A polymer antidote

Rozen Martel shows us a polymer accessory that helps on PolymerClayDaily.com

There’s no better antidote to fear and ennui than service. France’s Rozen Martel shows us another great way to make polymer art that can be helpful. Here’s her free video tutorial.

This small addition to a mask creates a useful and decorative polymer accessory that alleviates ear chafing and discomfort.

Mask holders can be simple or ornate. They can be personalized or spread your message. For those of us who don’t sew, Rozen provides an outlet for our altruism.

There are many ways to be helpful, stay creative, and contribute in these strange times. That’s what we’ll be exploring in Saturday morning’s StudioMojo. What’s helpful and exciting and perhaps hidden from view? Come explore with us.

The art you need

Laurie Mika's Corona series shows us the power of art on PolymerClayDaily.com

Yes, we featured Laurie Mika’s Corona series just recently. But I need her works just now.

One friend dies, a neighbor tests positive and moves to hospice, a husband fights cancer. And I’m in Ohio, a state that is behaving responsibly!

Laurie’s art presses all my buttons. Wish us well today.

You may have been skeptical about the effect your polymer art can have. Laurie shows you how powerful it can be.

Her birds take wing

Joan Tayler's birds take flight on PolymerClayDaily.com

Vancouver’s Joan Tayler has a way with birds like this little one she’s calling “Dicky Bird” that’s now a zipper pull. She also makes them into whistles, earrings, necklaces, and more.

Joan is creating a flock of various species for her 100-day challenge. Her drawings and in-process shots on Instagram are captivating. Joan knows her birds.

Drizzled polymer

Marni Southam drizzles liquid polymer over her imitative ceramic vase on PolymerClayDaily.com

Watch how Australia’s Marni Southam at Oleander Avenue finishes off this vase with a drizzle of liquid polymer. She gives our medium a breath of spring air that she shares on the Poly Collective FriClay site.

You can examine the piece up close on Marni’s own site here.

Crackling crazy

Sherri Thompson likes her crackle barely held together on PolymerClayDaily

Michigan’s Sherri Thompson (lunamerakistudio) takes crackle seriously.

She refers to her chunky look as “newspaper crackle.” It’s a great look for this black and white oval pendant.

I had no idea what a rabbit hole crackle techniques have become. Is it because we’re feeling fractured that we’re so attracted to this barely-glued-together look? Whether you like fine crazing or chunky crackling, you can find the effect of your choice here.

Saying so much with so little

Cynthia Toops tells her story with 14 charms on PolymerClayDaily.com

A cupcake, a garden spade, a piggy bank, an organizer, pizza, hand soap, a swiss army knife, “isolate”, micron pens, puzzle pieces, her husband’s sisters, beads, Campbell’s soup, distancing.

How cool are these charms on this Covid 19 bracelet from Seattle’s Cynthia Toops?

She’s summed up what she’s going through with just a smattering of black and white clay. Can you believe how powerfully she describes her experience with so little?

Join us over at StudioMojo where we’ll spell out the week in polymer art with a breezy but deep look at the most exciting finds that wouldn’t quite fit on PCD.

Fabric repeats in polymer

A green background around each element unifies this cane from Ronit Golan

A cane like this one from Israel’s Ronit Golan mimics a fabric print. All the patterns are surrounded by the same background color so that the elements can be combined into one larger unified design.

This kind of big idea/small pattern cane is becoming popular and it’s on my shortlist of canes to try.

See it from other angles on Ronit’s Etsy shop and follow more of the steps on her Facebook.

Broken hearts

Carol Beal makes crazy quilt hearts for new neighbors on PolymerClayDaily.com

These “Broken Hearts: Keeping a Safe Distance” brought tears to my eyes. They’re from Kansas’ Carol Beal (BeadUnsupervised).

The hearts are certainly wonky and broken but they’re also joyful and celebratory. Carol says she made them for some new neighbors.

The hearts have a crazy quilt vibe. Such a vibrant collage of scraps!

More of her art on Facebook.

Our lady of the pandemic

Laurie Mika loves crowns so the corona figures prominently in her new art on PolymerClayDaily.com

California’s Laurie Mika has created a whole body of new mixed media work that she calls During the Pandemic.

Her polymer mosaic shrines are heavily textured, encrusted with found jewels, and stamped with prayers and sayings.

Laurie is a lover of crowns so coronas figure prominently in her shrines which have names like “Our Lady of the Pandemic” and inscriptions like the Latin “Momento Mori” (remember, we will all die).

“This pause in our lives has been one of reflection, self-discovery, re-evaluating what’s important, and finding new ways of coping,” says Laurie.

Read more about her newest creations in her newsletter and on her Etsy site. Has the pandemic affected your art?

Hopeful Monday

Bonnie Gilmore appliques beautiful bits onto polymer bases on PolymerClayDaily.com

The way little things add up to something big and refreshing is what draws us back to Australia’s Bonnie Gilmore (Hatching Sparrows). She intended to make studs but absent-mindedly drilled holes. No harm, no foul, make the best of it. They became dangles.

My eyes wander to places that make me feel good and Bonnie has a talent for soothing with some polymer words of inspiration tucked in among her baubles. Happy, hopeful Monday.

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