Look at the shine on Laura Timmins’ new Mar bracelet. She’s expanded her line and added the new designs to her Flickr site.
Her new beaded cords look terrific and I’m anxious to see what she does with them. Laura makes all her color-coordinated cords, a process that I admire even though it baffles me. Laura also has galleries on 1000Markets and Etsy.
Sarajane Helm’s site is my favorite source for out-of-the-ordinary polymer clay tools and supplies. This weekend I needed custom made rubber stamps so I headed to the ReadyStamp form on her site.
If there’s a new product (like these inks), she’s researched and compared it. Last month I traipsed all over town looking for varnish and ended up ordering from her online link.
Each time I go to her site, I spend time with her collection of tattooed and Victorian hand beads. They fascinate me and now they’re for sale on her Etsy site.
Thanks to Sarajane for her persistence in finding the best products and for her generosity in sharing with the rest of us. You’ll find lots of treasures buried in her information-rich site.
Just when you think you’ve seen every version of polymer clay mokume gane, you happen upon River Wolfe’s summer collection which reveals some surprising patterns and designs.
And when you think you’ve seen every earring design possible, you run into Krista Peel’s white collection. Though there’s not much polymer on her Etsy site, look at the way she bends wires in endless ways to produce simple earrings that have class and drama.
Krista is a versatile artist and her website it full of unexpected delights. I was led to Krista via Eugena Topina’s site. Have a surprising weekend.
This bug from Janet Farris is just too cute. If you look closely there’s a steampunk surprise that takes this design over the top. There are more in her new Etsy shop.
Janet’s added new jewelry to her Flickr site too. Her woven pieces are thick with beads. Janet’s a master at finger weaving.
More Cute
Fifteen years ago, Lisa Clark (and lots of others) were introduced to polymer clay with a few bars of clay and the Klutz Press children’s book by Sherri Haab.
Sherri’s written a new book, Clay So Cute, full of trendy bangles, simple charms, easy rings, and clever ponytail holders. These projects are certain to lure another generation of young artists to the medium. She tells a bit more of the backstory on her blog.
Here’s a pleasant approach to consider as I putter and play this week. “As I work, I meditate consciously, imbuing each piece with energy and blessings to benefit the person who will eventually own it,” says Boulder, Colorado artist Ann Kruglak.
Ann first started making masks from natural materials, a service project that raised $9,000 for rainforest charities. Now she’s using polymer clay, natural materials and glass to create masks, wall hangings and sculpture, donating all her proceeds to the World Land Trust – US, a land conservancy charity. “It is my joy to create, and be of service, so I donate all of my time in creating and marketing the art, as well as the cost of materials to benefit the Earth,” she says.
Ann’s Anemone Teapot received first place sculpture honors in the international guild’s 2008 Progress and Possibilities competition. Her work is sold online here.
Thanks to Maureen Carlson for pointing me to Ann’s site. Maureen met Ann at the recent IPCA conference in Chicago and was charmed by Ann’s story (and nobody knows a good story better than Maureen).
Taking a playful approach in the studio has drawn me to others’ playful polymer clay works.
For instance, this loop necklace from Germany’s Margit Böhmer is colorful and carefree with a few bead surprises tucked in the centers. Or you could interpret this as a primitive piece made from rainbow steak bones. Either way, it’s unselfconscious and fun. A browse through Margit’s Flickr site reveals more of her adventurous and capricious spirit.
Israel’s Shay Aaron posted a tiny tutorial of his miniature fish cane. You’ve got to be a bit of a kid to make tiny fish. His sandwich earrings, pizza charms and totally believable small foods are big fun.
Note: In response to your requests, I added a couple of “after” pictures to Friday’s post.
Atlanta artist/illustrator Tammy Durham has begun a blog devoted to her polymer clay illustrations. Her newest 18″x24″ piece, Cardinals and Girl with Red Hair, gives us a colorful and exhuberant start for a creative summer week.
Tammy is developing art for physicians and childrens hospitals. She shares her ambitious plans and goals on her website and blog – a bold and gutsy move. Take a look.
The quote below is from Tory Hughes’ latest post. She makes me want to proclaim this a week to play. Following her own advice, Tory allowed herself to play as she created a mobile of 51 polymer butterflies for the August Sculpting Color show at the Fuller Craft Museum. Reading about her stumbles and obstacles may make you more willing to take chances with your work.
Playing and creating are very close together.
When we play, what do we do? We make something up.
When we create, what do we do? We make something up.
When we let ourselves enter the world of play, we…start to romp around in what might be. In the ‘what if’.
As a way to get myself off the computer and into the studio more, I’ve decided to post about my own work every week or so (blush, blush). Hence my Friday faux slate switchplates.
A local woman’s expensive kitchen renovation with slate backsplash fell flat because first things that caught your eye were the generic switchplates. She read about my faux stone and we decided to give it a try. All six plates are different colors and configurations. You can read more about how I made them here.
I hadn’t caught up with Louise Fischer Cozzi for a while and somehow I missed her Etsy store where she sells her latest polymer clay creations and a line of heart pendants for charity. The story behind the hearts is a touching and uplifting one.
Her website had some new additions that I hadn’t seen and a very nifty catalog.
Louise shuttles between Stresa, Italy and Brooklyn, NY and has pioneered a number of polymer clay metallic, silk screen, and image transfer techniques.
Three polymer clay artists were named in the top 10 entries in the Step by Step Beads Colorworks Contest that was limited to works in the purple-green-orange triad. The other finalists are seed bead artists.
Lindly Haunani, Maureen Thomas and Carol Simmons were among the finalists. Carol entered the beads pictured above that use an extruded cane process she’s been refining. See the complete necklace here.
Carol has resumed teaching after an 8-year hiatus, hitting the road to teach her new jeweled technique that exploits the properties of metallic clay, producing patterned surfaces with extraordinary depth and luminosity. See her jewel eggs from an earlier post.
Carol is a researcher and scientist at heart and you can be sure that she’s discovered some entirely new processes that will change the way you think. Her fall classes are full. She’ll be teaching at the Phoenix guild in March (I’m signed up) and is setting up her 2010 schedule.
