Polymer Clay Daily

FOLLOW FRIDAY: The gathering

Kathleen Anderson educates the Gathering on PolymerClayDaily.com

We’ve been flying under the radar for a year and now we’re ready to be seen. Fourteen polymer artists, 7 black and 7 white have been meeting every other week on Zoom since July 2020 when I interviewed Debbie Jackson.

Are the conversations comfortable? No. Interesting? Yes. Tears? When we can’t hold back. Anger? Uh-huh. “I can’t stand this!”…from time to time.

We continue to learn about ourselves and about the racial ideas that are baked into us and into the polymer community. We are changing.

Kathleen Dustin committed us to an exhibit in New Hampshire this fall. Joey Barnes brought her blog out of hiatus.

We’ve just come out on social media (our links may be wonky). No guarantees, no promises but a whole lot of learning going on. Follow us. (I plan to use this powerful image of Kathleen Anderson in my work for the exhibit in October.)

Want to dig deeper? Come on over to StudioMojo for more dips into what lies ahead. The Saturday morning overview might not be comfortable, but it will tickle your brain. 

Working outdoors

These visitors are welcome in Gael Keyes' garage studio on PolymerClayDaily.com

New Mexico’s Gael Keyes works with the garage door open. It’s no wonder that she is visited by bugs.

She gently returns her inspirations back outside as she makes her own fantastical versions from leftover patterns and bits of shimmer. They’re delightful and harmless.

 

FRIDAY FOLLOW- Athena Barda

Athena Barda follows her bliss with polymer on PolymerClayDaily.com

Greece’s Athena Barda (manusinmano_jewelry) is all over the map…and I’m liking that. Follow her and hang on. She’s philosophical and hangs out with the Euro set. If you want to feel like you’re traveling somewhere exotic, scan her latest to catch the colors and the vibe.

Athena Barda follows her bliss with polymer on PolymerClayDaily.com

Check out her vessels here or her sizzling colors. She’s worked at polymer for years and she never seems to tire of trying new things. She’s obviously having fun.

If fun is your pursuit and you want to up your game, try the Saturday StudioMojo where we suss out the passionate polymer explorers and innovators. “I’ll have what she’s having,” we tell ourselves.

Squiggly tubes

Isis Blackstock makes modern squiggles in polymer on PolymerClayDaily.com

Isis Blackstock(littlepiecesjewelry) made me explore further.

It seems counter-intuitive that you can bend an extruded tube and still maintain the hole. The joys of polymer!

I’m remembering earlier variations on the idea from Lindly Haunani, Ford/Forlano, and Pier Voulkas. Oh, that takes me back.

Isis explores this concept, applying it to a wide range of bangles and necklaces.

She offers them in monochrome colors but what if you covered the tube with pattern? I’m talking to myself here. I really must try this.

Our polymer sisters

Pramila and Sharmila have tested positive at Samunnat Nepal on PolymerClayDaily.com

Pramila and Sharmila are the “eyes” behind the polymer beads in this promo shot. They were two of the early artists in the Samunnat Nepal project begun 14 years ago and supported by polymer artists around the world. Both women have tested positive.

Without vaccines and good healthcare, the country is ravaged by COVID. So far Pramila and Sharmila have not required hospitalization but the situation is perilous for all the women.

While we slowly and happily return to normal, consider those in countries where the prospect of normal is a long way off. Keep these polymer sisters in your thoughts and prayers.

To donate, scroll to the bottom of their page to an easy PayPal donate button. Follow their progress on Instagram.

A late report from Wendy Moore: Sharmila seems to be recovering but Pramila is still getting very bad headaches.

It costs NRS 1000 ($8.39) to get tested and so Samunnat is paying for all the close contacts to get tested. The centre is more than half an hour away so we are paying for transport too. We have closed the studio until we see how things are.

We had been meeting at least weekly with Kathleen (Dustin) and the girls were so positive about this. And as we speak, a parcel of prototypes is heading to her.

FRIDAY FOLLOW – Blossom and Clay

Follow Sally Kirk to see what she'll try next on PolymerClayDaily.com

Houston’s Sally Kirk (BlossomandClay) has whizzed through polymer techniques in her first year. She brings a keen eye and a steady hand to each method.

Here Sally tops alcohol inks on polymer with resin. She has a love/hate relationship with the inks that can mix brilliantly or badly without warning.

Follow her to see how this musician/teacher/gardener lets her skills and sensitivities play in polymer.

Junk food jewelry

Olympic qualifier in polymer junk food earrings from Wanda Eash on PolymerClayDaily.com

Arkansas’ Wanda Eash is enjoying her moment of fame today for the miniature Doritos earrings sported by track star and fashion icon Christina Clemons in her successful bid for the Olympics team.

Olympic qualifier in polymer junk food earrings from Wanda Eash on PolymerClayDaily.com

While we’re not certain Christina’s earrings were from Wanda, she’s been making polymer “junk food jewelry” for years.

These days there are lots of lookalikes but we will give credit to Wanda for leading the way.

Robot cake toppers

M. Held dresses up her robots for June weddings on PolymerClayDaily.com

Hey, it’s June! Where are the weddings? The polymer cake toppers? Happy couples running along the beach…without masks? It’s time we brought them back.

Florida’s Melissa Randolph (HerArtSheLoves) gets her geek on with her sculptures. She’s loved robots since she was a kid and there are newlyweds who share her passion.

Polymer, coiled wire, some paint. She makes amazing characters with a few ingredients.

I’m off to visit my grandsons and thinking this might be right up their alley…maybe not brides and grooms but robots for sure.