Semi-lenticular polymer

Madrid’s Silvia Ortiz de la Torre combines her Semi-Lenticular creations into a bright bangle. The half-dome is one of Silvia’s favorite forms.

On her Flickr site you can see how she has used this shape to make other jewelry pieces.

For the new creation she covers a half-dome base with precisely positioned thick cane slices. The halves zig and zag against each other to form a round bracelet.

Silvia sticks to a bright color palette in most of her work. The variety comes from changing the shapes, folding and texturing beads to fit together in new ways. She used these three domes as decorative window blind pulls.

See more pictures of the bangle on Facebook. You can also follow her on Etsy and her blog.

Tie-dyed polymer canes

If you’ve been around polymer for a while you may, like me, think you’ve seen every cane possible. But then a cane brain like Meg Newberg shows her newest ways to make an imitative indigo dye cane and you shake your head in wonder. That soft-edged tie-dye look is challenging in polymer.

Her monthly cane subscription is one of the best deals out there. Each month she emails subscribers cane tutorials that baffle and delight.

I’m off to the studio to try this. Here’s a sampling of my first efforts. It took me several tries to get the hang of it.

You can sign up with Meg or buy back issues on her Etsy site and follow her on Facebook.

Cellular winner

Maryland’s Eugena Topina unveiled her Openwork tutorial back in October (here’s the PCD post). Now her cellular-like designs are winning prizes.

Her Openwork Necklace (the white one at right) won top prize in the polymer category at Bead Dreams 2015.

Staci Louise Smith picked up the other two top prizes which you can see on Bead & Button’s page (scroll down to the polymer category).

Charming polymer

Florida’s Alice Stroppel has a high energy style that keeps evolving. She’s moved into her own gallery and set up classes. She upcycles furniture and adds polymer that turns flea market finds into fantasy.

Here’s she’s shifted into a minimalist groove, maybe in reaction to all the hubbub and excitement around her.

For her charms she slices thick slabs of square canes, embedding buna loops and dangling dabs of pattern. The palette is distinctively hers and the treatment is slimmed down, fresh and fun for her new gallery site.

Alice added more to the tea set we looked at last month. Here’s the video.

Marilyn in polymer

Feeling much better, thanks all. I wasn’t going to post but this video from Adina Pastelina (Israel’s Adi and Sam Leder) brightened my day and I thought you’d enjoy this (and all their videos). Don’t miss their site, Pinterest and Facebook bits too.

Spring leaf cane

Spring makes us look more closely at leaves and Israel’s Tami Shvat gives us a lovely interpretation in polymer to study.

She prepares a cane of variegated greens (sort of like camouflage) and then adds black veins that feel just right. Tami intends to mix these leaves with flowers for a larger millefiori cane but the leaf cane stands on its own.

Tami thinks like a caner (she has a cane brain) and brings her watercolor sensibility to polymer. Go see what she’s done on Etsy, Flickr and Facebook.

Facing yourself with polymer

Australia’s Wendy Moore sat herself down and had a talk. She’d been neglecting her creative self as she traveled and dealt with various worthy projects (you’ll know her name from the Nepali Samunnat project).

When Wendy finally gave her creative side some quality time, this wonderful face cane materialized.

The face cane was inspired by Argentinian artist Graciela Fuenzalida who draws wild women portraits on leather purses and bags.

Dressed up with earrings and hairstyles, Wendy’s face turned into a whole sorority of happy creative selves.

This may also remind you of Pier Voulkos’ early faces. There’s a face cane video here if you need a quick start. Let your creative self pick up some clay and face the week together.

Hypnotic polymer

You may need coffee to steady your nerves before you start on this optically challenging polymer cane from Helene Jeanclaude (Les ethiopiques).

Her free video tutorial makes this Checkered Hypnotic (Damier hypnotique) cane pattern deceptively simple and her step-by-step photos are clear enough that you do not need to speak French to follow along. (I know because I tried it.) She gathers soft edged hollow pillow beads made from the patterns into the necklace and ring shown below.

You’ll find much more on her blog (she offers a whole library of tutorials), Facebook, Pinterest, and on Flickr. Helene offers this new instruction as a bright spot in the dark days they’re experiencing in France. Merci!

Yesterday’s lucky earrings are available for anyone who needs them. Go Bucks!

Microscopic imitations

Maryland’s Eugena Topina ratchets up our fascination with hollow forms with her new Openwork Pendants: Under a Microscope series. Though their paper thin cell-like walls look fragile, they’re actually quite strong.

Your mind may be racing if you like microscopic images and undersea creatures. Eugena offers a new tutorial on her site (at 20% off today) that clearly shows how to achieve these effects.

Long known for her distinctive imitation cloisonne work and flawless resin surfaces, Eugena moved toward hollow constructions this year with openwork bracelets. The lacy pendants take the concept to a new level. You’ll find her on Etsy, Flickr and her own tutorial shop.

Polymer hunters

David Forlano models his newest tube necklace. This version is spiked and curved with striped surfaces. Gouges carved out of the tubes reveal the inner contrasting colors of the tusk-like shapes.

Four layers of polymer claws make the piece bushy and lush and suitable for an African hunter…or a New Mexican artist in this case.

The new design will appear in Ford & Forlano’s upcoming shows.

Watch how they work by viewing their YouTube videos. Catch up with them on their site and on Facebook.

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