Polymer Clay Daily

Kuchansky’s web comic series

San Francisco’s Justina Kochansky is a polymer clay sculptor and a puppeteer. “I delight in little things and hope to provide others with delightful little things…most of which have a dark aspect for a bit of flavor,” she explains.

Justina currently produces a sculptural web comic, ArticulateMatter, which is updated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Her daily diaoramas are then offered for sale on her Etsy site. “It started out with a story line, but quickly evolved into stream-of-consciousness vignettes.” Currently the cast includes polymer clay squids (including Squidmund Freud and Squid Claus), frogs, and various vacuum tube creatures. Her Christmas coral reeth tickled me too.

I needed a little delight as I ponder the end of one year and the start of another. This quirky link comes from Barbara Forbes-Lyons.

Polymer steampunk communication device

Chris (aka Chronomorphs or Nicrosin) created this great steampunk prop from sculpey, rubber, and a various pocket watch parts. It’s fully adjustable and flexible and lined with suede for comfort. Polymer clay helps Victorian meet Blu Tooth in this back-to-the-future piece.

Chris describes his simulated device, “This experimental prototype device, using theoretical Æther-phasing as the delivery system, is used for airship-to-airship private transmissions, hands-free battlefield communications, or real-time status updates of special operations agents.”

It’s actually a limited edition Victorian-style communication device, perfect as a prop or for enhancing a costume. Thanks to Susan Lomuto (via Watchismo) for the tip.

Atomic Mobiles in polymer clay

A note from Arizona’s Debra Ann, owner of Atomic Mobiles, introduced us to her polymer clay and stainless steel mobiles in a wide variety of colors and styles, including glow-in-the-dark.

Inspired by the hanging art mobiles of Alexander Calder, Debra Ann began constructing these moving art forms when it was the subject of a fifth grade class project. She’s been selling her art online since 1995.

“My goal is to create beautiful modern mobiles that are relaxing and give you pause to think, a relaxing way to stop the world and reflect,”says Debra Ann. See videos of her mobiles moving gently here.

Carlson’s new works

Yesterday’s characters got me thinking about other polymer clay sculptors. I revisited Maureen Carlson’s site and saw that she’s added a number of new galleries of her work like this lovely leaping figure which she made over a wire armature.

A gifted storyteller, Maureen lets stories flow from her characters which reflect many moods – thoughtful, mysterious and playful. Her newest pieces are exhibited in Minneapolis and she’s filling in the roster of classes scheduled for 2009 at her teaching/retreat facility.

Polymer clay toy artists and their site

Toy news and toymakers haven’t appeared on our radar very often but after a look at ToyCyte.com, it’s apparent that we need to fix that. Toycyte covers toy artists, including a number who work in polymer clay. They’re growing in number, in expertise and in popularity.

Meredith Dittmar may be familiar to you already. Her small polymer “my guys” regularly sell out (check out her holiday versions) and she’s got a large following for her wall art, animations, and illustrations as well.

ToyCyte’s blog post led me to Leslie Levings and her polymer clay beastlies (pictured here). She’s been making these charming characters since fourth grade and all that practice has made her very good at bringing the clay to life. Check out her videos and her Monday night show and be sure to read the site’s interview of Leslie here.

To top off my exploration, I clicked on the Mike Leavitt link. We’ve featured Mike before and his Barack Obama figure is outstanding. ToyCyte’s interview picks Mike’s brain as he makes art.

I’m sure there are more polymer clay artists on the site. I’m overwhelmed with this talent and need to catch my breath and explore further.

Polymer clay reasons to believe and recycle

This comfy, couch potato polymer clay Santa by Dennis Brown could make me a believer again. It comes from the “ReasonsToBelieve” site, a treasure trove of Santas.

Brown’s work has been licensed by several reproduction companies and these are the polymer originals. He makes Santas 365 days a year. Thanks to Susan Lomuto for the tip.

Kudos to Heather Powers (HumbleBeads) for her wins in the Bead Star competition from Interweave Press. She combines and collages beads and found items into evocative pieces.

Iris Mishly has jumped on the recycled band wagon too, using throwaways from her computer job as findings for her polymer clay work. Have a useful weekend.

Pozzo’s motorcycle tanks

Indiana’s Bill Pozzo fabricates custom exhibits and in his spare time makes custom designed motorcycle tanks.

The designs have a definite Hieronymus Bosch bent and reflect both Pozzo’s years of professional experience and his love of motorcycles. He sculpts in polymer clay and then casts the piece in fiberglass.

Each elaborate tank takes 200-250 hours and costs $4,500 and up. Custom designs are twice that.

His polymer clay figures are quirky and funny as well and his site reveals an artist of immense and varied talent.

Sahl’s polymer clay gingerbread houses

Nothing gets me more in the mood for the holidays than Sharon Sahl’s polymer clay gingerbread houses. She made only 10 for sale this year and there are just a couple left. Click on the large versions of her photos to see how detailed these beauties are.

“I buy and measure candies and cookies and gum and make them 1/4 sized with whatever clays best match their opacity. Trees are built from green star shapes, baked and then layered with white clay icing. For the cookies, I make an original with as much detail as I can fit onto a 1/2 inch disc, make a mold, and then pull every cookie from that mold. Gumdrops are coated with very fine glass beads and really look like gumdrops,” Sharon explains.

Her “Christmas Kids” ornaments are created with equal attention to detail. Sharon has moved back to Ohio and we’re happy she’s returned.

Real-looking polymer clay objects

This polymer clay lariat by Adams Schoolhouse reminds us that it’s time to break out the mittens. The variegated yarns look labor-intensive, very wooly, very real.

Speaking of looking real, check out the Australian “Making Sense” art exhibit that featured the work of artists who replicate benign objects and spaces.

Polymer artist Emma White explains that, “Sometimes the joke’s on me because people can’t tell the object is handmade (like the polymer clay post-it here), so they kind of don’t even see it.” Read more about Emma here.

Thanks to Susan Lomuto for the exhibit link and for making us start the week looking very carefully.

Polymer clay for Thanksgiving

Christi Freisen’s “Face in the Crowd” polymer clay wall sculpture is my all-time Thanksgiving favorite because it epitomizes what my house looks like on this feast day (28 for turkey dinner) and makes me smile.

It also reminds me of what I’m thankful for…the polymer clay community. We’ve collected an interesting bunch of artists from around the world in three short years.

I’m thankful for your continued participation in this site and inspired by the work that you bring to it. Thank you. And happy Thanksgiving.