Polymer Clay Daily

Fago’s site update

Vermont’s Celie Fago has updated her site and added a blog (with only one lonely post at the moment). Her gallery is full of stunning PMC works sometimes combined with polymer clay for color and texture. Though polymer plays a less prominent role in her current work, she uses it masterfully.

Take a look at my ten year old pictures from the national retreat when Celie burst on the polymer clay scene. She helped move the community from caning to carving, inlaying, and sanding the medium. The beauty of her tools made me realize how thoroughly her aesthetic permeates her life.

Jill Penney’s Low-brow Art

Arizona’s Jill Penney (scroll way down that page) is a pop surrealist doll artist who makes polymer clay dolls that are part punk, part comic book, part anime, slightly deviant…what’s being called low-brow art.

The style has roots in tatoos and graffiti and is wildly popular on the west coast. When a pop surrealist gallery opened up in our midwest town with Penney’s dolls, I went to see what I could learn.

The craftsmanship in Penney’s dolls is impressive and her aesthetic fits perfectly in this gallery of like-minded artists. Her sassy waif-like dolls beg to be played with but their pricetags place them well beyond toy status. The blending of toys and art takes a bit of getting used to. Several serious young collectors were comparing their pricey acquisitions. The buzz reminded me of the early days of outsider art. It’s nice to see fine polymer clay art in the middle of this growing genre.

Hennessey’s Decca brings polymer to needleworkers

Karen Hennessey markets her polymer clay art to the needle arts crowd. The Massachusetts artist started working with polymer in the late eighties and created her company, Zecca, which makes colorful caned items designed to meet the specific needs of knitters and needlepoint enthusiasts.

Her caned patterns embellish stitch markers, scissor protectors, buttons and other needlework necessities. The patterns have infiltrated her needlepoint patterns and it’s sometimes hard to tell if you’re looking at needlepoint or a cane slice. Hennessey created a line of blank cards that combine a cane slice on patterned paper as shown here.

If you’re thinking about moving beyond your niche, take a look at how this polymer artist has found a home among related and companion artforms. Thanks to Alaska’s Katie Way who sent the link along.

Snow’s Timbuctooties and Longoland’s Monsters

I’m captivated by these polymer clay “timbuctooties and didgeridollies” by Washington’s Donna Snow. Her fiber and polymer dolls are dressed in hand worked fabrics and embellished with odds and ends.

Each of them has amazing character and they look like they’re bursting with exciting stories from their mysterious pasts. This one’s called “Wiggy the Skateboarder.” Donna gives classes throughout the year in her Port Townsend home studio.

The link was sent in by Michelle Davis Petelinz. Her boxes, frames and masks will entice you to spend some time there.

Monster Skin Rug
I couldn’t resist adding just one more thing to end this silly week. Here’s a little cashmere and polymer clay monster skin rug by Joshua Ben Long whose Longoland is a multidisciplinary funhouse including a line of twisted stuffed animals.

My sweet son picked up the link from BoingBoing. Start your weekend with a chuckle and a smile.

England’s Carlton

Popcorn and chocolates for dinner and another evening on the computer. This poor nutrition and night owl schedule can’t continue. I’m beginning to miss my husband and my normal life. I did bump into an artist who’s new to me.

England’s Debbie Carlton shows some lovely metal/polymer clay work on her Flickr site and on her own business site. She started in metals and has recently added the polymer touches for color and interest. Her work has a light, playful touch that I find appealing. I see I missed her article in the November issue of Art Jewelry magazine.

Anderson’s FimoCreations

Arizona’s Jon Anderson reappeared on my radar. His forms are densely covered with exceptionally intricate polymer clay cane work in muted colors.

Judy Dunn spotted Anderson’s Fimo Creations on a Wisconsin gallery’s site. Anderson’s own site shows the whole spring 2007 collection, a bonanza for animal sculpture enthusiasts.

A PCDaily viewer was worried that she hadn’t received any response back to her emails to the company. It would appear that they’re alive and well but perhaps not very communicative.

From Mion’s Collection

Busted! My husband’s out of town so I turned up the furnace, ordered Chinese food and played on the computer all evening. Livin’ large!

I’ve been reminiscing and thumbing through the pictures of the polymer clay jewels that Hollie Mion has collected. The creator of the Zephyr pin at the left was Linda Siner.

If you look at the detail, you’ll understand why the artist soon abandoned this Toops-like micromosaic style. Lovely but, oh, so time-consuming. I think of all the techniques I’ve tried on for size.

If you’re new to the craft, you may not recognize the earrings at right. They’re from Kathleen Dustin (oops…not Kathy Amt). Hollie has a nice selection of Dustin’s and Amt’s work during the early years. The remarkable Mona Lisa bead (by Cheri Pyle?) was created in pre-Skinner blend days. Hollie’s entire collection will be on display at Synergy in Baltimore.

Dustin and Hughes jumpstart your week

Jumpstart your week with a look at spectacular new polymer clay works from names you know (or will learn). To the left is Victoria Hughes who’s got a vibrant new web site that showcases her new work as well as her signature pieces.

Don’t miss the deal in her “Books and Videos” section (here’s the complete list of her tapes). She’s transferring all her videos to disc format and is clearing out her VHS tapes. These are remarkable tapes at bargain prices.

You won’t want to miss the buzz over Kathleen Dustin’s Tuesday post about her new stunning blowing grass purse. Reading about her inspiration and her process will make you stop and think…and look around more intently.

You can thank Judy Dunn and Susan Lomuto for starting this week’s buzz.

Wallace’s Fabric Influences

Ohio’s Amy Wallace mixes polymer clay and fabrics too (check Dayle Doroshow’s work from yesterday). Amy’s signature piece is her “stacker” bead which combines coils of patterned polymer strips.

Heavily influenced by fabrics, Amy’s focuses much of her work on buttons and she does them well.

If you’ve ever been tempted to try a coiled fabric basket, check out Amy’s recent HGTV segment. She makes it look so simple!

Yes, of course she’s got an Etsy site and some Flickr fun stuff. For more fabulous fabric treats, spend some time looking at Marimekko’s spring collection. Have a fun weekend.

Doroshow’s New Site

California’s Dayle Doroshow has a knack for showing polymer clay artists how to nurture their own creative sparks. She’s just unveiled a new web site that showcases her work and her schedule of wide-ranging classes.

Dayle teaches an approach to art that is a wonderful combination of free-spirited adventure, focus and discipline. She brings out the artist in me and I’ve helped her nurture her inner-nerd by assisting with her new site.

I’m loving the fabric/polymer combinations Dayle’s been working on lately like the flower pins shown above. Her portfolio is full of fabulous works (check out this polymer clay postcard/invitation).