Polymer Clay Daily

Scott’s polymer trilobites

Vancouver’s Andrew Scott captured this trilobite in a jar (the last real one disappeared 250 million years ago). It took me a while to verify that his critters are polymer clay. He describes them as being made of PVC gel. He’s obviously passionate about bugs and his armatures are works of art in themselves.

It’s fun to look at the products of his fertile mind on his site and his Flickr pages.

Scott has just finished a bugs-versus-octopods chess set for a collector, a meter-long dragonfly larva for Vancouver’s Nature House and tentacled alien creatures for a science-fiction horror film.

Hope the bugs don’t bite this weekend.

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Crocenzi and tempered glass

Susan Crocenzi has produced growing body of polymer clay and tempered glass mosaic work since we last looked at her in March. The piece shown here, a 3’x5′ wall piece made of tempered glass, polymer clay tiles, amethyst, metal beads, glass gems and smalti, will hang in the new Austin Centre in Texas.

Detail photos on her Flickr site (look here and here) help you appreciate the work better.

Polymer clay allows her to insert colorfully coordinated designs and messages within the free flowing colors of her tempered glass backgrounds. She is now offering classes in her northern California studio.

Thanks to Susan Turney for the link and the reminder to take a second look.

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Sexton simply extrudes

I’m a sucker for simple polymer clay techniques done well and these extrusions from Colorado’s Karen Sexton hooked me immediately. Simple color palettes, simple extrusions, clever graphic treatments. Karen’s meticulous craftsmanship makes them more than simple.

She says it was a PCDaily post that got her thinking about extrusions again which is nice to know. This is the year I’m going to get Karen online so that you can see more of her fine work.

Note: Retirement is lovely. Every delicious summer day I smile as I turn off the alarm clock and roll over. Later I toddle down to the studio and pinch myself.

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Balian’s polymer clay saints

Marsha Balian is an Oakland, CA mixed media artist who only recently added polymer clay to her toolbox. This sculpture, called "Objects Smaller Than They Appear, the Patron Saint of Hindsight" combines a doll’s torso, polymer clay head, arms and legs, acrylic paint and varnish, copper wire. raffia, beads, fabric scrap on a wood base.

Her series of sculptures, reminiscent of the wooden saints seen in South America, are called "Household Saints of Dubious Virtue".

Balin shifted from painting to sculpture when she needed a portable media that would allow her to be closer to her husband who was ill. The humor she found in her art helped her through difficult times that she recounts here. She describes her art as an expression of affection for the quirkiness that is part of our everyday lives.

Thanks to Susan Rose for the link to this artist who’s new to our scene.

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Regan redux

When I saw Montana’s Margaret Regan at our arts fair she had just soaked her top in water and put it back on. The Ohio heat was stifling and Margaret’s resourceful. She does six to eight shows around the country each year.

Her polymer clay colors and patterns remain the same while she shifts her jewelry designs to keep customers coming back. Margaret is widely recognized as the creator of the segmented bangle (look on her site to see the design) and the quality of her work has remained remarkably consistent.

I wondered how long artists can keep traveling around the country with the price of travel and lodging. She was busy enough that we didn’t have time to chat long but I learned that she tangoes and her husband’s coming out with a book. There’s a bit about Margaret’s history that was recently posted on PolymerArtArchives.

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Simmons’ winning pendants

Using a color palette derived from Korean embroideries, Carol Simmons created this series of kaleidoscope pendants. She assembled five graduated-sized beads from the series into a necklace which won first prize in the Bead Dreams polymer clay contest.

What you can’t appreciate from photos is the silky smooth finish of these pieces. They beg to be worn and fondled. And I can attest to the careful research, planning, testing and retesting that has gone into every step of Carol’s long development and refinement of her signature work. Click on each pendant to get a closer look. Have a winning weekend.

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Nervous bead dreams

I’ll have to finish this post later today because the contestants in the Bead Dreams contest in Milwaukee are so nervous that they’ve made me nervous. I’m checking my sources again to make sure I’ve got my facts straight before I go blabbing. Check the 2007 entries while you wait for the judges’ 2008 tally.

The entry pictured here is Barbara Fajardos’ and it wasn’t the one she thought would be accepted. Same story on Julie Picarello’s piece. The moral of the story is do your best polymer clay work then enter, enter, enter and leave the rest to the fates.

Thanks to Jenn Dorion for sending a message from the Bead and Button show floor…she wins the award for Jenn-On-The-Spot.

It’s official. Polymer clay category winners are:

The overall winners will be named later in the week. Read more here. Thanks to Beadweaver Susan for the official link.

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