No particular reason

Linda Loew lets loose with bowls of balls on PolymerClayDaily.com

As I sorted the posts and pictures grabbed for this week’s StudioMojo I realize I’ve collected exciting polymer works made for no particular reason. These bowls of balls are a case in point.

Baltimore’s Linda Loew admits that her bowls of balls aren’t very functional. She liked the colors…so why not add a few more? And some texture just for fun?

I take it back…there is a good reason. The pieces we’ll feature this week were made joyfully to please the artist. In Linda’s case, she was making bowls for a swap at an upcoming polymer conference. The point is that perfection can be tedious, driven, and controlled. Come on over to StudioMojo and watch polymer artists let loose, have some fun!

Unbroken circle of friends

Keeping in touch Kentucky style on PolymerClayDaily.com

I like the bags of “inchies” swapped and then squirreled away in ziplocks in the back of the bottom drawer. They make me nostalgic and bring a smile. But much better to do what the Kentucky group did this year and create arty trinkets that you can wear or drape from shelves.

Swappers received short lengths of ball chain onto which they add their beads. Members amassed their trades and snapped the lengths together. One look and longtime friends know whose work is whose.

It’s a way of touching base, waving hello, saying something comforting or sassy or silly.

We’re still here and with any luck, we’ll be together again.

Joan Tayler shared this swap idea some years back. The Kentucky guild whose members are sprawled across the midwest decided to use it in a year when this is this is the closest we can get. Ron Lehocky heads up the group while Mary Clyde Sparks and Francie Owens (and others I’m sure) made it all work.

Midnight oil polymer

Cynthia Tinapple makes last-minute swap items on PolymerClayDaily.com

I was about to hang an “out of order” shingle on the blog today. I have 24 swap items that need to get in the mail tomorrow.

Why not let you see my kitchen counter/studio in a frantic mess as I cut out my flowers? A couple of tools I need are in the “real” studio, of course.

It’s a flower theme. These are flowers that will be put on wires/stakes to grace gardens. We try not to be competitive but who are we kidding? I made my own templates from takeout containers. (I seem to have a lot of those.) That’s a story for later.

Twelve more cutouts and I can go to bed. You’re not seeing the finished product. With any luck, I can group them for a shot tomorrow. Yawn! Wish me luck. Procrastinators unite!

Spirited seasonal icons

Anita Kennerley and Jan Montarsi tweak holiday icons on PolymerClayDaily.com

Simple designs contain great charm at this time of year.

Ohio’s Jan Montarsi gives dimension to the snowmen pins he made for a swap by shadowing their rounded edges. To give them personality he splurges on scarves, hats, and earmuffs.

Anita Kennerley builds her angel earrings by wrapping a circle and using hearts for wings. Using only a red circle, white belt, and black belt buckle, her earrings say that Santa is coming.

It’s the merry attitude in these designs that captures the spirit of the season.

Slip over to StudioMojo if you want a weekend helping of festive polymer ideas and insider news. StudioMojo comes right to your inbox each Saturday.

Let go and see what happens

Libby Mills lets nature inspire her world of geometry on PolymerClayDaily

Swap anxiety hits everyone! Connecticut’s Libby Mills felt threatened by the requirement that swap items must be “nature-inspired.”

Look at how she invites nature into her geometrically-inspired comfort zone! She stacks irregularly shaped layers into lovely natural forms.

As we pack our supplies for a week of claying, we laugh at ourselves for worrying. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go, and see what happens.

In my rush to get everything done before I leave, I popped a fresh video into this week’s StudioMojo which is all set for Saturday delivery. I’ll be traveling so next week’s PCD posts may be sporadic. And StudioMojo will be full of mountain air polymer (whatever that means). Come find out!

A nudge for swap items

Lynn Yuhr's leaves for a swap raise the bar on PolymerClayDaily.com

I’m smitten with these modern collaged leaves from Florida’s Lynn Yuhr. The gradations, the canes, the painted details on her slightly cupped leaves can’t be missed.

These are some of Lynn’s swap items for an upcoming retreat and they raise the bar for the rest of the participants who are still mulling over what to make.

We try to stay away from competitiveness but it creeps in whether we like it or not. A nudge like this one from Lynn makes for an exciting swap.

Room for mementos

Laurel Swetnam swaps her footed bowls on PolymerClayDaily.com

These sweet little footed polymer bowls from Portland’s Laurel Swetnam were part of an annual swap. Luscious palette with a hint of northwest patterning.

Who doesn’t have room on a windowsill or dresser for one little memento?

This year we have only the office phone and a rationed amount of bandwidth on the network but you probably won’t mind short posts, will you?

Swapping with style

Joan Tayler's ball chain idea makes swapping fun again on PolymerClayDaily

Ohio neighbor, Nancy Nearing, traveled to Vancouver to visit her daughter and to meet up with Joan Tayler who has a thriving polymer business at the Granville Island Public Market (and on Etsy).

Joan sent PCD readers a super new idea for small art to trade and collect. If inchies and totems and bowls have lost their swap thrill in your group, consider her new method.

She recommends baking beads directly on short lengths of ball chain (1 1/2″ or so). Sandwich the chain between two slices of cane or devise your own style. Join the individual pieces together with connectors and make them into necklaces, bracelets, keychains, whatever.

Joan made all these beads on this sample. Beads coming from far and wide might look very different.

Once your group agrees on a color and size of ball chain, you have an easy swap. Brilliant, eh? Thanks, Joan and Nancy!

StudioMojo heads west! Travel along and see who we run into. Join us!

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!