The history channel

Susan Hyde's polymer madonnas are favorites on PolymerClayDaily.com

In my quest to bring more fun into what I do, I decided to refashion PCD into the “History Channel” for a while. The history of polymer, that is.

As I pinned Susan Hyde’s angel on my down vest this morning, I thought about the works and the artists who have caught my eye since 2005. I’ll be thumbing through my collection for pieces that moved me to shell out money and made me feel so good that I wear them over and over. This clever ploy requires less time online and reacquaints me with my collection.

Susan’s angels always call to me during the holidays. Her madonnas were dark-skinned before that was a statement. She and I met at a weeklong Kathy Amt class on Whidbey Island in 1997 and she’s high up on my list of favorite artists. Her polychromatic color sense and affinity for textiles, inclusions, and faces, get me every time. Click on the Instagram link to look more closely at her construction. If you put “Hyde” into the search box at the top of this page, you’ll see how she’s been my go-to girl for years. Here she is on Facebook.

Having, using enough

Gael Keyes' angel bud vase from mixed media scraps on PolymerClayDaily.com

New Mexico’s Gael Keyes finds wood scraps, adds polymer sculpted hands and faces, and dresses the emerging angels with bits of Southwest patterns that turn salvaged elements into art.

She tucks a test tube into each construction and gives it new life as a wall bud vase.

Gael has encountered fantastical bugs, birds, mushrooms, angels, and more along her polymer path. Each uses scrap in increasingly inventive ways. This one, ” Suficiente”, reminds us that we have enough.

Polymer madonnas

Susan Hyde's Madonnas make a lovely Christmas decoration on PolymerClayDaily.com

Luminous, bright, moving Madonna and Child from Washington’s Susan Hyde.

I’d almost forgotten how much I loved my collection of Susan’s works until I saw that Debbie Jackson had featured Susan’s angels on her Facebook post.

This 7″ Madonna hangs on the wall behind my computer desk and is a perfect polymer touch for a merry PCD Christmas. Here are pendants from Susan’s 2019 collection.

Spirited seasonal icons

Anita Kennerley and Jan Montarsi tweak holiday icons on PolymerClayDaily.com

Simple designs contain great charm at this time of year.

Ohio’s Jan Montarsi gives dimension to the snowmen pins he made for a swap by shadowing their rounded edges. To give them personality he splurges on scarves, hats, and earmuffs.

Anita Kennerley builds her angel earrings by wrapping a circle and using hearts for wings. Using only a red circle, white belt, and black belt buckle, her earrings say that Santa is coming.

It’s the merry attitude in these designs that captures the spirit of the season.

Slip over to StudioMojo if you want a weekend helping of festive polymer ideas and insider news. StudioMojo comes right to your inbox each Saturday.