Hollow Forms

I've looked for more information on Ai-ping Yeh who has been teaching her "closed form box" pin method for a couple of years. There's very little about her on the web. Perhaps students of hers can fill me in. Here are pictures from her June class in Philadelphia.

I learned from web bits and pieces that she "has worked in polymer clay for eight years, is a member of the South Bay Polymer Clay Guild and received a MA in jewelry design in 1991."

Her forms are intriguing with their depth, angles, curves, windows and holes…there's a lot happening in a little space. I'd like to know more. Glass Attic has a long description of Ai-ping's method that you might find helpful.

New Jersey Chickens

Doreen Gay-Kassel has illustrated many stories and books in polymer clay (check out her list of stellar clients). She's adding these wonderful clay and wire sculptures which she calls "polymorphs" to her repertoire. And she'll be giving classes in her Hopewell, New Jersey studio.

Doreen's site is a treat and I can't wait to see what her poly morphs into. Thanks to Louise Fischer-Cozzi who sent Doreen our direction.

Yum-Yum

Did you see the new pictures on Lindly Haunani's site? Luscious colors, naturally, and all reflecting Lindly's Hawaiian heritage and her passion for food.

Several people wrote to tell me that Ford and Forlano had updated their site. It's coming up slowly and badly on my Mac….boo-hoo. Let's hope they get it up and running soon.

As I was rechecking links, I also see that we lost links for Karyn Kozak and Chris Bevins. Anyone know the story?

Sunshine

This "Sunrise Bowl" from Laura Timmins is a great way to end this hot week. It looks like she's constructed eight individual panels and then joined them at the seams and the base with extruded trim on the top edge. Very sunshine and flowers.

Be sure to look at the picture of Laura's show display and the clever way she illustrates her process (complete with handmade cording) as you scroll down that page. Have a cool weekend.

Cool Ideas

I imagine you all lounging at the pool with your laptops. Still too hot to clay? Here's another distraction.

The artists on the Charon Kransen Arts site are nothing short of spectacular. I shook my head in disbelief at some of the designs from all over the world. Take a look at Japan's Meiri Ishida's felt necklaces for starters.

I went through the whole long list (happy to see Ford/Forlano among them). The artists on this site will blow your mind and the rest of the overheated world will drift away.

Too Hot for Clay

Cool off with some hot ideas from these jewelers in a variety of media. The link to New York's David Collection was sent to us by Ronna Weltman. It's chock full of fabulous ideas and terrific designs.

You'll have to fan yourself as you look at artists like Ulrike Hamm. The material used in her bracelet (pictured here) isn't identified but could certainly be polymer. It reminds me of Sandra McCaw's new translucent petals. Check out Ulrike's web site too.

Lentil Overload

Just when I think I've looked at every lentil bead on the web, I'm drawn back to some spectacular variations. Valerie Aharoni's lentils are something to behold. I can't really tell how they're done. Is it Gwen Gibson's image transfer technique? Is it some sort of rubber stamp trick? Whatever, it's terrific.

And I love the bursting lentils in the necklace at the right that Gwen Gibson created some years back.

All these beads were shaped over a form and were not created using the familiar bicone bead process. I have this old picture of Carol Shelton's beads which illustrates the technique. Two circles were cut out and formed over a large ball bearing. After baking, the two halves were glued together and rebaked making a very lightweight bead.

Some interesting variations on the theme.

Bend and Bake

In the "Bake and Bend" section of Naama Zamir's Israeli site, you'll find this simple and effective necklace design. The beads are two-sided circles bent in half and drilled.

While these beads were made with Sculpey's bake and bend clay, there's no reason it couldn't be done with other clays as well. A clever design to get your mind moving this Monday morning.

American Style

Let's finish out the week with a bit more sculpture, American style.

Utah's Lori Follett has an elegant, sensual series of sculptures and then there's her wacky, witty side (see the trophy wife). Her story's a good read too.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Katherine Dewey again. Jodi and Richard Creager's work (thanks to Christine Kozicke for the link) is simply stunning. I can't believe my eyes. Their sculpture is amazingly lifelike and engrossing.

If you've got the weekend to web surf, you can even take a look at the National Institute of American Doll Artists. I'm sure I've overlooked lots of polymer clay sculptors. We'll revisit that side of the craft from time to time.

Envy

So that's what envy looks like! Visit Chicago sculptor Jill Willich's site to view all sorts of faeries, goblins and polymer clay sculpture.

You won't want to miss the spoon doll tutorials…scroll way down the page for the complete effect. Jill makes the process look easy (the mark of a professional) and tempting to try.

This week's illustrators and sculptors remind us that polymer clay isn't just for jewelry and purses and frames. There are many creatures waiting to emerge from the clay.

Thanks to Alisa for the link!

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