Polymer Clay Daily

Penciled clay

Annie Pennington uses colored pencil on polymer on her mixed media Diatom Series commissioned brooch (left) which is set in copper and filled with felted wool. Annie is associate editor for ArtJewelry Magazine and was trained as a metalsmith.

When Janice Abarbanel featured Annie’s work on her blog, I noted that all the captions listed “clay” as one of the materials. A quick email clarified that the material was polymer and Annie happily amended the descriptions in her captions.

“I have just recently begun working with polymer clay again after close to 20 years (and I’m still using the same old clay!). I think it may be time to get some new clay,” she admitted. “I recently stopped by the Racine Art Museum to see Terra Nova before it closed. I’ve been to countless exhibitons and art shows, but that was definitely one of the best exhibits I’ve ever seen,” she added.

Polymer with an African aesthetic

See new work from Ohio’s Debbie Jackson on Facebook and on her Black Art in America page. She’s off to LA to sell these new works at the Pan African Film Festival.

A trip to Ghana injected Debbie’s work with renewed ethnic vibrancy and she mixes polymer with treasures she brought back with her. Her artistic aesthetic is rooted in Africa.

This new necklace includes polymer focal bead with eggshell mosaic, stick coral and African brass beads.

Debbie’s a vital part of our local Creative Women of Color collective that provides a creative connection with the community. Thanks to Jeanne Dumond for the link!

Party Time

Tonight at 8:30 ET at Craftcast. Join us for a free event all about tools.

Tribal mosaics

Liz Hall keeps refining her polymer mosaics and I can’t stop watching her progress. This brass cuff is part of her new tribal series.

Chips of iridescent polymer opal and faux wood pair up with black and white cane slices. Silver beads embedded in the black polymer grout add a dimensional touch.

Liz is teaching some of her tricks in a “Fillable Forms” class at the Cabin Fever Clay Festival next weekend (February 18) in Maryland. Registration’s still open.

Rifle through the sold items on her Etsy site to see what she’s been up to. These beautiful graduated polymer and pearl earrings slipped into the sold category before I could show them to you. Find more on Facebook too.

Polymer color boost

Nothing seems to start the week better than a shot of color! Why not take a double dose for good measure?

The first is hummingbird color from Carol Simmons. A study of the hummingbirds visiting her Colorado home resulted in Carol’s brilliant irredescent version of mokume gane. This botanist/artist has found a way to combine her polymer passion and birding bent with a new class that’s an adventure in both.

Rebecca Geoffrey moved over into metal clay, resin, and metalsmithing two years ago. Remember these? She’s back!

She explained that, “The dilemma is whether I will make mostly silver and resin jewellery, polymer clay and silver jewellery or sterling and gemstone work. I was feeling that I had to completely do one or the other but was not wanting to feel trapped in one medium. Then, the lightbulb went on and I realized that I could do it all. I will just have to work harder to make a cohesive line through all mediums. I don’t feel fulfilled unless I am learning new things and feel that this is the only way I can make and sell jewellery and feel satisfied.”

Many polymer artists share Rebecca’s enthusiasm for mixing up their media! The skills learned in one new media usually trickle into the others. It’s win-win. More here.

Wired hearts

Staci Smith is a Pennsylvania mixed media artist who sometimes throws polymer into the mix. Her tray of hearts ready for the oven looked so full of possibility that it pulled me right into the studio to make a few valentines of my own. Her rough and random wires add playful touches.

Staci’s new to PCDaily and you’ll enjoy her metal clay and sea glass work as you search for her polymer pieces. Look here and here.

Identifying birds

Seems that the birds I attributed to Leslie Blackford on Wednesday were made by her students. All the more reason to take a class with Leslie! The bird featured in the post was made by Barb Kunkle.

Buzzing, skittering, crawling polymer

Allow the color to wash over you as you watch Jeff Dever’s Edensong Revisited – Buzz, Skitter and Crawl YouTube video. This 3-minute video chronicles the growth of Jeff’s piece through installations at the Fuller Craft Museum and later at the Racine Art Museum.

The closeups show sinuous shapes and gradations of color on lovely alien creepy crawlies. Jeff promises the debut of his website later this year.

Note that the Racine (RAM) polymer exhibit closes on February 5. The museum is offering a Kathleen Dustin mug and Terra Nova: Polymer at the Crossroads book package deal. Thanks to Maggie Maggio for the link!

Guilt-free polymer

When the very disciplined Dayle Doroshow admits that she’s veered off her creative course to dabble in a few new polymer ideas that weren’t on her list, I sigh with relief.

These Les Fleurs brooches aren’t the earrings she was supposed to be working on and they don’t directly relate to her project but aren’t they lovely? Dayle allowed herself some guilt-free time to play with glowing colors and sift through her stash of vintage buttons from French flea markets. The petals are polymer with a few fabrics tossed in. The center of each flower is highlighted with a button.

Seeing how fruitful and fun Dayle’s play time has been might take some pressure off your to-do list and give you a nudge back into the studio. Need more creative nudges? Check out our Creative Sparks book.

A certain mentalitea

PCDaily hasn’t visited Nova Scotia’s Kate Church for two years and when she appeared on the DailyArtMuse, it was time to look again. Kate’s mixed media jewelry, like this polymer-faced Red Queen, resides in theatre boxes when they’re not being worn.

Her droll dolls and puppets may frown but they dance joyously. They have, as one show was entitled, A Certain Mentalitea that you can experience here.

If your art could use better online exposure, check out DailyArtMuse’s Artist Online classes.

Low profile polymer

Florida’s Karen Woods doesn’t hang out in the usual online haunts like Flickr and Etsy.

It was delightful to spot her on the list of teachers at Creative Journey Studios (formerly Women Creative) in Georgia where she’ll be teaching silk screening on polymer in February. Her graphic shapes fit next to each other like old friends with colorful stories to share.

Karen also teaches her own approach to weaving polymer into baskets and I bumped into one student’s class pix here. You have to work a bit and follow a few links to keep up with Karen but it’s worth the effort.

Smooth sailing polymer

Moonlight on the Ocean is the title of this polymer bracelet from Warren and Robbin Moeller-Smith. On a cold winter’s day it’s warming to think of this duo working in polymer on their boat in the South Pacific. They integrate natural finds from their sailing adventures into their designs.

The bracelet design gives a nod to Cynthia Toops’ rolodex design with a wink at Alice Stroppel’s cane technique surrounding lovely silver accents.

The Moeller-Smiths have temporarily abandoned ship to visit the shows in California and Arizona. You can see their work here and here and read about their travels here.