Polymer Clay Daily

Sliding to Colorado

Polymer swaps can be difficult, especially when one swapper posts a picture of her first efforts which look mighty fine to my eye. The assignment is for “slides” at next week’s meeting and I’m not even sure what that is!

These pieces are from Rebecca Watkins. Barb Fajardo posted hers here.

They moved the bar up just as I moved mine down. The small canes I’d prepared and set on my workspace a few days ago baked in the hot sun that’s been streaming in the window.

It will all be fine. I smile at my insecurity and try to channel Dayle Doroshow’s self-talk (shameless self-promotion).

This little episode gives me great appreciation for those of you who produce for deadlines and shows. I’m happiest tapping quietly on my keyboard and strolling into the studio for unpressured fun. Here’s a peek at my unfinished boho/gypsy/India slides – which I’m liking after all the fuss!

Kato’s new mission

Donna Kato posted these New Mission pieces yesterday to great acclaim on her Facebook page. One comment called them “…stunning and vaguely mystical.”

Donna admits that these designs were based on 10-year-old prototypes that she’d forgotten about until someone saw them in the background of a photo and inquired. Now she’s wondering what else she forgot about that she can resurrect! It’s always fun to see what Donna’s up to here and here.

Polymer that’s none of the above

This polymer pendant from Canada’s NoneOfTheAbove speaks of summer and sunflowers and, who are we kidding, tweezers. Do you suppose she plans her geometry or does it evolve as in nature?

Notice that the small dots of color are graduated in color and size. Each dot is textured. Her Etsy shop is full of examples in a range of colors and patterns. The almost mandala-like patterns have a meditative and soothing effect. Have a soothing weekend.

Letting polymer do the heavy lifting

Celie Fago admits that the high cost of silver was inhibiting her work until she asked herself, “Why not take this as a challenge and let the other materials do the heavy lifting?”

In response she began remaking heavy clasps and other carved solid silver pieces out of polymer embellished with little bits of metal clay.

Here you see one of her signature Ouroboros toggle clasps as she used to make it and as she’s making it now. She’s one of a growing number of artists who are using the rise in prices to nourish their creativity and revisit polymer clay. Read her full explanation. See more of her polymer/metal work in her Etsy shop.

Tending your garden

How does your garden grow? Illinois’ Zuda Gay Pease creates wearable polymer dahlias, sunflowers and other garden delights that require no weeding. She’s added leaves and buds to her line of pendants and beads. Enjoy this summer weekend.

Spring strings

The UK’s Susan Rimmer led me off track as I was searching for more inscribed beads to show you. Susan has an intriguing way of quickly making a tried and true technique her own.

These pendants covered with extruded polymer strings look like modern sea urchins and demonstrate how she tweaks our expectations. Her site is full of similar twists and turns.

I found Susan from Carol Simmons’ Finding Inspiration post. Carol’s Flickr favorites are a gold mine for color lovers.

The Natasha bead evolves

Claire Maunsell’s experiments with polymer Natasha beads provide us with some brain teasers to start the week. (Iris Mishly offers an easy-to-follow .pdf tutorial of the basic Natasha technique here.)

Watching the symmetrical patterns emerge is mesmerizing. Beginners are often introduced to the wonders of polymer this way and the technique can make wonderful use of a scrap pile. But, as Claire points out, it leaves you with a squared off brick.

Claire began by pulling on a Natasha block. Bullet forms appeared. “I started in earnest at this point to etch and scratch away at the emerging and disappearing lines, the remains of the original perfect mirror images,” she says. “Then, the corners of the Natasha ‘brick’ began to move outwards, and the bead to shorten – they became propellers and pods and mostly maintained their symmetry.”

Her results are fascinating and she explains her process in detail. Try it! What can you come up with?

Polymer indecision

There’s so much inspired new work in Fabi’s recent posts that it’s hard to choose what to feature.

This bolo-style pendant has a clever construction that Fabi details on her Flickr page. She’s worked out a water transfer technique and embeds the results on thick textured pendants. She’s teaching her methods in April in her Madrid studio.

And if that’s not enough, follow along on her mosaics! Here’s an abstract textured one, and here’s a mosaic of her son made from leftover polymer scraps baked, cut and applied to wood.

Great colors, shapes and a huge variety of experiments. You choose.

Big moon and Supernova

This Galaxy bracelet and Supernova pendant are from Austria’s Izabela Nowak. They’re updated, upscale polymer versions of the familiar rolled paper beads which were such fun to make. She calls it the spiral up technique.

Monday meanderings

In case you missed the weekend’s big moon, enjoy this Michigan version from polymer artist/photographer Babs Young.

The pictures and reviews from the UK’s first Polymer Pamper Play weekend make it an event you’ll want to pencil on your calendar for next year. Who couldn’t use a little pampering along with their play?

A new twist on polymer strips

France’s Florence Minne-KHou (CreationMyWay) has been playing with polymer strips and this lovely Wave necklace is her latest version.

Her starting point was the lantern beads we made as children from paper. As I remember, you take a rectangle of paper and cut strips between the two long uncut edges. Then you glue the rectangle into a tube shape and twist to make your lantern. If you see her post here, you’ll get the gist.

The Wave is a more elaborate version and the pearls provide a bubbly, finishing touch. Other artists, like England’s Carol Blackburn, have toyed with polymer strips. This is a delightful new twist.

Retro bling

The retro bling from PurpleCactus isn’t in traditional holiday colors but their polymer baubles suggest a cheery approach to the season. North Carolina’s Amber Edison and Laurence Abensour have teamed up to produce a line of small pendants and rings that really hit the spot.

Is the texture on this bicone bead a new trick or an optical illusion? Whatever…I find myself mesmerized.

Here’s an earlier PCD post on the duo and links to their Etsy and Flickr sites.