Polymer Clay Daily

Polymer goals

These six polymer pendants are part of Angela Garrod’s personal challenge to herself to make entirely hollow forms with unusual polymer bails.

She tints mica polymer with alcohol inks for the patterned pendants. On the black ones Angela uses matte and hi-gloss surfaces to provide more subtle tone-on-tone patterns. Rivets embedded in the clay add metallic accents. You can see more views of the pendants on Flickr.

Angela’s study reminds us that we don’t have to join a group or commit to a year-long experiment. We can simply set ourselves a goal and work toward it.

Heartfelt polymer

Just a few days after the big holiday season and already the hearts are popping up for the next celebration. Tejae Floyde is in her element and this year’s line includes a polymer heart with a love-me/love-me-not indicator. See the video for her Spinner Hearts.

And in the “awwww” category, Melissa McCarthy shows off this 2-inch tall miniature love tree that’s topped with a heart. Her Etsy shop is appropriately titled Made with Clay and Love.

More to come in the heart department!

When Helen met Judy

Washington’s Tonja Lenderman loves to experiment. With this polymer pendant she’s introduced Judy Belcher’s knitting techniques to Helen Breil’s twisted shapes.

From the angles of the knit strips to the forming of the shape, this design will challenge the math-side of your brain and get you primed for the week.

The best overview of Tonja’s work is on her Facebook page. You’ll also like her free crackled pottery tutorial on Polka Dot Creations.

Back from vacation

If you’ve sent me a link or a note, hang on! I’m easing myself back into work mode and plowing through a pile of email. Many thanks to all who sent their site links.

Polymer artifacts

You’d be hard pressed to identify the polymer techniques that Washington’s Pam Sanders uses in her Paul’s Gift neckpiece. There’s some caning, some carving, some sculpting but the real strength is in Pam’s composition and in its strong, dark rawness.

She makes all the copper findings that carry the theme throughout her Urban Artefacts Jewelry line. “I love bizarre art,” Pam says on her profile. “Myth, magic, ancient cultures and fantasy novels are the inspiration for the art I create,” she says.

Be sure to check the photos in her Facebook gallery as well as on her website.

Polymer pod clusters

This cluster of polymer pods from Loretta Lam hangs like a bunch of colorful bananas. The pendant cluster is suspended on a long copper chain. It’s a new design that she debuted on her Facebook page.

Is it the ripe fruit look that makes them appealing and ready to be plucked?

Loretta thinks the configuration makes them look like fetishes. The vibe is very contemporary. She’s on to something.

Have a inspired weekend!

Druzy doozie

If you need a little sparkle on Thanksgiving, check out Barb Jarman’s polymer and druzy media mixes. Druzy is the name used for the natural crystals that form on other rocks.This pairing with polymer may give you lots of ideas.

Barbara comes from a painting and mixed media background which is reflected in her pendants that look like small wearable canvases. Carol Dresben was inspired by a class she took from Barbara in California and sent us the link.

I’m thankful for you readers who send in links. You make my job easier and widen our circle of artists and friends. Pausing to appreciate what you have? Here’s a list of 60 things to get you started.

Variations on the Stroppel theme

Just when we thought we’d seen every Stroppel variation possible, we stumble on Sue Corrie’s latest riff on the technique. My eyes danced around her colors and landed on those gradated round slices with cherries on top. Even slight variations in color make a difference.

And this was just my favorite. You’ll like others in her gallery and on her Flickr site.

Be sure to read how Sue selected her business name, GhostShift.

I forgot to push the “publish” button so we missed coffee with you this morning.

Polymer grackle

Sarah Wilbanks uses images of maps, photographs and ephemera that she transers to polymer clay and sets in silver. “I just love finding images with history, story, line, color, texture and putting them together to create narrative,” she says.

The grackle is perched in her bird-themed gallery.

Sarah’s pieces are made of recycled sterling silver in her Seattle studio/apartment. She’s unveiling her new production line at her first retail show November 23-24. Her work is also at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) store and she’s opened an Etsy shop. Her Facebook page offers the best spot for browsing through her studio and her new line.

Fractured polymer geometry

Missouri’s Dawn Stubitsch has started mixing her media in a new jewelry series that combines polymer with metal clay.

Dawn has been known for her super realistic polymer cake toppers and her tame and tidy graphic pendants. These recent energetic combinations of patterns, layers and materials represent a new direction.

Look more closely at Dawn’s work on her Facebook page, her website, and her Etsy shop. Libby Mills, who just finished a metal clay workshop with Celie Fago, brought the Dawn’s new geometry to our attention.

Strong women in polymer

These Frida Kahlo and Zora Neale Hurston polymer portrait pendants come from Massachusetts artist Laura Curran. For years we’ve only been able to feature bits of Laura’s work because she had little exposure on the web. That’s changed and here’s Laura’s new website. High fives all around!

These photo transfers of historic women to polymer send a strong message. Read about the history of portrait jewelry on Laura’s research page.

Class act!

Thanks to the participants in my Craftcast class! Send me pix of your creations. Next up, a doll head sculpting workshop with Marlaine Verheist on Sunday. Take your sculpting to a more professional level with this award-winning artist.