Polymer Clay Daily

Arscott’s polymer clay riddle

This polymer clay sculpture from Dean Arscott’s Ringling College senior illustration show is good for a Friday chuckle. It’s a twist on the old “Why did the chicken cross the road?” riddle.

Arscott says of his sculptures, “This pervasive silliness was and is a great escape for me in this sometimes up-tight world.” You can see a quick video of his polymer clay silliness here. Susan Lomuto sent the link.

I’ll be on the road for the next couple of weeks, bouncing between Starbucks and MacDonalds web connections to keep in touch with you as we visit friends and relatives in the south. Have a great weekend.

Dittmar’s polymer Earth Day

The polymer clay artist whose art most resonates with today’s Earth Day is Portland’s Meredith Dittmar. Many of her pieces express deep levels of union across biology, technology and consciousness.

It’s what Meredith has called “psychepolymereganics” where the interconnectedness of all things is revealed. She sees the act of spontaneous artistic creation as part of a larger practice of being present, and a way to better understand herself and reality.

One of the Same, the 24″ x 12″ piece shown here, was mounted in an acrylic case, lit and shown in a dark immersive environment in the 2008 Biome Show in Brooklyn.

Perhaps today is a good day for all of us to consider our psychepolymereganics.

Fortner’s polymer in the NYTimes

A polymer clay illustration by Toronto’s Jessica Fortner was spotted in the last week’s NYTimes. The article, I Want My Free TV, was about the delay of the long-planned switch from analog to digital television.

Jessica is a 26-year-old art school graduate who creates 3D scenes using a variety of materials. She’s looking forward to doing stop motion animation and children’s books. Read more of her story in this interview (the interface is a little challenging, hit the jump to page button).

French Obama by Perrin

How did I miss this wonderful polymer clay Obama by France’s Sylvie Perrin? A cruise through her blog will have you amazed and laughing out loud. Her web site is today’s pick-me-up.

Speaking of smiles and pick-me-ups, have you seen the teapots on the latest Polymer Art Archive post? The teapot bodies were formed around sand-filled fabric bags. Rebecca Mazur created these delights in 1998!

Those of you who are captivated by today’s organics and undersea designs will want to look at what Australia’s Robyn Gordon was coming up with in polymer clay in 1981! Here’s our first post about her.

Tuesday is a good day for tidying loose ends and boning up on your polymer clay history.

Happy Birthday to the Muse

Happy second birthday to Susan Lomuto and her Daily Art Muse blog. She’s the yin to PCDaily’s yang, full of inspiration and ideas. And she’s the queen of web research which she’s shared liberally with me over the course of our blog lives. Thank you, thank you.

Who better to help Susan celebrate than Sylvie Perrin, the French Queen Of Clay, whose blog has been resurrected from a computer disaster. Oh, the funny characters she has created to help us celebrate! Scroll around. Go enjoy. Happy birthday.

Allard’s life is grand

Melanie Allard is an illustrator/sculptor/animator from Quebec. I was mesmerized by her “Life is Grand” animation (even though it’s probably plasticine). She uses plenty of polymer clay in her work. (Look under “bricolage” which translated to DIY!) Much of her site is in French so I’m guessing again. Here’s her Flickr site and more of her animated work.

Summer living has cut into my research time so I’m happy when artists write in as Melanie did, admiring and linking through to another artist’s work. A bit of summer serendipity.

Lombardi’s polymer bouquets

Italy’s Marina Lombardi’s (Ali di Libellula) polymer clay creations are perfect for a summertime Monday. She bases her designs on floral illustrations and adds wire to simulate climbing vines and tendrils, often adding pearls and stones.

Her wire work style is unusual and distinctive and the combined effect is that of a lush old-fashioned bouquet.

My Italian translation didn’t give me much insight into how she acheived her effects. You’ll have to draw your own conclusions. Enjoy her flowery Italian summer palettes.

Polymer art imitates life

I saw not a speck of polymer clay on my road trip this weekend. But we did buy sweet corn at a roadstand just like in this award-winning polymer illustration by Paula Pindroh.

And we wore our summer sandals just like these polymer ones by Tatiana Franchi.

I was moved by a student piece in the hallway of the campus art building (we were touring my son’s digital lab). On each of four photos there was one word and together they read, "Do | What | You | Love". It was a lovely weekend.

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Clayman’s quest

Vancouver’s Clayman (Paul Moldovanos) makes a silly end for a busy week. Check out Clayman’s dancing polymer clay chicken. He’s illustrated and sculpted a wide variety of polymer clay work…animation, cartooning, illustration…for a long roster of clients.

I’m getting ready to go on vacation to restore my creative mojo and find my blogging bliss.

Of course I won’t leave you in the lurch. Of course I’ll take my computer along. Getting things done before I leave town with the girls hasn’t left me much time to scour and scope things out. Today’s post was filched from fellow-blogger Iris Mishly.

Last minute find: Love the shapes of Switzerland’s Enkhe’s new wearable vessels.

Should be good stuff next week. Have a silly weekend.