Polymer Clay Daily

Monday step by step

Kristi Thorndike-Kent and Jen Young walk you through a vibrant blend on PolymerClayDaily.com

When Monday chores won’t allow you to work on your clay, following another artist’s process can be very satisfying. That’s why these step-outs from Washington’s Kristi Thorndike-Kent and Jen Young (GoInsideandclay) are enticing.

The straight strips of color overlap slightly for a beautiful bend. The vibrant blend thins out and then stacks up into sporty stripes. Kristi and Jen share how they arrived at these cutouts that are just a few steps away from finished jewelry.

They make it look so easy! See the in-between steps on their Instagram.

Early Lehocky

An early Ron Lehocky heart for 2020's V-Day on PolymerClayDaily.com

I went way back into PCD archives to pick out my 2020 Ron Lehocky valentine.

This is an early Ron though I’m not sure what year. Maybe he can tell us.

The background dots are black on color. They frame the dimensional heart whose dots reverse to color on black. It’s loose and carefree, probably from before he set his goal of 50,000 hearts.

Ron can make beautiful hearts in his sleep now. This playful version still sings.

Ron will probably reach his goal this year. That’s $500,000 raised for his Kids Center Heart Pin Project. Who better to feature on this day of love?

Art on a heart

Carol Beal paints art on her hearts on PolymerClayDaily.com

Kansas’ Carol Beal (beadunsupervised) was an illustrator and greeting card designer for Hallmark for many years.

If I’m reading right, Carol painted acrylic on polymer for these beauties. They’re loose and fluid. I can’t quite picture how she combined her illustrating skills with polymer to achieve this effect but I love it.

Carol’s hearts are a refreshing and romantic departure from canes, blends, and kaleidoscopes. There are many ways to speak of love.

Walk on the wild side

Margaret Polcawich takes a different tack on PolymerClayDaily.com

Lindly’s fundraising campaign has put me back in touch with artists who usually lurk quietly in the background.

What a treat to get reacquainted with Maryland’s Margaret Polcawich. Her vessels and wall art have a delicate sensibility….reeds blowing in the wind, small tiles thick with color, vessels with spindly legs.

They trigger some part of my brain that says, “Yes…let’s try that!” Visit her site if you need to walk on the wild side.

Sharing the love

Slovenia’s Marijana Grubic heads us back to Valentine’s Day with these shapes silkscreened with love and topped with teensy hearts. Here she is on Facebook.

By combining two veneers bisected by a band of silver on domed shapes, Marijana makes an unusual pendant and earrings beyond the usual hearts and flowers.

It was all about love and caring as we began our fundraiser for Lindly yesterday. Didn’t you feel proud of your art community as they turned out to help Lindly without hesitation? 

Keep spreading the love. Thank you for your generosity!

Get Lindly back on her feet

GoFundMe helps Lindly Haunani get back on her feet on PolymerClayDaily.com

Lindly Haunani has been gravely injured in an accident and we’re raising money for her care. The other driver was jailed and it looks like a very long and complicated road ahead for her.

She has upcoming classes at Clayathon which Maggie Maggio is covering. Lindly also organizes the Shrine Mont retreat in May. She’s a vital part of many events and the community is rallying to fill her very big shoes.

Please trust that any class reservations and finances will be sorted out. Lindly has to put all her energy into getting well. Contact Arlene Groch about Clayathon and Hollie Mion (via Messenger) who will have some Shrine Mont information. Lindly cannot be contacted for these matters right now.

We have set up a GoFundMe for Lindly. You can read details of the accident and more about her circumstances there. We have a generous global community and we are aiming high. Please share the link and donate now. 

Send cards and letters (no calls) to:

Lindly Haunani
C/O Beverly Grover
8201 Hamilton Springs Court
Bethesda, Maryland   20817

Balanced reds

Pat Bolgar balances a bouquet of polymer pods on PolymerClayDaily.com

A splash of red from Ohio’s Pat Bolgar (AccessoryArt) rounds out the week.

Pat perches a tight bunch of delicate pods on silver circles. Their balance and fine details make them a perfect lead in to Valentine’s Day.

Let the reds and the hearts begin! Here’s Pat’s work on Instagram.

How did we get to Friday already? We’ll parse the developments that rocked the polymer world over at StudioMojo tomorrow morning. Join us!

Piles of possibilities

Laura Walthen designs pieces from this pile of possibilities on PolymerClayDaily.com

Savor the soft pastel shades in this pile of parts and pieces from UK’s Laura Wathen (ClaytimeDesigns).

The advantage of making a big batch of polymer shapes from a set palette is that the possibilities for building jewelry pieces are gloriously endless.

Laura coats each piece with resin before she starts her assemblage.

Don’t you want to scoop some up in your hands and let them rain down?

Essential hearts

Fi-mons strips hearts to their essentials on PolymerClayDaily.com

You’ll have to fill me in on the name behind Spain’s Bisuteria Creativa (fi-mons). All I know is that Valentine’s Day is approaching and her slightly wonky hearts speak love to me. You too?

Her simple circles are delightful. Everything is stripped down to its essentials. Pure, simple and totally trendy.

Track her around on Facebook, Instagram, and Flickr. Can you find her name?

Peekaboo Tuesday

Fabi Ajates mixes a new palette and patterns for ACE on PolymerClayDaily.com

Class samples are the best! Teachers take good photos and have great ideas.

These are Spain’s Fabiola Ajates’ prototypes for the October 6-10 Atlantic City Escape (ACE).

Look at how the underneath patterns peek through the cutout of the top layers. The thrill of peekaboo hangs on through adulthood.

Fabi has mixed an all-new retro 60’s palette for her class with 33 colors and patterns that make me giddy.