Perrin’s Delightful Tutorial

The blog written by France’s proclaimed Queen of Clay, Sylvie Perrin, is perfect for Friday. I have no idea what the text on her blog says (and it’s too late to bother my French connection) but the pictures had me laughing and in awe of her technique. Sylvie has worked in polymer clay since she was a child and she’s still having a grand time.

Be sure to catch the fabulous tutorial that’s on her biography page (click the woman in red at the bottom of her home page)!

I hope the work in your studio is as effortless and productive as Sylvie demonstrates. If you need more, here’s her illustration portfolio.

Dunn’s Peace Crane Project

You may recognize polymer clay artist Judy Dunn for her pods or her shibori beads. Judy also has a passion for origami cranes.

For thousands of years the Japanese culture has treasured the crane as a symbol of honor and loyalty. This strong, graceful, beautiful bird mates for life and is extremely loyal to its partner.

Video 1

Video 2

The Japanese people feel that a person who folds 1,000 cranes will be granted his or her greatest wish. And Judy has a wish.

Judy’s polymer clay crane project is meant to recognize the loss of life in the Iraq war. It is a call for peace and she invites others to join her.

You can learn how to make a polymer clay crane by watching Judy’s new online videos.

Collins mixes discarded and original

Last week’s post about polymer clay artists at the ACRE show netted us a new name. Colorado’s Tish Collins stepped forward as she launches her new web site and makes her first venture into the wholesale world.

Her mosaic works are embellished with evocative objects and findings. Tish’s color palette samples are lovely to look at. She describes her work as combining the old and discarded with the bold and original.

Wilder’s stacked slices

Mississippi’s Dee Wilder has been spring cleaning her polymer clay canes. Dee sliced up her neglected canes, varying their shapes and stacking them into great looking bracelets. The lack of uniformity gives them extra personality.

Other slices she’s tucked into wire and metal wrappings. From trilobites to transfers, Dee’s been cleaning out and experimenting to fine effect. See the results of her happy spring chores on her Flickr site.

Comedian/Polymer Artist Arnold

Let’s start your week with a polymer clay “comedian artist.” That’s how Seattle’s Meredith Arnold describes herself and her classes are raucous fun. She’ll be teaching in Philadelphia, Miami and Orlando this month.

What surprised me is how shy she is about her web site…she’s not usually shy. Her gallery is filled with works that cover a wide range of media and processes which she discusses on her blog.

Her polymer/PMC combinations, like the beads shown here, are elegant (see her handbook on etching). A hit of Meredith’s color and vitality is a good way to begin your week.

Levi’s Polymer Pillows

Israel’s Sagit Levi has mastered the polymer clay pillow bead shape. Her beads juxtapose their soft shapes with a riot of strong colors that look very much like lampworked glass beads.

Sagit uses translucent canes in bolder colors and more dramatic combinations than we’re used to seeing. She’s got Etsy and Flickr sites and more.

Have a bright, bold weekend.

Carnes Polymer Bakery

Leslie Carnes (Pancake Meow) makes polymer clay baked goods so real that you’ll drool over them.

She does a thriving business in faux sugary waffles, cookies, flan, glazed donuts, crepes, ice cream and cupcakes…served on charm-sized ceramic plates and bowls.

Her just-baked delights are wearable as necklaces and earrings and they’re scented to complete the effect.

These teeny lemon pie slices look like the perfect tonic for spring fever.

Note: Ponsawan Sila has set up a blog to celebrate her daughter, Ada, who is still in a coma.

Inabe’s floating translucents

Masako Inabe’s translucent goldfish truly floats on one of her polymer clay beads. And her butterfly flutters on another.

Donna Kato sent in these pictures taken at Carnival ’07. “I think that goldfish bead is the most beautiful polymer bead I’ve ever seen. It’s so Japanese,” says Donna. (There are more pictures of it in Donna’s travel album.) Carnival ’08 will take place this October-November.

Portland’s Meredith Dittmar has added Etsy to her list of venues and she’s posted pictures of new works in progress on her Flickr site. She’s scheduled a July show in New York and updated her site. There’s even a 2-minute animation. You’ll want to poke around.

Velmachos’ ancient polymer

Sometimes polymer clay pieces can feel primitive and iconic. Callie Velmachos has a crude but captivating way of embedding beach pebbles and found objects in polymer clay. And she’s got a tiny tutorial on her site that shows you how she does it.

Callie admits that it was cRis Dupouy’s book, Creating Your Own Antique Jewelry, that got her started. She’s got an article in the Spring 2008 edition of Belle Armoire Jewelry that will tell you more.

Banyas/Speer collaborations

Ohio’s Deborah Banyas and TP Speer have been collaborating on their mixed media wall pieces since the 1980s.

The couple began studying and collecting folk art and soon their collection began rubbing off on their own artwork. Polymer clay added color and variety to their sewn and stuffed wall pieces.

This bird woman looks like she’s enjoying spring. Their gallery is just the thing to get your week started off on the right foot.

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