Polymer Clay Daily

The Queen of hearts

When the King of Hearts loses his Queen, we all grieve with him.

Ron Lehocky’s wife Peg passed away on Monday, September 21, 2020, after a long and valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. What a wonderful partner she was to Ron!

Queen of Hearts, Peg Lehocky

As a physician’s wife, she knew she shared him with countless patients and their families, and in the polymer clay world, she shared him with all of us as well. Ron’s hearts are a testament to his love for Peg, as every heart he has made and will continue to make will have Peg enshrined in it.

Peg was an artist in her own right as well. Her skills with Swedish weaving were treasured gifts for anyone lucky enough to receive one. She worked hard to make sure that all the kids and grandkids had one as a keepsake after she was gone.

Peg and Ron had a love affair that lasted for 46 years. May her memory be a blessing.

Posted by Joey Barnes

Manly leather clay

Diane Quarles Remember Who You Are shield on PolymerClayDaily

When Dianne Quarles, an Atlanta based artist, was challenged to create a piece for a show on Black men, she discovered leather clay was the perfect solution. She created a piece titled, Remember Who You Are, inspired by Beyonce’s Black is King.

Dianne sculpted the face of a contemporary man mounted in front of a shield, reminding him of his ancestral African heritage.

Leather clay was perfect to create a shield that looked like real leather. Her work will be in the show, Fathers, Brothers, Sons at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta, September-October, 2020.

Posted by Dianne Quarles

Derwin Murphy makes his mark

Derwin Murphy plunges his blades into books on PolymerClayDaily.com

Derwin Murphy began experimenting with polymer clay in 2016. Growing up in a household that engaged in science fiction, gaming, fantasy, anthropology, and folklore, Derwin uses these as the inspiration for his polymer work.

His attraction and interest in fantasy, folklore, and anthropology stand out in his bookmark designs. You can see clearly his skillful manipulation of polymer to mimic metal in his stunning rendition of his mythical Bookblade bookmarks.

Derwin Murphy plunges his blades into books on PolymerClayDaily.com

Under his business name Kindred Whispers, meaning related stories, in addi

tion to his bookmark series Derwin also designs jewelry, portable/wearable art for tabletop gamers, sci-fi fans, LARPers, and cosplayers. In his own words, “Cultural designs are treated with respectful admiration and appreciation.”

Posted by: Kathleen DeQuence Anderson

Emotional polymer

Gosia expresses emotion in her pensive sculptures on PolymerClayDaily.com

This Toronto-based artist goes by the single name Gosia and works in many sculptural clays including this stunning piece, Pearl, made with polymer clay and gypsum.

The range of quiet emotions Gosia conveys in her artworks is the most important aspect for the artist who hopes to connect viewers to contemplate their deeper feelings.

Gosia creates an original bust design then casts it a number of times but changes the original image into completely different female personalities by hand sculpting Neo-romantic embellishments and fine details which makes each one singularly unique. Her colors are often very muted.

Emotion is not usually a highly discussed element in polymer clay but it’s definitely present in many polymer artists’ work. Does emotion play a part in your work?

Camo Couture

Earrings for soldiers from Sherry Shine on PolymerClayDaily.com

Jacksonville, Florida’s Sherry Shine loves mokume gane for its random serendipity. Two of her mokume pieces were award winners in the Fire Mountain Gems’ contest last year. It’s her line of camouflage earrings that caught my eye.

Yes, she’s a proud Air Force veteran! Why not serve fashionably?

Here she is out of uniform on YouTube and Etsy

Joyful color mixing

Looking forward and not backward can be daunting in 2020. Even more so after an accident, a pandemic, and three flights of stairs. But nothing keeps Lindly Haunani down.

After she took over her own physical therapy, Lindly set goals. For her hands, it was knitting and then drawing. Fine motor skills are returning. For her legs, it’s to walk to the food co-op, a mere 12 blocks away. Stuffed grape leaves and real cheese beckon. For the mind, it’s meditation. For the soul, it’s the pursuit of color, texture, and design. Or maybe it’s vice versa. Or maybe they all meld together.

In her own words,  “The first time I was able to go outside and walk around I was almost overwhelmed with awe. The feel of the wind on my skin, the fresh green scents in the air, the billowing white clouds above, and the bark of the tree in front of me – everything was exquisitely present and magical.

“I anticipated that since it has taken this long to get back to polymer it might be an emotional and frustrating experience. Apparently I waited until the perfect moment as just hearing the sound of my pasta machine motor running brought joy. I am working to complete a color mixing project I had started in January.”

As Lindly says, “That was then, this is now.” It’s her new mantra. The teacher is still teaching. You can help here.

Debbie Jackson’s got the blues

Debbie Jackson showcases her indigo patterns on PolymerClayDaily.com

Yes, I’ve really got the blues, not because I’m sad, but for the love of the rich blues of African Indigo-dyed textiles produced by the Yoruba people of Nigeria.

The hinged vessel pendant above is titled, Gathering of the Masaai, an ethnic group from Kenya and Tanzania. I love how they adorn themselves in layers of beaded neckpieces.

This mixed media piece includes African Indigo Textile, seed beads, and cane work. To see more of how I’ve had the blues over the summer, click this link…

Temporary separation


I’m off for September. Not to worry. I’m doubling down on the book writing that got sidelined last year when my husband was ill and life started snowballing for everyone.

Books are hard to assemble and I don’t want to give up on this one. It’s too near to my heart and too close to the finish line to give up now.

In the meanwhile, I’m assembling a group of artists to pinch-hit for PCD. Don’t be surprised if we drop the ball from time to time.

This is a temporary separation that I’m hoping our relationship can withstand. We’ll appreciate each other a whole lot more in October. Stay well. CT