Polymer Clay Daily

Velmachos sets crockery bits in polymer

New York’s Callie Velmachos shows how to set broken bits of crockery in polymer clay and create a great looking necklace in an article in the spring issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine. You can enjoy some supplemental pictures of the necklace on her web site.

I’m drawn to the vintage, romantic pieces in Belle Armoire which is French for “beautiful wardrobe.” I can’t decide which broken glass, special stone or found object of mine would benefit from Callie’s alluring technique. She makes it look so easy and so “belle.”

Here’s an earlier post on Callie’s ancients.

Chandler’s beach woman

K’Seia is part of Gera Scott Chandler‘s Beach Woman series. Gera says she’s revisiting the theme and going back to her starting point.

Something about this evocative creature draped in her polymer clay beads and pebbles from the beaches of Vancouver reminds me of you bead goddesses (and gods) clattering down streets all over the world in your finery.

Gera has nicely captured K’Seia’s grace, magic and power. Perhaps it’s the hint of obsession that reminds me of polymer artists. (I made nothing but polymer clay bananas this week so I know about obsession.)

See earlier posts about Gera’s art dolls here and her Etsy gallery here. Have an inspired weekend.

Shea’s polymer ACEO

Tamara Shea (BlockPartyPress) stamped, painted and distressed this springy polymer clay ACEO (Artist Cards Editions and Originals), a small piece of original art for collecting and trading.

The trees are created with a hand-carved stamp and add dimension to the piece which is 2.5″ x 3.5″, the standard ACEO size. It’s backed with card stock, signed and dated. Artists all over the world are creating, trading and selling these miniature works in a wide variety of media.

Tamara was one of the polymer clay communities earliest online sellers and she’ll hit her 1500th Etsy sale this month. Impressive design, production and sales! Here’s an earlier post.

Ford/Forlano weigh in

Actually Steve and Dave aren’t weighing in (April fools!) but their 100-bead, 22″ wide polymer clay and silver necklace tips the scales at 3.5 pounds.

Dave Forlano and Steve Ford recently delivered the large double-sided pillow necklace to the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA). The piece was commissioned by the Women’s Committee of the PMA and given to the permanent collection in memory of Anne d’Harnoncourt, the late director of the PMA who owned five Ford/Forlano big bead necklaces.

It will go on view in the PMA’s contemporary craft gallery on May 9th and be a part of an exhibition highlighting the permanent collection during the SNAG conference in Philadelphia May 20-24.

The subdued, classical, restrained side is modeled here by Ford/Forlano’s metalsmith, Maryanne Petrus. The other side (shown in the closeup) is exuberant and colorful. Truly diva jewelry.

If you missed the video of the Ford/Forlano studio in our earlier post, you can still watch it here.

Whirlwind polymer swirls

Today I kept bumping into polymer clay swirls and spirals. They struck me as colorful, modern interpretations of ancient, elemental designs. One idea is from Portugal and one from Slovenia.

Alexandra and Teresa (Xana and Te) have momentarily moved away from their flowers and polychromatic palette with a necklace made of Skinner blend double spiral beads. The matching bracelet makes quite an impact as well. Here’s an earlier post about the duo.

The spiraling shell pendant is a repeating theme in Milica Bubanja’s work. She lives in Slovenia and says of her work, “I love a challenge. I love the process. I love the results.” See the dazzling dark reds on her Flickr site.

Polymer spring flowers

I was looking for polymer clay hints of spring to start your week and the daffodils from “SilverPepper23” fit the bill. Her innovative combination of wire, ribbon, seed beads and polymer blooms is impressive.

Problem is, my translators aren’t giving me much more info than the pictures provide. I don’t even know what country we’re looking at. Any help out there?

Israel’s Marcia Tzigelnik (MarsDesign) has a facility for flowers and a reputation for her remarkable rose cane. Her Etsy shop and her Flickr photos are full of inspiration for the season.

Craig’s pro bono polymer

When metalsmith Gabriel Craig took to the streets of Richmond, Virginia to acquaint people with handmade jewelry arts, he used polymer clay to introduce the concept.

His guerrilla marketing techniques earned him a story in the current issue of American Craft magazine and it’s an interesting read about the value and meaning of handmade items. Click on the bottom picture to see the video.

You readers have long understood the popular appeal and immediacy of polymer clay. We don’t necessarily see it as a gateway drug to metalworking however. For us it’s a daily vitamin that we appreciate as an art medium in its own right as demonstrated by the works of so many artists on this site.

Thanks to Elise Winters for the link. Have an inspired weekend.

Will’s polymer fancies

Take a look at Germany’s Andrea Will’s (VarUni7) recent flights of fancy.

When I can’t play in my studio, I like to study the work of other artists who are fearless experimenters.

Andrea’s organic shapes from leftovers, pebbles suspended on memory wire and transfers from shells jump out at me as clever ideas to continue exploring (and to try myself).

Here’s her first work that caught my eye.

Cleo and Cat’s attention grabbing polymer

Claudia and Catalina Pieschacon (Cleo and Cat) are sisters who have combined their artistic talents to produce a bold collection of polymer clay rings, pendants and bracelets.

Their oversize, attention-grabbing polymer jewelry is paired with semi-precious stones, silver, gold and other materials.

The sisters were born in Columbia and both worked in interior design. Cleo now lives in Parkland, Florida. Catalina resides in New York.

Visit FunkyLaLa where you’ll find their works for sale. Thanks to Lisa Henderson for bringing this fresh work to our attention.