Polymer Clay Daily

Sober in Seattle Earring Show


If you’re stuck on the same old designs, you might be inspired by the extravaganza of contemporary earrings published in "500 Earrings: New Directions in Contemporary Jewelry" from Lark Books this year.

To celebrate the publishing of the book, Seattle’s Facere Jewelry Art Gallery will show over 250 pairs of earrings by 29 different artists, all in the book, from across the country. There’s a lecture and champagne on Monday, October 8 if you’re in Seattle. Julia Sober who’s moved to Seattle, will be among the luminaries.

Thanks to Elise Winters for the tip.

Cavender, Mika Online; Bead Arts Award Winners

"If you know my work, you will know me," says Laurie Mika in a great podcast on Stacey Apeitos’ site. Laurie’s in California and Stacey is in Australia if you’re tracking our global connections. Listen in on their friendly chat about Laurie’s polymer clay/mixed media mosaic process, her philosophy and her new book.

West Virginia’s Kim Cavender is a natural at blogging even though she had to be cajoled and coerced into getting online. She includes links to great findings, a color quiz and pictures of her most recent creations. Kim will keep you coming back for more.

Winners of the Bead Arts Awards 2007 have been announced and not only did Lynne Ann Schwarzenberg’s polymer clay bead (pictured at right) take the top award in the "clay bead" category but it also took top honors in the competition across all the categories. A list of the winners and a nice "Go with the Flow Pendant" tutorial from Christi Friesen are downloadable from the Step by Step site and appear in the November/December issue of their magazine.

I wanted to bring you these lovely tidbits to finish the week and to tidy my desktop. I’m off to the studio, have a lovely weekend.

Sony Bravia Claymation

Any project that requires 2.5 tons of clay merits a mention on this site. Forty animators made 182 bunnies and one giant 30-foot rabbit and more for Sony Bravia’s latest 60-second promotion. It’s plasticine, not polymer clay, but the spirit’s the same and we share a motto, “Color like no other.”

Go here for a behind-the-scenes look. The full 60-second commercial is here. The interface was a little slippery and confusing but persist and you’ll be rewarded.

I can’t pass up a chance to mention the synergy in a project like this….and of course, encourage you to sign up now for the polymer clay guild’s Synergy conference next February.

Holden’s Fall Leaves

Vancouver Island’s Tina Holden was inspired to create this polymer clay necklace by a recent drive in the countryside.

She added copper, variegated and gold leaf into a jade translucent polymer clay. The necklace itself is crocheted and four-strand braided with recycled glass, smokey quartz and other beads.

Holden also "rocks" and has swapped with other makers of PEBLS…that’s Polymerclay Evolved Beach Like Stones.

Sahl’s Seasonal Ornaments

Sharon Sahl, formerly of Ohio and now from Washington, has added her 2007 line of polymer clay ornaments to her web site enabling her Ohio collectors to get their annual fix of her charming and precise works.

Sharon’s added a couple of interesting demos. If you scroll down her demo page you’ll see an example of her process for a cathedral windows quilt and witness Sharon’s legendary attention to detail. Be sure to browse the gingerbread houses section.

Vacuum Tube and Other Miniatures

A couple of mind-expanding miniatures in polymer clay may start you thinking smaller this week.

On the left, New York’s Peter Luber puts polymer clay dioramas in vacuum tubes. A painter, modeller and writer, Luber says that the vacuum tubes encapsulate moments that matter to him.

Singapore’s Garie Sim has been working in micro-size art since the early 80s. He’s also become a supplier (check out his experiments), a teacher, and a therapist, using the clay to help people with learning disabilities.

If you don’t have any big ideas for your week, perhaps these small ones sent in by Lindly Haunani and Barbara Reider will help.

Wiiremote and Schiller’s Fantasy

The first thing you have to know about these polymer clay "Wiiremote" earrings is that they’re replicas of a very popular video game controller. They are made by Thiakosia and sold on Etsy. These clever copies are a hit, appearing on every geek and gadget site on the internet…they’re geektastic.

The second thing you need to know about this post is that it was sent to me by my artist/geek son. Now isn’t that just too sweet? Of course, I’m going to feature it.

One more oddity for your Friday amusement is Dawn Schiller’s Seidh (pronounced "seed"). According to her, Seidh take up residence in empty pods on the forest floor.

Fantasy characters usually scare me but Schiller’s make me smile. Her website is populated with all sorts of happy/creepy creatures perfect for your fall weekend viewing.

Philadelphia Guild’s Pictures


Browsing the Philadelphia Polymer Clay Guild’s blog and Flickr sites is like attending a virtual meeting, this month with Donna Kato.

There’s a wealth of inspiration on the site…like these necklaces by Ellen Marshall (left) and Susan Gross (right). Jeff Dever will teach a sold out class next week.

Kudos to the guild for delivering such up-to-the-minute pictures and information and such dynamite classes.

Bonura’s Online Collaboration

When Texas artist Elizabeth Bonura couldn’t find a suitable sculpture for the top of her wedding cake, she created one for herself out of polymer clay and then started a business making them for others. She has been sculpting since 1994.

A recent project – life size and with a two-week deadline – had her struggling. "I was having trouble capturing a likeness of the bride so I contacted the members of the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy and the members of the Professional Doll Makers Art Guild for help," says Elizabeth. She documented her progress on her Flickr site. "I could not have finished this project without these wonderful art communities!" she says. That’s synergy.

Speaking of Synergy! The online registration for next February’s conference opens next Monday. Check your calendar. Early birds are offered some tasty worms.

Polymer Clay Reminders of Faith

Here are two examples of a branch of polymer art that we sometimes overlook – religious art. The Lord Shiva sculpture is by Spanish polymer clay artist, Maria Saiz, on Craftster and Flickr which was sent in by Lea Hernandez.

Iowa’s Patricia Kimle has published a second web site, PreciousText, for her new line of fine art jewelry that is a source of encouragement and a reminder of faith.

Made from a combination of polymer clay and precious metal clay, her verses and sayings are the newest facet of her career that includes 15 years creating and writing about polymer clay.