Here’s a fun site from Mary Walsh of Rhode Island. You’ll want to check out her clever "brag bead" bracelets.
I was most taken with her drawer knobs and custom pieces which show nice handling of color (from muted to punchy) and lots of experimenting with design (from quilts to Japanese inspirations).
I’d be nowhere without tips from viewers. Thanks to Susan Rose for this one.
Prepare to spend some time on this link to the Smithsonian Craft Show. While the show contains only two polymer artists that I could find (Bishoff/Syron and FordForlano), the works shown throughout are those jaw-dropping inspirations that you shouldn’t miss.
Bonnie Bishoff and JM Syron combine polymer and wood in furniture, vessels, lamps and more. If you’ve been stuck thinking small, this site will force you out of your rut.
Thanks to Lindly Haunani for sending the link to the Smithsonian site. Turning the pages of the book is nearly as much fun as the work itself.
I don't even know what an "Opera Vessel" is but I like it anyway. These fanciful creations are by Katerina Musetti of Pennsylvania. Katerina is a singer as well as a polymer artist and that influence comes through in her purses and vessels and necklaces, reflecting the art, music and literature of a bygone era. She was featured in the June 2005 issue of Belle Armoire.
I upgraded the PolymerClayDaily site software last night. If you see any gremlins floating about, let me know.
These teeny birds on my shelf remind me that it’s nearly spring. And they tell me that everything needn’t be precious and exquisite. Sometimes simple and carefree is best.
I bought these polymer birds at the local art college sale. The young artist felt she was overcharging me when she priced them at $1 each. Such a deal! Each bird has character and exudes happiness.
After weeks of looking at wonderful skillfully-crafted works, I’m just a bit tired of the intensity. I think I’ll look for simple for the next few days. No polymer links today. You may want to see what the 20-somethings are doing with jewelry. Just for grins.
Portland, Oregon's Meredith Dittmar first started sculpting while trying to avoid getting her computer science degree. After graduating she worked as an interactive designer/programmer and her digital works have been shown in international film festivals, exhibits and magazines.
For the past ten years, she's put the digital realm on the backburner to pursue her three-dimensional passion. The first "guys" were made in 1994 when she discovered polymer clay.
Ever since that day, a steady flow has continued. Thousands have been created and no two were alike until the recent "clones" series. "Guys" are made out of premo and flexible sculpey.
They're quirky, colorful and fresh. And you can put them on your phone or watch a Converse Video (scroll through until you hit "Polymer Playground") of these creatures.
I don’t know much about this artist…Howard from Como, Italy…but thought we should tip our hats toward the Olympic hosts this week. This one’s called "Pocketbook".
Pongo is apparently the Italian version of polymer clay and Howard sculpts all kinds of delightful things. You can buy his images on cups and shirts in addition to his pongo pieces.
The comments on his site are hilarious…."I can’t believe you did a pongo of my pre-operative uterus Howard. How sweet." Only the Italians could bring us this art! We should all learn to be so playful.
I’ve finished monkeying around. These finger puppets made from polymer were a vacation shopping find and I promptly forgot the artist’s name. She’s a Whidbey Island artist with some wonderful characters in her head. Her work is at the Bayview Art Center on Whidbey (sorry, no web links).
I pondered what to do with these pages, fretted over where I’d find new things, and considered where the art of polymer is headed. A week of pondering while looking at the water and visiting with friends is theraputic and I’m ready to dive back in.
I’ll be rummaging through the American Craft Council site for the next week or so. There are two reasons for this. One, it’s full of the most mouth-watering, eye-popping new work you could want. And two, I’ll be out in Seattle playing with longtime polymer friends so I’ll need to dip into my reservoir of web tips and rely on my dear daughter to do the daily post.
Only touching polymer clay via Photoshop has left me with a bit of ennui. I know I’ll feel better when I get my hands dirty and act on some of the ideas generated by all this web surfing. Enjoying morning coffees in the hot tub with good friends will help immensely as well.
The work at left is from Deborah Banyas from the ACC show. There’s some more of her recent work here but it looks like her personal site is still under construction.
Luann Udell writes about her photoshoot for the upcoming issue of American Style magazine. Her story is a fun read and her work is a treat to peruse.
Luann’s web site is dense with info and up-to-date (my bugaboo this week). The magazine will be on newsstands at the end of this month. Don’t miss it.
Just when I think I’ve plumbed the depths of the internet, when nothing looks particularly interesting to me. Just when I’ve become the most jaded, I get a tip from an artist (in this case Susan Lamb) who leads me to work that melts my heart.
Camille Allen has a masterful touch with babies. If you’ve ever tried to make miniatures, you’ll appreciate her delicate touch and her magnificent ability to capture a baby’s softness and expression. Oh my, what a treat.
Susan says there was an urban legend going around that these babies were made of marzipan. While they do look scrumptious, they are actually made of our own inedible polymer clay.
