Polymer Clay Daily

Shriver’s new designs

This photo that accompanied the description of Sarah Shriver’s February class shows polymer clay “petal bracelets” that depart from Sarah’s earlier works. She’s been perfecting her intricate kaleidoscope canes and celtic knots for nearly twenty years. You can see her early works in the PolymerArtArchives and on her web site.

These new designs move in a looser, larger, more colorful direction. I’d like to show you more but these are the only photos I could find. Guess you’ll have to take one of her classes in California or catch up with her in Spain, Portugal or France this spring.

Hyde’s polymer angels

Discussions about holiday spirit wouldn’t be complete without mentioning another of my polymer clay favorites, Seattle’s Susan Hyde. She sent these two examples of her latest angels dressed in her signature colors with extruded clay slices as accents. Those colors are pure holiday eye candy.

Her fabric tutorial (a Skinner blend with shreds of contrasting color mixed in and stacked into plaids) is one of the best for polymer clay color lovers.

Pozzo’s motorcycle tanks

Indiana’s Bill Pozzo fabricates custom exhibits and in his spare time makes custom designed motorcycle tanks.

The designs have a definite Hieronymus Bosch bent and reflect both Pozzo’s years of professional experience and his love of motorcycles. He sculpts in polymer clay and then casts the piece in fiberglass.

Each elaborate tank takes 200-250 hours and costs $4,500 and up. Custom designs are twice that.

His polymer clay figures are quirky and funny as well and his site reveals an artist of immense and varied talent.

Sahl’s polymer clay gingerbread houses

Nothing gets me more in the mood for the holidays than Sharon Sahl’s polymer clay gingerbread houses. She made only 10 for sale this year and there are just a couple left. Click on the large versions of her photos to see how detailed these beauties are.

“I buy and measure candies and cookies and gum and make them 1/4 sized with whatever clays best match their opacity. Trees are built from green star shapes, baked and then layered with white clay icing. For the cookies, I make an original with as much detail as I can fit onto a 1/2 inch disc, make a mold, and then pull every cookie from that mold. Gumdrops are coated with very fine glass beads and really look like gumdrops,” Sharon explains.

Her “Christmas Kids” ornaments are created with equal attention to detail. Sharon has moved back to Ohio and we’re happy she’s returned.

Brisk polymer clay holiday sales

Our local Winterfair was full of fine polymer clay work. Pat Bolgar uses micro glass marbles in innovative ways on elegant pieces, Kim Arden’s booth was full of eye-popping colors and Wiwat’s work was full of unusual shapes and hidden treasures.

There were others at the show (look for my small picture album here). Many were too busy for me to intrude. Even in our dismal economic times, the appeal of polymer clay’s authenticity and color are strong and sales were brisk.

Speaking of brisk sales! Did you notice that Ford and Forlano, Celie Fago and Susan Lomuto have joined the ranks of Etsy sellers? We’ve reached a tipping point, don’t you think? I hate to miss a party so I’m promising to fill my empty gallery this week. Are you on board?

French polymer clay connections

Poking through the polymer clay on the French PerleRouge site launched me into an afternoon at the computer. (I’ve streamlined the trip for you.)

I surfed from there to Crea’Sofimo (pendant at the left) who credits Mathilde Colas (the green necklace to the right) as her teacher and inspiration. Somehow I landed on the site of Cecilia Mabcrea, a French artist working in Xiamen, China.

This whirlwind web surfing made me marvel at how fast concepts travel and at the polymer clay community with its connections that span the globe.

Bankova’s clay sketches

The tags on the exotic, incised jewelry designs of Bulgarian artist Mariana Bankova read “synthetic ceramic” and “pâte polymère” so I’m guessing the material is polymer clay but they look very much like ceramic.

The washed colors and sketchy lines drawn around embedded seed beads give the pieces both a modern and romantic feel.

Reading about how the artists congregated in the small town adds to the mystique. Look at their gallery, Etsy shop and Flickr page to enjoy the full effect. (via Perlerouge)

Hunt’s stacking polymer trees

Australia’s Amanda Hunt has created cheery polymer clay ornaments/pendants made of graduated disks that will make a perfect pro

ject for the young artists in my neighborhood who stop by to make something for the holidays.

Creating simple yet sophisticated designs is quite a trick and Amanda’s done it well. The way she translates her doodles and drawings into polymer clay pieces is intriguing as well. Take a look here and here.

Real-looking polymer clay objects

This polymer clay lariat by Adams Schoolhouse reminds us that it’s time to break out the mittens. The variegated yarns look labor-intensive, very wooly, very real.

Speaking of looking real, check out the Australian “Making Sense” art exhibit that featured the work of artists who replicate benign objects and spaces.

Polymer artist Emma White explains that, “Sometimes the joke’s on me because people can’t tell the object is handmade (like the polymer clay post-it here), so they kind of don’t even see it.” Read more about Emma here.

Thanks to Susan Lomuto for the exhibit link and for making us start the week looking very carefully.

Tatana’s colors

Spain’s Natalia García de Leániz (Tatana) adds a colorful end to our week with these polymer clay slices sewn onto a braided leather necklace and, below, faux heishi strands.

I’ve banked lots of ideas this week and am anxious to get back into my studio right after I spend the weekend gabbing with my visiting siblings and children.

The Thanksgiving dishes are done, the turkey leftovers are ready for leisurely grazing. Have a great weekend.