Polymer Clay Daily

Kuchansky’s web comic series

San Francisco’s Justina Kochansky is a polymer clay sculptor and a puppeteer. “I delight in little things and hope to provide others with delightful little things…most of which have a dark aspect for a bit of flavor,” she explains.

Justina currently produces a sculptural web comic, ArticulateMatter, which is updated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Her daily diaoramas are then offered for sale on her Etsy site. “It started out with a story line, but quickly evolved into stream-of-consciousness vignettes.” Currently the cast includes polymer clay squids (including Squidmund Freud and Squid Claus), frogs, and various vacuum tube creatures. Her Christmas coral reeth tickled me too.

I needed a little delight as I ponder the end of one year and the start of another. This quirky link comes from Barbara Forbes-Lyons.

Friesen’s polymer and steampunk

Following up on yesterday’s trend report here’s Christi Friesen newest line based on the steampunk aesthetic. (I had to look it up on wikipedia.) I see a promising new polymer clay trend here.

Christi explains steampunk as, “viewing the future from the vantage point of the turn-of-the-century — all gears and hydraulics and brassy screws – very rich and slightly gothic, and quite in keeping with the whole altered art/assemblage movement!”

As science fiction author Bruce Sterling explains, “Steampunk’s key lessons are not about the past. They are about the instability and obsolescence of our own times. A host of objects and services that we see each day all around us are not sustainable. They will surely vanish, just as Gone With the Wind like Scarlett O’Hara’s evil slave-based economy. Once they’re gone, they’ll seem every bit as weird and archaic as top hats, crinolines, magic lanterns, clockwork automatons, absinthe, walking-sticks and paper-scrolled player pianos. We are secretly preparing ourselves for the death of our own tech.” Fascinating concept.

Christi’s book showing all her new work will be out in November and she’ll soon have a steampunk project tutorial on her site. Have a fascinating weekend.

Clay monkey, code monkey

I thought my code monkey days were behind me! It seems not. Thank you all for your email condolences and your patience with that big ugly “Server Error” message yesterday. It’s fixed for now.

These polymer clay sock monkey ornaments by Texan Waxela Sananda caught my eye and seemed right for today. She carries an eclectic mix of artwork on her Etsy site and her blog.

Do me a favor

My sweet nomadic daughter has launched a new website. Please go visit and click around on her This Tiny House blog. She’s fascinated with small spaces and, as a web consultant, can take her office on the road and work from anywhere.

She’s lived in a small room on a commune in Virginia, a miniscule NYC apartment, a houseboat in Sausalito, and more. It’s quite the life and I’d like to help her get her latest venture started with a burst of traffic. She’s got an eye, a way with words and a fascinating view of the world. Thanks for your help.

Polymer clay MealyMonsters

Today I felt like Priscilla, one of the polymer clay mealy monsters. Faced with packing and organizing for a trip out West I was overcome with inertia and ended up sitting, sneezing (allergy season), gazing into space.

These endearing creatures speak to me even though I’m rushing the Halloween season. They’re the creation of Buffalo, NY artist, Nicole Johnson, who describes them as, "whimsical, creepy, fun, strange, cute, weird, one-of-a-kind, decorative, art dolls." You can see a little of her behind-the-scenes work on Flickr and on her blog.

If you share my mood, you’ll enjoy kindred spirits at MonsterEtsy. Now I must go pack, really. Thanks to Susan Lomuto for the link.

Creatures from Ellen June

Ellen June prefers her polymer clay critters in the shapes of griffins, serpents, dragons and such. From Hamilton, Ontario, Ellen (or Creaturesfromel) shapes ferocious things in elaborate detail and with regal finishes.

The pictures on her sites are small and it’s only when you see her work close up that you can appreciate its complexity and detail. Look here and here. She incorporates "…an understanding of animal physiology with a love of the fantastic, grotesque and absurd."

I admire artists who can conjure up the wild creatures within them, transform them into clay and share them with us.

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Polymer squid and octopi

California’s Amy (aka SocietySedSo or BunnyXProductions) is taken with sea creatures and has created many jointed variations on this theme (including a zombie one and this gas-masked version) in many colors of polymer clay.

Her love of this species comes through in the color and detail she obviously enjoys adding to each tentacled necklace and squid pendant.

Amy’s in touch with her sunny side and makes graphic and flowery pendant designs as well.

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