Polymer Clay Daily

Polymer patchwork creatures

Lisa Gauthier makes a warm and comfy elephant ornament on PolymerClayDaily.com

Connecticut’s Lisa Gauthier will hang this patchwork elephant on the tree in a competition that will benefit the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven.

I’m guessing that the patches are veneers made from scrap canes which Lisa makes look real and comfy.

The SCPCG has pulled out all the stops for this competition and we’ve featured several entries. Their Creatures Great and Small are winners in our book. Congrats to the guild for their outstanding efforts.

Join us over at StudioMojo this Saturday and be inspired by the latest shows and competitions. It’s beginning to look a lot like the holidays!

Mardi Gras dancing polymer

Laura Tabakman wins the prize and gets the party started with her Mardi Gras on PolymerClayDaily.com

Pennsylvania’s Laura Tabakman won both Best of Show Members’ Choice and
Best of Show Jurors’ Choice prizes in this year’s IPCA Awards competition. 

Entitled Mardi Gras, Laura’s pieces are carefully balanced so that the slightest breeze brings the party swaying to life.

The 16 separate units each have delicate polymer vessels 1/2″ to 1 1/2″ tall which are suspended on steel wires drilled into islands made of flooring material.

The units take up a 20″ x 16″ x 9″ space but the grouping can be reconfigured in many different ways.

Over at StudioMojo, we take a closer look at these and other outstanding works that inspire us. Plus we’ll cover tools, trends, and classes aimed at nurturing your creative spirit and pursuing your unique and crazy ideas. 

Riotous color winner

Silvia de la Torres explosion of colors becomes a winner on PolymerClayDaily

The first prize winner in the Arcilla Polimérica de España is this color explosion from Silvia Ortiz de la Torre.

Silvia’s riot of colored disks and squiggles are neatly grouped into a necklace that looks ready for New Year’s Eve. For more of her hot colors and unusual constructions, check Etsy and Flickr.

But wait!  There’s more! Ten Spanish award winners are pictured on the guild’s Facebook page.

Polymer flies high

NadTal's steampunk lady wins the prize on PolymerClayDaily.com

San Diego’s Nadia (NadVal) created her own version of Belted Kingfishers for the art competition at the San Diego County Fair. Her polymer kingfisher flies with a steampunk flock.

The real species is one of only a few  whose females have plumage brighter than males. Despite the warlike appearance, this one is female.

And she’s a prize winner. The framed bird took the top prize in the show.

Read more about the bird on Nadia’s site, Flickr and Facebook.

Bead and Button winners

McGuire bead and button winner on PolymerClayDaily.com

Thanks to Julie Picarello who sent us these photos of the 2017 Bead Dreams winners in the polymer category.

First place went to Barbara McGuire’s Seeing Through Now necklace. The feather-textured teal and pearl collar ends with an etherial portrait. Barbara is a well known longtime polymer artist, author, teacher and supplier.

Kunnanchath's 2017 Bead and Button winner on PolymerClayDaily

The second place winner is California’s Arathy Kunnanchath with her opulent imitative turquoise, coral and amber multi-strand necklace from her Alchemist Collection.

Turquoise and silver pieces center the necklace yet the design is appealingly asymmetric.

Julie was particularly pleased to take these photos since Arathy is a member of her Clayville guild. Says Julie, “Arathy has just started working with polymer and is amazing.  Two little kids at home, gets up at 4:30a.m. to get in clay time before they get up. Yowzer!”

Enter to win…and to stretch

Elkina's entry into the Polymer Week Awards on PolymerClayDaily.com

Another way to stretch your skills is to enter a competition or exhibit.

That’s what Poland’s  Nadia Elkina does with her Crystallizing Brooch, a polymer clay, enamel and silver entry in the Polymer Week Awards.

The small brooch measures 2.3″ x 1.5″ x 1″. Another view may give you a better idea of the dimension of this stunning piece.

If deadlines inspire you, perhaps the rapidly approaching June 12 due date for the IPCA Awards is just the push you need.

P&P winners overview

Progress & Possibilities winners 2010

Here’s an overview of winners in this year’s Progress and Possibilities competition. The International Polymer Clay Association (IPCA) received 119 entries from eleven countries in their annual juried competition

Clicking through the IPCA gallery is organized and logical but if, like me, you prefer to rip into surprise packages with abandon, this page of thumbnails may be easier.

While most of the names of the winners are familiar and searchable on PCDaily (the search is in the left column), we’ve got some research to do on winning artists who haven’t been featured such as: Julie Sweeney, Helen Wyland-Malchow, Nancy Nearing, and Mike Devine.

A few, like Angel Goulter and Petra Dewi Handayani are hard to find online. If you’ve located them, let me know.

Thanks

I smile at the abundance of condolences you sent in response to yesterday’s post. Jan was fascinated by the comments and took great pleasure when a post prompted readers to say something. She would have been pleased that her “numbers” were the highest PCDaily has ever received. I can hear her chortling.

Bead Dreams online

The Bead Dreams competition polymer clay entries are online for your Monday inspiration. This entry from California’s Kaaren Poole is perfect for harvest time with the bunny tucked in among the verdant veggies.

While there’s no polymer mentioned in Kaaren’s website, it’s obvious that she’s transferred her love of tole and decorative painting into polymer work quite effectively.

Congrats to all the Bead Dreams participants. And remember there are only a few days left (September 1) to enter your work in the NPCG Progress and Possibilities exhibition. Apply online here.