Head to Atlantic City for a taste of Europe this spring. You can learn from Germany’s Bettina Welker, France’s Sylvie Peraud and Spain’s Fabiola Perez Ajates plus our own Donna Kato and Leslie Blackford from June 12-15 at the Clay Back East event. Here you see how Leslie turns old baubles into fantastic characters as […] Read more
Mesmerizing pinks and very 2019 colors (with the sound of cheering college football crowds in my background) make me daydream about Australian classes. If you need to escape sports games I recommend spending some time on Dani Rapinett’s The Whimsical Bead’ site. The site flows seamlessly among various media. They offer an array of workshops and […] Read more
Kentucky’s Leslie Blackford revived an early series of her works with this FOLT (Finders of Lost Things) character. He has buna cord hair and a recovered treasure in his hand. These are handy helpers at a conference like this one where we regularly misplace things. See more of Leslie’s pop-folk art on her Instagram.
Lisa Renner’s 10″ tall Jar Head makes a handy desk item that comes with its own feathered pen. Lisa sculpted this whimsical face over a glass jar and added details with inks and paints. The feather-topped pen becomes a stunning hairstyle and it’s not likely someone would abscond with that. The container could be used to hold paintbrushes or other […] Read more
Pink polymer everywhere! Artists hopped on the craze for this symbol of women’s marches around the globe. These brooches were made by Leslie Blackford (Instagram), Melissa Terlizzi (Flickr), and Christi Friesen (Instagram). I can vouch for the vibe at the Washington, DC site which was very friendly and upbeat (more in StudioMojo which will come out Tuesday). Many polymer […] Read more
Enjoy Leslie Blackford’s Thanksgiving dinner and your own feast if you’re celebrating in the US today. In many families, going around the dinner table with each person saying what they’re thankful for is part of the day’s traditions. I am very grateful to you for joining me to make the world brighter and more colorful. Thank […] Read more
It’s not often that inmates can send art home to their families. When Leslie Blackford offered to mail their sculptures to families, students in the Ohio prison classes put extra effort and humor into their Bobblehead creations. Leslie and Tammy Dye are two of their favorite visiting polymer artists. Just look at this prison cat named Fendor […] Read more
It’s rare that my husband suggests artworks so I paid attention when he said, “Have you seen Leslie’s new Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves on Facebook?” He has his own collection of manly polymer and Leslie’s pieces are his favorites. Kentucky’s Leslie Blackford feels a kinship with outcasts of all types and you need to look closely to […] Read more
A necklace laid flat, with its cording positioned in elegant, artful curves was Helen Breil’s inspiration for this magnetic lariat. “Could you maintain that elegant composition as you wore the piece?” she wondered. Thin magnets positioned behind the two metal-backed components help the wearer vary the positions and come up with many ways to artfully arrange the lariat. The cording stays […] Read more
The superheroes on Sandra Arteaga’s site will protect you today. That’s Vegetable Man, Wonder Repipi, and Superskeptical. This Barcelona artist’s polymer and mixed media art dolls range from charming to creepy to dark and deviant. You can’t help but be impressed by Sandra’s work and her wild imagination. Go dip into her strange world on […] Read more
