Ogle Kathleen Dustin’s latest line of handbags at the Smithsonian Craft Show this weekend (or just study them on Instagram).
She’s been refining the closures and getting fancy with the carrying strap. Kathleen even has one she agrees is “cute.”
I’m winging my way west for a few days of sun and grandsons.
Ireland’s Fiona Herbst combines utility and drama with a simple closure. The dotted and bead fits perfectly. Maybe Fiona will tell us how she keeps the bead from pulling through.
The look is very modern. See the rest of her line of trendy pieces on Facebook and Instagram.
Maryland’s Kelly Russell excels at jewel-like veneers. She can’t stop saying, “What if.”
With this veneer, she had to figure out what her gilded and colored surface would look like if she gave it Jana Roberts Benzon’s encrusted treatment.
With others, she made rough mosaics and big multi-part beads that seem unearthed from another time. Kelly’s on a roll that she shares on Facebook.
Germany’s Lucia Friemel is a metalworker who may overwhelm you with her ideas but it’s Monday so let’s dive in.
Lucia explains that she likes, “…the difference between slow metalwork and fast clay work and also the contrast when the piece of jewelry is finished.”
What I couldn’t resist with Lucia’s Snake necklace here is the way the shape of the beads allows them to snug against each other and move beautifully. She discovered the shape when she was cleaning her shower.
The cores are black and decorated with cane slices (a la Bettina Welker’s tutorial) on the ends.
This new sign on our studio space and a capacity crowd for an all-day open house has left me speechless and tired.
Who knew a ribbon cutting (in front of my polymer-strewn worksurface) could be so exciting?
It may take me all day to sort pictures and thoughts for Saturday’s StudioMojo. Join us!
Create yourself a lovely weekend.
Oregon’s Kerri Pajutee’s extraordinary miniature mixed media sculptures popped up on a submissions call to the polymer community.
This piece is her version of the Bremen Town Musicians based on a fairy tale. Kerri created it for last fall’s Miniature Masterworks show.
Kerri is motivated by the desire to replicate the beauty and energy of animals in 1:12 scale. She developed a technique to combine polymer clay with layers of natural fibers: wool, alpaca, cashmere, and silk. The best place to see her process is on Facebook.
IPCA is looking to feature polymer hyperrealism in their upcoming publication. They used Kerri’s works as an example. The deadline is April 21 and an email to editor@theipca.org will put you in the running.
Czech Republic’s Martina Burianova taught her Coarse Pebbles class in Geneva in March for the first time (if I’m reading the translation right).
Martina incorporates wire and works some hollow magic. She adds a variety of crackles and textured surface treatments for a very contemporary look.
She was nervous and excited and had a marvelous time. Go here for the full story. Isn’t it reassuring to read about nervousness that ends happily? See more of her work on Facebook.
Though many of us consider creating our home as a piece of polymer art, few of us get started in April as Tennessee’s Lindsay Black (oddlyandcompany) does.
The early start leaves her time to work on small details like the birdfeeder, the shrubbery, and the cats.
Go to Lindsay’s Instagram to see her step-by-step. It’s oddly comforting to watch her in-progress shots. She says there are details she misses even after staring at the piece for hours on end.
Expect flowers this week. We’re in bloom and they’re popping up online too!
These earrings from Czech Republic’s Pavla Cepelikova (SaffronAddict) use her subtle stripe tricks from a recent tutorial. (Full disclosure, I bought the tutorial and am hooked.)
Thin slices of striped cane are backed by companion colors which are repeated in the center balls. Springy, trendy, blooming studs to start your week.
Emily Squires Levine’s dense and colorful Magical Copse bowl will be among the artworks for sale at the Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington DC April 26-29.
She joins a select group of polymer artists in this premier crafts show. From over 1000 applicants,120 are chosen to participate. We’ve come a long way from hippie beads to welcomed participants in fine crafts. See more of Emily’s works on Flickr.
At StudioMojo, the weekend behind-the-scenes newsletter, we marvel at where artists are showing and where we may end up next. If your art needs a shot of inspiration and a push toward new possibilities, join us!
