I’ve added a "classes" page to the navigation bar at the top of this page. It may not be comprehensive and I won’t try to keep up with all the beginner classes and guild events…those are covered elsewhere.
This list gathers the best professional-level classes that might otherwise get overlooked (like the Nan Roche class at Arrowmont and the Dan Cormier & Tracy Holmes new workshops). If you know of other similar events, send them along.
I like these beads from Marie Segal’s April 15 workshop with the San Diego Guild. These beads illustrate my "keep it simple" rant of the last few days, They’re based on two or three canes which are reconfigured into a multitude of shapes.
A few years ago I watched Pier Voulkos take one simple cane slice and in the space of five minutes whip it into a dozen shapes. (I resurrected this link from a 2001 workshop.)
That cane manipulation took incredible dexterity of hand and imagination. It’s that freshness and vitality that I’ve been looking for this week. Thanks Pier, thanks Marie.
These teeny birds on my shelf remind me that it’s nearly spring. And they tell me that everything needn’t be precious and exquisite. Sometimes simple and carefree is best.
I bought these polymer birds at the local art college sale. The young artist felt she was overcharging me when she priced them at $1 each. Such a deal! Each bird has character and exudes happiness.
After weeks of looking at wonderful skillfully-crafted works, I’m just a bit tired of the intensity. I think I’ll look for simple for the next few days. No polymer links today. You may want to see what the 20-somethings are doing with jewelry. Just for grins.
Call it spring fever. Call it desperation. I’ve got nothing but myself to write about today so here’s the latest inlaid bowl that my husband turned and I inlaid with polymer.
After years of making polymer jewelry, I moved over to the housewares department. It was great fun to add knobs, switchplates and lights in our little Marrakech bathroom. The sink is a walnut bowl inlaid with matching polymer, naturally. And the tub surround is roofing copper. Add candles and bathsalts and a bath becomes a very exotic experience.
So there you have it. Now all I have to do is find something for tomorrow!
Hmmm…here’s a treat for your Monday morning. A new site from Deborah Banyas and her husband, T.P. Speer.
It’s a yummy site and I especially like the studio shots (scroll down to see them). Don’t we all want to live in a place like hers with a wild and colorful garden? And I feel compelled to remind you that she’s from Ohio.
This should start your week off right.
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This exhibit from last fall at the White Lotus Gallery in Eugene, Oregon, caught my eye. Multiple Palettes/Varied Visions: 30 Jewelers Explore Color covers a variety of media and their emphasis on color is instructive even though only a few (MaryandLouAnn and FordForlano) are polymer artists.
You’ll find lots of inspiration here. Be sure to visit the site of metalsmiths Barbara Minor and Christopher Hentz, Lulu Smith, Ellen Wieske, Deb Karash and others for the complete color experience.
Portland, Oregon's Meredith Dittmar first started sculpting while trying to avoid getting her computer science degree. After graduating she worked as an interactive designer/programmer and her digital works have been shown in international film festivals, exhibits and magazines.
For the past ten years, she's put the digital realm on the backburner to pursue her three-dimensional passion. The first "guys" were made in 1994 when she discovered polymer clay.
Ever since that day, a steady flow has continued. Thousands have been created and no two were alike until the recent "clones" series. "Guys" are made out of premo and flexible sculpey.
They're quirky, colorful and fresh. And you can put them on your phone or watch a Converse Video (scroll through until you hit "Polymer Playground") of these creatures.
I don’t know much about this artist…Howard from Como, Italy…but thought we should tip our hats toward the Olympic hosts this week. This one’s called "Pocketbook".
Pongo is apparently the Italian version of polymer clay and Howard sculpts all kinds of delightful things. You can buy his images on cups and shirts in addition to his pongo pieces.
The comments on his site are hilarious…."I can’t believe you did a pongo of my pre-operative uterus Howard. How sweet." Only the Italians could bring us this art! We should all learn to be so playful.
Karen Woods has some new works on her site. My favorites are her collaborative works with beadweaving artists. Some of the best in polymer team up with others to produce doubly interesting work.
If you’re looking for something to enliven your creations, consider enlisting artist friends in other media.
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I’ve finished monkeying around. These finger puppets made from polymer were a vacation shopping find and I promptly forgot the artist’s name. She’s a Whidbey Island artist with some wonderful characters in her head. Her work is at the Bayview Art Center on Whidbey (sorry, no web links).
I pondered what to do with these pages, fretted over where I’d find new things, and considered where the art of polymer is headed. A week of pondering while looking at the water and visiting with friends is theraputic and I’m ready to dive back in.
