Polymer Clay Daily

Polymer painting with feeling

Deborah Stanley paints feelings with polymer on PolymerClayDaily.com

Kentucky’s Deborah Stanley exhibits this 14.5″ x 17.5” polymer portrait of Breonna Taylor entitled Remember in KORE Gallery in Louisville.

Like many of us, Deborah began a project with her young son. She was soon hooked on polymer. “For my first several years as an artist, I exclusively created abstract designs, always determined to let go/let flow with the clay.”

A portrait commission challenged her to express herself and to create a likeness. This pivotal moment taught her that she could put both a likeness and feeling in every piece of art.

This week was packed with online classes and conferences. Ideas and tools and tips zoomed around and we’ve snatched some up for StudioMojo. We’ll be chock full of luscious links. Subscribe now and gear up for Spring.

Black cameos honor the past

Dianne Quarles' cameos celebrate Black women on PolymerClayDaily.com

“I saw many elegant, beautiful cameos but only one with the face of a black woman so I started making my own,” says Atlanta-based Dianne Quarles.

The name, Maruva comes from the initials of four generations of creative Black women in Dianne’s family. Her Maruvian Women series honors her great grandmother, a runaway slave who became a successful, independent “modes”.

Each face is customized to give it an original personality. “Black Panther,” was the inspiration for her warrior women. The symbols are from the Ashante tribe of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

The works are featured in the Roswell Roots Arts Festival, in Roswell, GA for the month of February.

Wintery polymer

Meike Lucia Friemel brings winter to polymer on PolymerClayDaily.com

“It has to be a long time ago when we had such a winter with low temperature and so much snow. Of course, I went out for frosty photos and frosty hands and feet,” says Germany’s Meike Lucia Friemel (MeikeLucia) who is both a metalworker and polymer artist.

“I like the difference between “slow” metalwork and “fast” clay work,” she says. Polymer gives her the possibility of neverending color.

See how Meike brought the wintery weather into these bangles. They may make you shiver here on Facebook and Flickr.

Celebrating lineage in polymer

Dominique Scaife shows how Roots Run Deep on PolymerClayDaily.com

I have a story to tell of the beauty I see. Of a beautiful people that are my lineage. The intent of my art is to capture the vastness of who we are as a people, our culture, our style, our essence and share that beauty with the world,” explains Pittsburgh polymer artist Dominique Scaife

In her 2019 solo show, World Melanation: A Celebration of Hue, Dominique exhibited 20 one-of-a-kind sculptures created to celebrate the beautiful skin tones of black women. 

Dominique’s newest works are part of the Roots Run Deep: A Contemporary Survey of African American Hair Culture at Brew House Association. She’s here on Instagram.

Dominique Scaife shows how Roots Run Deep on PolymerClayDaily.com

Roots Run Deep looks at the ways in which Black hairstyles are tied to tradition and examines the historic influences on modern styling. The show runs through March 6.

48,283 and 500

Ron Lehocky turns scrap in love on PolymerClayDaily.com
Ron Lehocky turns scrap in love on PolymerClayDaily.com

48,283 – That’s the number of hearts that Ron Lehocky has created for his Kids Project since 2005. Year by year he moved the goalposts and predicts he’ll crack 50,000 in 2021. Each heart raises $10.

When Ron put out the word, scraps from artists far and wide started arriving. He transforms scrap into heart brooches. This scrap is from Canada’s Susan Andrews. Ron rolled, twisted, and textured her cane end into all these variations.

Ron Lehocky turns scrap in love on PolymerClayDaily.com

“I certainly have enough “remnants” from generous and supportive fellow polymer artists to help me reach the goal,” Ron says. Happy Valentines Day to our King of Hearts.

“And the 500?” you ask? This Saturday’s StudioMojo is my 500th edition of the weekend insider’s newsletter. Hard to believe where one step after another will get you! I’m turning 500! Come celebrate with your StudioMojo friends.

Tone on tone

Not too big or too loud earrings from Toria Warner on PolymerClayDaily.com

Texas’ Toria Warner (oriadanyizzle) says there’s no need to be too big or too loud with her earrings. These are her tone-on-tone Rayna studs. There’s a self-possessed, no need to show off attitude in her collections. Muted colors with a touch of texture.

“Our inspiration comes from earthy elements and earth tones, the sun, those ‘feel good’ vibes and embracing one’s individuality,” she says.

Making polymer memories

We make for lots of reasons – personal pleasure, financial gain, gift making, stress relief. Maryland’s Tamaira Ramae reminds us of another reason that prompted many of us to work with polymer. We dovetailed time for our children with time for ourselves.

Allow Tamaira to take you back to those sweet times with this little mother/daughter video and their version of Roll, Roll, Roll Your Boat. She’s Bekind_Ramae on IG.

Tamaira has five children and started with polymer using the clay kit that came with her daughter’s Easy-Bake oven.