Polymer Clay Daily

To Do


It’s nearly time for the annual conference at Shrine Mont (see my 2003 pictures). And instead of concentrating on what polymer clay work I’ll do, I’ve been searching for a pair of shoes to paint because Michigan wild woman Jean Comport (and Shrine Mont co-coordinator) is bringing her shoe painting supplies.

Some of the western contingent have been looking for reassurance that they can survive in the wilds of Virginia. Can they make it up and down the hills in clogs? Are the snakes poisonous? I’m usually the easterner nervous about traveling west so it’s nice to have the clog on the other foot.

To Do – One more thing on the list. NPCG has made it very easy to submit a demo proposal for next February’s Synergy Conference in Baltimore (with the ACC show). The form is easy and online….and due May 15. Get busy and have a fabulous weekend.

Wanna Beads

Ronna Weltman’s "Cave Girl" polymer clay necklace didn’t get chosen in a competition she entered and she’s bummed. PolymerClayDaily is happy to serve as the consolation prize. Perhaps it’s my fine photoshop skills that show them off to better advantage.

I love the construction, the wobbly green disks and the name cracks me up. Very Flintstone. One person’s "also-ran" is another’s first rate. Go visit Ronna and cheer her up.

Note: The comments will show you that Ronna’s not really that thin-skinned and she surely doesn’t wish to be seen as a sore loser. She had the necklaces, the pictures so why not make the best of it and share?

Dreadlocks

Do we know whose work this is? It’s one of the entries in the current Polymer Clay Central Challenge. This month’s selection has been extended a few days and there’s still time to vote.

Half the fun is trying to identify the artist’s signature in his/her work and in this lovely monochromatic necklace, there’s no color clue. Guesses?

Dear dreadlocked daughter (here’s her travel blog) is visiting and it’s inhospitable to be on the computer all evening…just a short post.

Crayons

Perhaps today’s inclusions will suit you better. These polymer clay pieces (from Hollie’s collection) by Lindly Haunani are made from translucent clay. When baked, crayon shavings mixed into the plain clay leave their color and hollow spaces behind. Generally, 1⁄2 tsp. of chopped crayon per ounce of translucent clay is a good ratio.

Lindly published a great tutorial about inclusions long ago (1999) in Bead & Button. It’s very inspiring and luckily she keeps the information on her web site for everyone to enjoy.

Bonding

While Anne White has plenty of lovely polymer clay eye candy on her Blue Dog Beads and Flickr sites, what intrigues me most is her "cremains" pendant and keepsake beads.

For the keepsake beads, Anne mixes dried flower petals from a customer’s significant event with polymer clay and creates beads from the mix. For this "cremains" pendant, she embedded a few of the cremated ashes of a friend’s pet.

While this is certainly a step beyond mixing spices, dirt, or crayons into clay, it’s a rather nice memento. And I for one like the idea of being forever bonded with polymer clay.

You can blame Kim Cavender for sending this link to start us thinking this week.

Copy Cat

Uh-oh…this always happens. I’m so smitten with a piece of polymer clay art that I must try it myself. Naturally I started looking at doll sculpture tutorials after yesterday’s post.

Deborah McCain offers a step-by-step face sculpting tutorial on her site as well as some full-body lessons. She makes it look so easy.

McCain’s links also took me to a supplier who sells baby body and face push molds. Luckily, reading all this information has rid me of the urge to sculpt and given me a greater appreciation of others’ talents. Have a lovely weekend.

Captivated

I’m skeptical about this post because I know little about doll artists and because I’m simply captivated by these polymer clay babies by Cynthia Malbon.

Malbon sells resin versions of her works to a wider market and her name somehow always appears with Richard Simmons. I learned little about the artist herself and that makes me nervous.

Be that as it may, I am fascinated by the realism achieved by great doll makers like Malbon, Camille Allen, Jodi and Richard Creager, Annie Wahl and others listed on the NAIDA site.

If you can tell us more about this artist, please send your comments along. Thanks to Barbara Fajardo for the link.

Early Works

More history from Hollie’s collection. I wonder if you can identify this artist’s early work.

The pin on the right is an early 3D diorama from a series that the artist continued for several years. And the full-size mask is covered with a delightful variety of face cane and pattern slices.

Click here to go the artist’s current site. Surprised?

Bird Flu

Sandra Diniz’ Portugese site is a bit of a mystery to me. First the name, BigNeck, and the jumbled translation threw me for a loop. But her color sense, her wild abandon, the media mixes and the strange interplay of themes are exciting.

For instance, Sandra’s "Bird Flu" necklace is made with handmade polymer clay beads – roosters, ducks, fried egg, baked chicken, and other wood and paper maché beads as well as crocheted flowers. Check out the unselfconscious playful pieces throughout her site.

Many thanks to Lisa Clarke for leading us to this emerging artist.

Roots

Hollie Mion and I spent the day in her studio taking pictures of the over 400 pieces in her extensive polymer clay collection amassed over the past 20 years. Hollie ended the day with a digital record of her treasures and I came home with a treasure trove of pictures with which to tantalize you.

You’ll enjoy seeing early works like these Pier Voulkos earrings and pin assembled using telephone wire that fuses with the clay. And this tripod sculpture of Pier’s is one of Hollie’s favorite pieces. (Pier has returned to her career in dance.)

An introduction to our old polymer clay friends may help you appreciate the roots of your craft.