See-through polymer

Just look at those translucent patterns layered over each other by Susan Hyde as she played with Cernit. Susan sent her experiments to Marie Segal who posted them to tempt the rest of us.

Then Patti Bannister’s gradations of color upped the ante. Her lovely watery blues and greens melt into each other.

What is it about translucent that’s so seductive? Patti and Susan make it look easy. My first effort wasn’t as successful. Seems that thin, thin, thin layers are key. Are you as captivated by the possibilities as the rest of us?

Floating bullseyes

Black and white bullseye bubbles float in imitative wood polymer to create lightweight earrings that have a retro, vaguely scientific and quirky appeal.

They’re from Virginia’s Liz Hall (lizardsjewelry) whose gem-like mosaic and silver bangles and brooches are well known.

“My work combines precious metals, polymer clay, stones, plastics, glass or whatever shiny object catches my eye,” says Liz.

She ventures into non-jewelry items as well. Here’s a polymer-covered flask from her Etsy site. See all of her signature moves on Facebook and Pinterest. Don’t you love the way she embeds ball chain in polymer for an eye-catching detail?

Polymer soundwaves

Pennsylvania’s Beth Petricoin (CreateMyWorldDesigns) says that her lip is out of shape but she still enjoys playing her flute. For several years she’d been thinking decorating one of her instruments and an Etsy guild challenge was just what she needed to put her idea to the test.

She was too sentimental about her own instruments to use them so instead she found a deal on Ebay. A local music store disassembled the instrument and Beth was ready to roll.

The keys are topped with soundwave cane patterns and the body is covered with polymer finished to a high shine using Debbie Crothers’ liquid polymer method.

Yes, the flute is playable. Don’t you wonder if the big grin on Beth’s face hampers her playing? Read all about Beth’s adventure and ponder what you could cover with polymer.

Polymer infinity

We end the week with one more polymer experimenter. The ideas floating around at the French Lick Atelier must have shifted my brain into gear. I came home hungry to push polymer farther.

Nikolina Otrzan’s new Infinity necklace jumped out at me. Nik has been turning geometry on its head with her recent exploration of forms. Here she alternates closed and open rectangular links to create a sleek, chic necklace.

I’m sure you’re asking, “Are the links cut out or extruded? What kind of clay and construction tricks could she be using to give this design flexibility and strength?” I have no answers. All I know is that others’ innovations get our creative juices flowing. Thanks, Nik.

Here she is on Pinterest and CraftArtEdu.

Jumping jack Thursday

It’s Thursday so let’s dance along with these robots from Poland’s Justyna (Nibyniebo). A toy gift to her son from Grandma inspired these interactive puppets.

The polymer versions are mounted in frames and hang on the wall where they dance on command.

Justyna then added clocks with undersea settings to her Etsy offerings, all in her delightful pastel palette and built with a fresh eye and delicate touch.

“My polymer clay adventure is only a tip of an iceberg – my heart is full of paintings, miniatures, handmade notebooks, sculptures, dioramas, all those pretty things chasing me since I was small,” she says.

Justyna sent PCD her links and info (you can too) and we happily welcome her back to the polymer community. She burned the clay on her first try and abandoned it for a couple of years. Here she is on Facebook and Instagram.

Computed polymer

Ponsawan Sila’s many experiments spilled out of her boxes and bags at the Indiana French Lick Atelier. She’s still in process with these pieces which rely on scavenged computer parts for creating mokume gane over Skinner blends.

The finishes are layered and lustrous. On the black and white version she sews through the holes to add a dash of color with thread.

Ponsawan encourages her students to ask “what if” and if we are lucky and she finds enough parts to upcycle, she’ll explain these clever methods.

She offers a few pictures from the weekend on Facebook here and here and more work on Flickr. Sort through her tutorials and the results of her endless experiments on Pinterest. She shares her ideas freely.

Prominent polymer

St. Petersburg’s Alisa Letsius reinterprets a Hundterwasser-like design in her brass and polymer Circle of Life brooch. The unusual mixes of metals, resins, wood, stone, clay, polymer, textiles and enamel in Alisa’s works may expand your idea of how polymer “should” be used.

Here the cane slice is mounted and featured like a gem. What if you gave your polymer designs more prominence?

Bugs in galleries

Wisconsin’s Joyce Fritz has been celebrating creepy crawlies in the most dramatic ways since 1993. You’ll see her Yipes polymer insects in crawling around the finest galleries and shops across the country.

That doesn’t leave her much time for online exposure so perhaps the best way to catch all her bugs in one spot is on Google or on her website. She’s worth tracking down. Her story is best told (and you get a better idea of the size of these critters) in this interview in her college alumni magazine.

This year’s crop of lightning bugs encouraged me to shed more light on Joyce’s work.

Calming colors

Afsaneh Tajvidi (JooJoo) is a Toronto illustrator/designer but sometimes she can’t resist making polymer miniatures. This is her first go at adding color gradation to polymer. Is it a blend or paint?

You’ll find tutorials for five of her little cacti featured in the spring 2016 issue (#65) of the British magazine, Mollie Makes. Or you can bask in the sweetness of her creations on her Instagram, Flickr, and blog.

Something about Afi’s colors and delicate shapes transmit a calming warmth. Her illustrations send the same vibe. How does she do that?

Double decker polymer

Italy’s Chiara Curreli (Duecentogrammi) stacks two circles of extruded slices, one on each side of her ear. (Silicon earring stoppers can be built into polymer and baked in the oven.)

Chiara knows how to play and if you’re looking for hot, bright colors and carefree summer designs, soak up the sun on her Instagram site.

Take a little Italian attitude into your studio today.

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