Illinois’ Karna Erickson’s polymer clay charms and sculptures are more Mad Max than Steampunk. Her robot assemblages include nuts and bolts, found items and erector set leftovers.
Under the names of EanyMeany and Cocoon Designs, Karna pieces together a collection of brightly colored sculptures made from recyclables.
Her soft villages are made of a material hodgepodge that includes recycled sweaters, vintage buttons, yarn and more. She uses polymer to create the creatures that populate the villages and to give found objects exciting second lives.
Kimberly Hart of MonsterKookies in Toronto gives an edgy twist to her polymer clay cookies and hearts. I’d been admiring her anatomically correct heart pendants and this realistic steampunk version (My Heart Doesn’t Beat, It Ticks) is inspired.
The piece sold as soon as it was posted on Etsy. There will be more to come. You can keep track of Kimberly on her deviant site, her web site, or on Etsy.
Attaboy/girl
Two weeks into the year and you all seem to be ticking items off your lists. Grant Diffendaffer has his Etsy shop up, Gera Scott Chandler has dusted off her blog, and Maggie and Lindly’s new color book is available for pre-order. You go, girls and boys.
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.
Following up on yesterday’s trend report here’s Christi Friesen newest line based on the steampunk aesthetic. (I had to look it up on wikipedia.) I see a promising new polymer clay trend here.
Christi explains steampunk as, “viewing the future from the vantage point of the turn-of-the-century — all gears and hydraulics and brassy screws – very rich and slightly gothic, and quite in keeping with the whole altered art/assemblage movement!”
As science fiction author Bruce Sterling explains, “Steampunk’s key lessons are not about the past. They are about the instability and obsolescence of our own times. A host of objects and services that we see each day all around us are not sustainable. They will surely vanish, just as Gone With the Wind like Scarlett O’Hara’s evil slave-based economy. Once they’re gone, they’ll seem every bit as weird and archaic as top hats, crinolines, magic lanterns, clockwork automatons, absinthe, walking-sticks and paper-scrolled player pianos. We are secretly preparing ourselves for the death of our own tech.” Fascinating concept.
Christi’s book showing all her new work will be out in November and she’ll soon have a steampunk project tutorial on her site. Have a fascinating weekend.
