Polymer Clay Daily

Belcher’s greater-than-the-sum art

The collaboration theme of the Synergy 2 conference in Baltimore has already inspired some terrific mash ups. The fiber/polymer and metal/polymer creations on Judy Belcher’s Flickr site are impressive. Judy is the consummate team player so it’s not surprising that she’s good at partnering her art.

This jacket is by Kerr Grabowski with reversible jewels and closures by Judy. The model is Judy’s daughter.

Universal Connections, the 12.5″x8″ piece pictured, is the result of Judy’s collaboration with Victoria Altepeter, a metalsmith and currently resident artist at Arrowmont.

Take a look at the 37-artist polymer mosaic that Laurie Mika pulled together and see if you can identify each artist with only 2″ squares as clues. You have until December 20 to enter the contest. There is still space in classes at Synergy companion events, Cabin Fever Clay Festival and Synergy 2 Hands-On. You might drop a hint to Santa.

Ponsawan’s polymer mosaic

Another blast of polymer clay color and energy from Ponsawan Silapiruti (Silastones) finishes this otherwise white week. You must click on the image to get the full effect of this 6″x12″ wall piece made from cane slices.

Ponsawan explains that this technique is “…perfect for me who get bored easily and hate repetition, and can’t sit still very long.” Her Flicker site shows that even while she looks after her daughter she continues to produce work that reflects her heritage and her indomitable spirit.

For earlier posts featuring Ponsawan’s work, click here, here, and here. Have a colorful weekend.

Ehmeir’s mosaic style transfers

Austrian Eva Ehmeier (Hoedlgut) gives a little twist to her polymer clay transfers by connecting them with jump rings, mosaic-style. She’s discovered a nice way to salvage the good pieces and parts of transfers gone bad.

Eva’s giving her voice to the techniques she learned in workshops with masters like Louise Fischer Cozzi and Grant Diffendaffer.

A look at the pictures from the first Austrian clay meeting and the Wiesbaden Germany workshop reveals the fine work and growing popularity of polymer clay in that part of the world.

On this side of the pond, while I was searching for pictures from this year’s Sandy Camp (no luck yet), I came across this clever alphabet stamp tutorial on Marie Siegal’s blog.

Crocenzi and tempered glass

Susan Crocenzi has produced growing body of polymer clay and tempered glass mosaic work since we last looked at her in March. The piece shown here, a 3’x5′ wall piece made of tempered glass, polymer clay tiles, amethyst, metal beads, glass gems and smalti, will hang in the new Austin Centre in Texas.

Detail photos on her Flickr site (look here and here) help you appreciate the work better.

Polymer clay allows her to insert colorfully coordinated designs and messages within the free flowing colors of her tempered glass backgrounds. She is now offering classes in her northern California studio.

Thanks to Susan Turney for the link and the reminder to take a second look.

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Hughes takes a new direction

Leave it to Victoria Hughes to take the whole magic bead/mokume/texture trend that we’ve been examining in a new direction. Her colors! Her shapes! This is not your grandmother’s brooch yet this one hints at something ancient.

Victoria has a page of new brooches on her web site. She’s also included her roster of east coast classes this spring including a debut of a promising new pietra dura (stone mosaics) technique.

The weekend simply got away from me! How can it possibly be Monday already?