Namaste

If you’ve followed PCDaily for long, you’ll know that we have a special affection for Nepal and the ladies of the Samunnat project in Birtamod. Wendy Moore is there now, visiting and planning for the future which was surely shaken by Saturday’s earthquake. (She created these polymer sculptures.)

While Birtamod is 250 miles east of Kathmandu, the quake was definitely felt. The building that the polymer community helped fund still stands tall. Open fields around the building give the ladies a place to run to during continuing aftershocks. The country and many, many Nepalis are in great distress.

You’ll feel like you’re there as you follow Wendy’s first-hand accounts of this disaster on their Facebook page and blog. Your comments and thoughts are very meaningful to them. Please like and comment. It’s quite amazing to see how connected we are to our sisters a world away.

The donation button on their blog says Raise the Roof should you wish to help them. You can buy individual polymer beads at KazuriWest, their US distributor.

Because their Etsy shopkeeper (Wendy) is not at home in Australia, their finished jewelry is not available until she returns. For disaster relief, Wendy suggests giving to reputable organizations like the Red Cross. If you want a delightful snapshot of Nepali life, take some time to look through her After the Monsoon blog. Namaste.

Tropical Friday

Melissa Terlizzi’s tropical delights end our week with a hit of color and a touch of whimsey. The tropical business card holder (left) was commissioned. The structure wraps around the cards with a bouquet of flowers and frogs added for a happy effect.

The Feathers and Foliage piece was created for a 3D show at her gallery. Enjoy progress pictures of the scarlet macaws on Flickr and follow her antics in polymer on Facebook.

Have a colorful weekend.

Tropical polymer

Melissa Terlizzi’s tropical delights end our week with a hit of color and a touch of whimsey. The tropical business card holder (left) was commissioned. The structure wraps around the cards with a bouquet of flowers and frogs added for a happy effect.

The Feathers and Foliage piece was created for a 3D show at her gallery. Enjoy progress pictures of the scarlet macaws on Flickr and follow her antics in polymer on Facebook.

Have a colorful weekend.

Italian inspiration

My heart did a little spring flip-flop when I spotted the work of Italy’s Monica Rotta on Facebook. These pieces come from her Tribute to Claire (Maunsell) series. The further I clicked through her photos, the more delighted I was. Transfers, textures, appliques with startling colors and a look all her own.

“In my case the geographical context in which I live (the hills of Brianza) flavors especially my sensitivity to respect and to wonder at the marvels of nature,” she says in an interview. She satisfies her need for organic materials by mixing leaves, black rice, stones, wood, dried fruits, shells, paper and other objects with polymer.

Monica worked for 6 or 7 years with no formal instruction until she took her first classes in 2013. Here she is on the Ganoksin website and on Flickr. On Pinterest you’ll see work-in-progress shots from an exhibition of works in collaboration with the painter Annare Gioielli. Now Monica teaches and she has a couple spots left in her Trees of Life class this Sunday.

Almost edible polymer

This is one of Lindly Haunani’s sample bracelets for a July master class which is aptly named Incredible Almost Edible Color.

The curved tube smoothly fits the back of the wrist with the bouquet of folded petals and leaves stretching across the front. Designed like a wrist corsage, I’m betting that this is comfortable to wear. (But not edible.)

Registration for the 6-day Master Class Camp intensive sessions opens today. The July 8-13 classes in Laurel, Maryland, feature some of polymer’s most accomplished artists. Follow Lindly on Facebook as well.

Eclectic online tonight

Craftcast snatched Staci Louise Smith for an online class as soon as she saw Staci’s faux fossils and painted talisman necklaces. Tonight online Staci will paint and crackle, wire wrap and string an ecelectic mix of fashionable fun while she describes each step.

Oh, this will be fun. Register here to watch live and play the recording again when you need a refresher.

Subtle spring polymer

Details about Nataša Hozjan Kutin (MountainPearls) are sketchy but her color palette speaks loud and clear.

She’s from Slovenia, trained in economics but always interested in art. Now she works from home as she raises her children.

Nataša is trying a number of styles and mixing polymer with great beading skills. But it’s her colors that will grab you on her Pinterest, Flickr and Facebook photos.

Her Skinner blends are super subtle and most of her blends have a pearl sheen.

The forget-me-nots, violets and hyacinths are blooming and Natasa replicates their spectacular spring colors perfectly.

Buoyed by success

Genevieve Williamson’s 16″ Buoyline necklace is part of retailer Anthropologie’s new arrivals in their spring online exclusives.

You can witness Genevieve building her inventory on Instagram and her blog. Her husband and mother packaged and bar-coded to meet the deadline. Stay tuned as Genevieve reveals what she learned about wholesaling, about business and about herself from this big venture.

In case you need some fashion advice, Anthropologie’s designers say,” We’d pair this neutral strand with skinnies and a boyfriend buttondown now, and with a strapless sundress when the weather warms.”

You can also shop for Genevieve’s works on Etsy. I smile when I remember that she’s one of the featured artists in my book, Polymer Clay Global Perspectives.

Polymer reruns

Vintage celluloid pieces are the starting point for California’s Laurel Steven’s New Old series of pendants and brooches. “In this series I’m combining molded pieces of vintage bits with more modern textures,” she explains.

She revives and refashions her extensive collection of celluloid by molding polymer versions of the originals and updating them with today’s colors then pairing them with trendy textured backgrounds.

Laurel plays with other techniques that you can see on Facebook, on Flickr, on Pinterest and in her Etsy shop. You can sense that she’s drawn to the old souls of the celluloid florals and enjoys giving these early plastics a second chance in polymer.

Nailed it

The bangle at the right could have been clipped out of a Paul Klee painting. France’s Agnes (Primatoide) calls it her Ancient Assyrian Ceramic Cuff which is made of polymer, inks and paint.

But I bet Paul Klee didn’t make nail art to match his paintings!

Agnes takes her nail art seriously and moves it to a whole new level. She was inspired by Claire Wallis’ caned nails. Now Agnes often creates companion polymer nail art for her jewelry.

Even if nail art doesn’t suit your fashion sense, you may find her methods and concepts fascinating. See more of her rough, ancient polymer on Flickr.

Dishing with polymer

Little dishes are all the rage as polymer artists venture beyond jewelry. Florida’s Sherri Kellberg (BeadazzleMe) shows us her fun footed 3.5″ bowl made using polymer, gold leaf and inks.

Sherri’s been experimenting with larger polymer bowls like this dramatic caned version as well as teapots.

She’s also developed several tutorials that mix polymer with resin to create glowing glassy effects. See her work on Etsy, Flickr, Pinterest, her blog and Facebook.

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