Polymer Clay Daily

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.

Faux cones

This polymer pendant from Ukraine’s Svetlana (Rereshechka) makes a festive wearable garland of faux pine and cones, taking an organic approach to holiday jewelry.

Since I’ve missed many of this year’s shopping days, I’m less overwhelmed by the season and have a less jaded approach to decorations and festivities. It’s a nice turn of events.

If seasonal polymer doesn’t inspire you, Els VanHaasen’s experiments with pastel crayons may push you back to the studio to mess around with this painterly effect. See what she’s doing here.

Super size polymer

Hi all! This is Christi Friesen checking in while Cynthia is off having adventures! I’ve always appreciated that PCD showcases such a diversity of polymer creations. I’m especially delighted to see what others are doing. Like this guy, Adam Rees, whose work I came across in a gallery in Washington.

I was part of a group and we were all astounded at the size of his work! His octopus was about two feet tall and at least three feet across. It’s hard to tell from his site exactly how he creates and bakes such large pieces (the gallery owner thought he had a custom-made oven). However he does it, it’s pretty impressive.

His canework reminds me of exuberant folk art, and adds a wonderful voice to his sculptures. I especially like his massive polar bear piece. Hmmmm, that would look pretty good in my living room….

Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Carol Dotin, winner of last week’s giveaway, an autographed copy of Terra Nova – Polymer Art at the Crossroads. Thanks to all who took the survey.

Guest post by Christi Friesen

Birthstone polymer

October’s gemstone is opal, right? So why not continue our quest for a convincing fauxpal recipe? This one from Camille Young has me itching for a little exploration time in the studio. Her instructions are in the photo caption.

The number of Stroppel cane experiments appearing daily tells me that I’m not the only one who can’t resist trying a new technique.

If opals aren’t your thing, browse through Camille’s art folder. She’s one multi-talented sculptor, gamer and all-round artist.

Polymer that recharges

The car dealership waiting room was my impromptu office this afternoon. So you can imagine that an email introducing me to Vancouver artist Amanda Parker was what I needed (well, that and a battery).

Amanda, who sells under the MarianandHazel name, is new to PCD and her always-white, zen-like polymer jewelry speaks softly, calmly and fashionably. She majored in glass which she still works in as she branches out into polymer and recycled leather.

If you need a Thursday breather, sit down with a quiet cup of tea and check out her site, her recent Facebook pictures and her Etsy gallery. The sites, like her designs, are soothing and restorative.

Go-with-the-flow polymer

The UK’s Cate van Alphen created this polymer Baroque Water pendant for The Four Elements Deviant Art Contest. Pearlex powder provides shimmer on the watery bezel and bail. The theme continues around the pendant back. Her second entry is shown here.

Cate writes with charming candor about one meandering experiment saying, “I find myself rather indifferent to the result. I did not have a particular plan when I was making it, so I am spared disappointment, but I also don’t have anything to judge it against to determine if it is a success. And now I wish I could remember how I did it.”

She’s headed in interesting directions and her wishpots and polymer covered headpins offer glimpses of unusual designs ahead.

Postgraduate polymer

An-Fen Kuo’s polymer and metal jewelry highlights the theme in “MAdness in the Method“, a group show of 35 graduating MA students from the reknown School of Jewellery, Birmingham, UK. The postgraduate students have undergone an intense process of problem solving, skills building, and researching designs and materials.

An-Fen Kuo chose to pair polymer with her metals work because the color and organic shapes she envisioned for her Organism Study were readily available with the medium.

Start your Monday with a look through An-Fen’s portfolio and a sampling of work on the Crafthaus website. That polymer is being included in the vocabulary of students of fine jewelry marks another step forward for all of us.

Polymer jellyfish

We finish the week with Bettina Welker’s jellyfish earrings that look like they were made to go with Wendy Malinow’s beach glass necklace from Tuesday’s post. Have we spotted a translucent trend? Are sea creatures in floating to the top (bad pun) in the polymer world?

Bettina’s graceful hollow forms covered by delicately colored cane slices gracefully mimic the sea creatures. Find more jellyfish here.

Next week we move from the sea to the mountains. There won’t be many words from me and I’m hoping for great pictures. I’m hoping your weekend goes swimmingly!

Shriver’s polymer splash

Sarah Shriver sneaked a few new photos into her site recently. This end of the summer Splash bracelet is perfect for today. One last dive into the summer pool.

Sarah has been exploring unusual shapes that snuggle up against each other. She builds them in Ultralight and covers them with slices of wavy, organic polymer canes.

As I prepare to leave for a week in Colorado, I’m dangling shiny new things in front of you to keep you happy while I pack and do all the errands that I’ve put off. No time for the computer, I have to lean on old friends’ work. Thanks, Sarah.

Faux beach glass

Wendy Malinow refined and reworked the polymer sea glass idea we tinkered with together at the beginning of the summer. This Oregon coast artist can’t pass up making polymer into faux beach finds.

We were riffing on Seth Savarick’s faux glass idea that will be shown in a new book due out next spring.

Wendy adds a bit of fantasy sealife to her version and weaves her shards and coral into a necklace of delicate blue greens. Click on the image to get a bit better idea of the color close up.

The clasp on the piece blends beautifully into this end of season design.