named the winner in round one of the Lucy Clay Cutters Challenge for October.
You can’t lose with circles and she shows us how with cane slices of several sizes, colors and gradations layered on a base. It’s a cheerful and energetic piece to help us round out the week.
Moscow’s Natalia Leitman (madlen) gathers three translucent polymer leaves into a fall brooch.
The gently curved thin variegated pinks, reds, and oranges glow and show off the vein markings. See more of Natalia on Instagram and Flickr
If you love tools and would like to forget about politics, join Craftcast’s Alison Lee and her panel of artists on tonight’s I LOVE TOOLS.
Tonight’s online show is the 10th in this popular series. It starts at 7:30 ET (Wednesday, October 19) and you can register for drawings here.
Doreen Gay Kassel gives us an early “trick or treat” with this Pumpkin Head Man polymer sculpture.
What a relief, nothing political in her October surprise. Maybe that’s what makes it a surprise.
Won’t we all be glad to get back to our studios and on the way to recovery from election stress?
Thanks for the surprise, Doreen. See more on Instagram and Facebook.
Perhaps you can identify with Edith Fischer-Katz’ (Zoota) sculpture titled Hide this Monday morning.
The small figure is encased in a polymer imitation knitted suit with a zipper up her back. It’s part of a series of mostly nude figures covered with flowers, moss, stitches or knitted embellishments.
Edith’s figures have previously been very representational and this series on Flickr seems to move in a different, more pensive direction that will be interesting to watch. You’ll also find her on Facebook and her website.
No need to hide. Let’s get this week started!
The fine layers in this pendant from Switzerland’s Enkhe Tserenbadam make it look like a sculpted glacier. Bits of silver leaf accent the thin striations.
Enkhe grew up in Mongolia and these forms seem so personal and intuitive that it makes you wonder if she saw them as a child.
The fine ball chain is baked into the polymer, a good solution for this pendant. Enkhe shows a burst of new jewelry and vessels on Facebook and Flickr.
The beauty of her many layers may prompt you to go thinner and thinner with your next piece to see what happens.
Enkhe clarified that the shapes really do relate to her childhood, in fact they were medicinal. Read her comment below. But there is no metal leaf in her piece.
Steve and Dave (FordForlano) reveal just enough of their new work to whet our appetites. These thick rope necklaces are made of thin oblique slivers of canes. The unfinished bits and pieces they reveal are works in progress for the November 10-13 Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft show,
Peek at the tweaks and twists (more complex components) they’ve given their latest work on their Facebook page. You can also examine the bits waiting for inspiration and assembly on David’s work surface in Santa Fe.
Their work has evolved while at the same time it’s circled back to some themes that were there from the beginning. What themes have persisted in your work?
Sometimes a simple sensual curve and a hollow spot add to the allure of a piece. Here a mokume gane veneer drapes gently over a flat back layer and a cord slides easily through the middle of the resulting pendant.
France’s LN Jewels Creation sprinkles tantalizing design bits throughout her polymer works on Instagram and Facebook.
