Kathryn Corbin’s pieces in the sales gallery at EuroSynergy had usual touches – epoxy sculpted findings (for strength), tube beads with windows, heavily textured beads made of white polymer and colored only with pastels and crayons. Her pieces have a mysterious depth and complexity.
The tube beads are rolled (not extruded) to emphasize their handmade quality. The window in the larger diameter tube reveals another bead underneath (click to see the details on the blue beads below). Recently Kathryn added a gauzy nude portrait brooch (pastel again) that floats on a sharp geometric base.
It was great fun to pal around with Kathryn who’s from Massachusetts and speaks French. She’s not very flashy online. You have to prowl around in Facebook to discover her treasures.
The Challenge exercises tackled by participants at EuroSynergy in Bordeaux netted some of the most exciting developments at the 2016 conference.
French scientist/artist Agnes Dettai shares her exciting 3D challenge research in a post that may mystify you. Using water soluble clay (PlayDoh) as a resist and limiting herself to one bake, she creates polymer forms that look impossible to construct.
Working with hollow forms and negative spaces has long intrigued her. Examine her results on Flickr. Agnes asks only that you share your further 3D exploits and discoveries with her.
Here are some of her pod form ready for a 2-hour baking. Once cured, the water soluble parts (purple) are washed away. Read about Agnes’ successes and failures along the way and add your own ideas to the challenge.
PCD posts will range from sporadic to non-existent this week as we delight in the riches of EuroSynergy2 in Bordeaux, France. Please check back in from time to time. We are re-energizing.
There’s no time to browse for a post so I grabbed this favorite from the suitcase I was packing. Maggie Maggio’s circle necklace from several years ago is my must-have for the trip to France.
The thick blue/grays/green disks and slivers, all in her signature watercolor washes, are easy to wear. I love its sleek graphic quality. Each side is a different color and the effect is very architectural. Maggie was trained as an architect and it shows. She’s about to launch a whole new way of exploring color that you can sample on her site.
Maggie lives in Portland, Oregon but her parents live only a few miles from me so she comes to my town often and we’ve become close as we crossed paths over the years. She’s my roommate in Bordeaux.
Pondering my polymer jewels slowed my packing significantly as I picked favorites from the collection I’ve amassed. After a few years meeting online and traveling you’ll be surprised at the wonderful stories, characters and memories you’ll collect. That’s a big part of what polymer art is about.
Italy’s Serena Pannunzio (Eala Jewels) created this Golden Leaf on the Water pendant, as a commission based on her polymer series inspired by fantasy, celtic culture and mythology.
Drops and swirls of polymer gather next to each other to form what looks like a darkly clustered design.
Paints and metallic finishes give the pendant luster and echoes of an ancient story. She shares more of her own history on Deviant Art and Pinterest. You can see how she is drawn to mystical themes that she loves to revisit and rearrange.
There’s nothing quite as nice as a free tutorial to put you in a studio mood. This YouTube video from Monica Resta (MoClay) should do the trick.
Cutting and folding polymer is becoming her specialty and she offers several variations on this theme on her YouTube channel. A few straight cuts and careful shaping turn a stack of clay into summery earrings in a hurry. Your head will reel with ideas for variations. Read more about Monica on Facebook.
One last firework for the holiday weekend from Jael Thorp. Jael was practicing the spiral she learned from Lynda Gilcher’s class using scraps of clay for pattern.
You can see on Jael’s Flickr and Facebook pages that she loves bright patterns. Her eggs that I photographed at French Lick have been popular on my Instagram.
Pull out your red, white and blue polymer clay and get busy on this weekend’s theme beads! Need inspiration?
Here Ron Lehocky piles his patriotic hearts to raise flag awareness and money for the Kids Center. Note the wavy blade stripes.
Barb Handy (BarbiesBest) creates themed beads for all occasions. Stars and stripes are one of her specialties. PCD has followed along for years as Barb widened and expanded her Etsy offerings.
If you’re a caner, you may prefer Carola Greiser’s (polymerclayshed) version of holiday fireworks found on Instagram. Have a star-spangled weekend.
