Dancing in the dark

Sara's glow-in-the-dark earrings light up the dance floor on PolymerClayDaily.com

Seattle’s Sara (g.oo.d.ee) works in a digital environment. “I don’t get the chance to craft and build physical objects with my hands as I used to,” she says.

Enter polymer clay. Her hands are now happily sketching, rolling, cutting in their off-duty moments.

Check out how this free-flowing pattern that includes glow-in-the-dark clay lights up the dance floor. Sara’s only been at this since December. Look out!

In the weekend StudioMojo newsletter, we love to suss out artists like Sara who are new to clay and take to it like ducks to water. This week’s edition looks at head-turning new designs that are commanding high prices and showing up in the most fashionable places.

Ghost cactus

Chelsea (Altarware) couldn't get this cactus out of her head on PolymerClayDaily.com

California’s Chelsea (Altarware) says, “You are a living altar. Adorn accordingly.” I can go with that tagline.

This ghost cactus (glow-in-the-dark, I assume) was an idea stuck in her head and now it’s stuck in mine…and yours.

On and off polymer

Sherstin Schwartz gardens in the dark on PolymerClayDaily.com

Minnesota’s Sherstin Schwartz (lifeofapaintbrush) turns polymer on and off.

I’ve always been fascinated by glow-in-the-dark clays and paints but have I ever tried them? No. Have you?

There she goes again, getting us all psyched with her alien flowers and otherworldly gardens. Her paints and powders are from Technoglow.

What’s in the stars?

Katrin Yunh sees Taurus leading the charge in 2021 on PolymerClayDaily

Ukraine’s Katrin Yunh (on Etsy she’s Lunchik) carefully sculpts galaxies on a powerful looking 2.5″ fantasy bull, a symbol of 2021.

Katrin uses Cernit with Genesis paint then adds horns and stars in glow-in-the-dark clay.

“I create cute and crazy characters that live in my visionary world,” she says. Taurus is the second of the 12 astrological signs and is represented by the bull constellation.

I understand that you’re a stubborn bunch but I’ll leave the astrology to you. You’re also intelligent, dependable, hardworking, and dedicated. Sounds like that’s just what we need for 2021.

Yep, we’ll be looking for signs and reading tea leaves over at StudioMojo this weekend. Join us for some attitude adjustment and tips that can help you smoothly surf through what’s ahead.

Succulent Skinners

Anna Nell makes blends for her new succulents on PolymerClayDaily.com

What would Poland’s Anna Nell make with the Skinner blends she showed on Instagram? A few days later she gives us the answer.

She says she uses translucent clay, porcelain (I’m guessing she means pearl), and glow in the dark (she calls it “night effect”). She added pastels as well and some gold leaf for bling

Anna surrounds herself with a large collection of succulent inspirations so it’s difficult to distinguish real from polymer.

Glowing polymer ghoulies

Even some of Christi Friesen’s glow-in-the-dark polymer clay ghoulies have gone all steampunk! Once a year, Christi is compelled to whip up these mixed media mini sculptures for Halloween. She offers a whole page of them here.

Austin guild member Joyce Cloutman (Whimsy Lane) creates endearing fantasy creatures like this sweety witch with a glowing pumpkin.

Joyce is pretty new to polymer and her fellow guild members had to prod her to put up her first Flickr page. Her imps have captivating expressions and surprising details.

Thanks to Randee Ketzel for spearheading the effort and sending the link.

Scarey autumn trends

Fall is Lance Perry’s (Crescent Hill Designs) season. His polymer clay sculptures are equal parts cute and scarey. Almost, but not quite, predictable with just enough spooky and strange to keep things interesting. See his work on Flickr and Etsy.

I can’t decide if Joo-Joo’s ghosts (Afsaneh Tajvidi) or Heather Powers’ gnomes suit me better. I’m a sucker for glow-in-the-dark but Heather’s gnomes have that dash of weird that I can’t resist. And her acorns and mushrooms look totally trendy for fall.

The Creagers are immersed in their element too. Jodi and Richard offer a few gothic pins (like the ghost above) and other small artworks on their Etsy site. I give up! It’s fall.

Samsonova’s polymer glows

Click on this polymer clay necklace to see how glow-in-the-dark can be both fun and sophisticated. Elena Samsonova is a Russian-born Connecticut artist who has lately been reviving and updating 60’s psychedelic canes, making them trendy again.

Her Flickr collection shows her recent bright, bold palette. In one departure from color, Elena created white “animal beads” covered with slices of simple line drawing canes (inspired by an Ikea shower curtain) that are incredibly charming.

We last visited her in 2007 when wirewrapping was her focus.

Here’s her blog in English and if you want to see her work-in-progress, visit her Russian site.

Polymer clay on wheels

The UK’s Simon Buck and Utah’s Bill Robbins have found most unusual ways to incorporate polymer clay into their vehicles.

Simon specializes in fluorescent and glow-in-the-dark murals as well as polymer clay (glow-in-the-dark, naturally). The picture you see at the right is the sculpture on the steering wheel of his van. You’ll have to imagine it at night. And you can see one of his glowing figures here.

Bill Robbins (aka elmerpresslee) lovingly built the most twisted polymer clay baby car ever for his daughter who seems to truly delight in the madness. Of course his studio, the nerdatorium, is also a trip.

Both artists look like they’re have such fun with their art that it’s easy to look beyond the scarey parts. I scrounged the Robbins link from Kim Cavender who gravitates to the deviant side herself.