Tennessee’s Susan Dyer captures polymer in silver bezels. The backs are textured so that if you’re not feeling colorful, you can turn them over and opt for textured silver instead.
Though she’s stayed away from the big shows of late, you can still find her on Etsy and she’s popular on Pinterest.
Since social media was acting up on Wednesday, I dipped back into the archives. Susan’s been creating these beauties for years and they’re still perfectly in style. Good to know!
Boffo colors from Santa Fe’s David Forlano start our Monday off on the right foot with this photo on Instagram.
Color is the first thing we see as our eyes skitter over the simple patterns. Everything is contained within big silver bezels that become earrings.
You might expect fancy techniques but they are loose and playful and ready for the upcoming Philadelphia show November 2-4.
You’ll spot Bonnie Bishoff and Lindsay Locatelli at the show as well.
Polymer clay bezels have moved up a notch in sophistication lately. New metallic clays, gilders pastes and other surface treatments combined with convincing faux aging techniques make it difficult to tell what’s metal and what’s not.
The bronze beads and bezels on Elsie Smith’s site (Sweet2spicy) and in her Zibbet gallery have an art deco feel to them. You’ll want to look twice to make sure that they’re polymer. Mary Ann Loveless sent in the link.
The UK’s Cate van Alphen created this polymer Baroque Water pendant for The Four Elements Deviant Art Contest. Pearlex powder provides shimmer on the watery bezel and bail. The theme continues around the pendant back. Her second entry is shown here.
Cate writes with charming candor about one meandering experiment saying, “I find myself rather indifferent to the result. I did not have a particular plan when I was making it, so I am spared disappointment, but I also don’t have anything to judge it against to determine if it is a success. And now I wish I could remember how I did it.”
She’s headed in interesting directions and her wishpots and polymer covered headpins offer glimpses of unusual designs ahead.
Canada’s Wendy Orlowski is trying out her new entwined texture that she pairs with her intriguing bezel-making system to create these earrings.
The stamped polymer drapes comfortably and picks up a metallic glow from a light layer of gilders paste.
In the right sidebar on her site you can click through a quick and easy buna cord ring tutorial that puts those scraps and small bits of leftover pattern to good use.
Libby Mills is beaming because she discovered a way to beat the high cost of silver using polymer and she found a new seed bead and polymer design she enjoys. You’ll see a bit of extruded clay in this new series too.
Her black polymer bezels are deep and sensuously smooth. They feel like metal right down to the hammered edges. Like the other posts this week, seeing the back helps you appreciate the piece even more. Here’s another close-up.
The bunches of seed beads are sewn to felt at the bottom of the bezel. They sway as you touch them.
Libby agrees that get-togethers often spark new ideas and reignite our enjoyment of the craft….even though they may leave you sleep-deprived. Have a restful weekend.
Jan Montarsi wrote in about his new Flickr group that specializes in the backs of polymer work and their stories….the construction, the obstacles, the solutions. Check it out here.
