Polymer transformations

Sona Gregoryan transforms textures on PolymerClayDaily.com

These new hoop earrings from Sona Grigorian transform into a pendant. She’s not sharing the process yet but this queen of deep, layered textures has a YouTube channel full of her tricks and tutorials.

Sonya is inspired by Gaudi’s organic Spanish architectural forms. She mixes those shapes with memories of her Armenian roots and religious traditions to create her own mysterious and distinctive style.

You can quickly keep up with her evolving aesthetic on Instagram and Facebook.

How has your style evolved and transformed?

Inspired mosaic

The rich textures in the polymer mosaic work of Darwin, Australia’s Nicole Boucher (BlueMallee) reflect her tropical surroundings.

This particular oriental-inspired piece was snatched up by a customer who then sent Nicole a photo of its new home. It landed where it belonged!

Another photo of the mosaic here shows off its dark jewel colors with lustrous gold highlights. Over 90 tiles surround what looks like a slab of ancient text.

Scroll through Nicole’s Facebook to view some of her other mosaics and jewelry.

Staying warm with polymer

The UK’s Karen Walker (clayground) pays close attention to to textures and patterns in her fashionably dressed winter characters.

The faces may not reveal much but the plaid scarf, thermal weave, pleated pants and polka dots speak volumes.

Karen markets Cernit clay and these small figures are her specialty. Look at all the lovelies on her Facebook and Instagram.

Her free Snowman tutorial on YouTube is fun for a last-minute gift.

Textured pastels

With pan pastels on polymer all the rage, Virginia’s Page McNall offers us a free and easy way of combining pastels and texture. Best of all, her method also uses scrap clay.

In a quick visual tutorial, she shares her way of making the rippled polymer veneers for her Sunset on the Water pendant.

Catch up with Page on Pinterest and Facebook.

Add drama with paint

Polymer artists like Texas’ Shelley Atwood continue to show us what you can do with textures and paints. Shelley bends the textured ribbons of polymer for additional movement on these dangling earrings.

The red of the bottom medallions is a surprise. Gold paint unifies the look which is topped off with the big loops of the earwires.

Look at her Flickr pages to see how Shelley pumps up the drama of her work.

Lingering Euro vibes

This jewel-encrusted polymer bead from Monica Rotta keeps my European vibe going even after I’m back in the USA.

Rich textures are topped with metal caps and faceted red beads like a sundae with juicy cherries.

Monica’s booth setup in Italy makes me sigh at her easy euro-elegance. She uses picture frames, hangers, and even astro-turf to show off her wares.

Visit her Facebook photos and breathe in the Tuscan air. There’s more on Pinterest and Instagram for your Italian interlude.

Layers of complexity

Kathryn Corbin’s pieces in the sales gallery at EuroSynergy had usual touches – epoxy sculpted findings (for strength), tube beads with windows, heavily textured beads made of white polymer and colored only with pastels and crayons. Her pieces have a mysterious depth and complexity.

The tube beads are rolled (not extruded) to emphasize their handmade quality. The window in the larger diameter tube reveals another bead underneath (click to see the details on the blue beads below). Recently Kathryn added a gauzy nude portrait brooch (pastel again) that floats on a sharp geometric base.

It was great fun to pal around with Kathryn who’s from Massachusetts and speaks French. She’s not very flashy online. You have to prowl around in Facebook to discover her treasures.

Rough and ready

This recent rough and colorful necklace from Enkhe Tserenbadam blends bright blue beads with rich gold nuggets. The irregular shapes are so pitted that they appear smooth and soft. The effect is both organic and other-worldly.

Enkhe has been playing with a number of designs infused with energy and ready to move in new directions. Born in Mongolia and now living in Switzerland, she has already come a long way. Browse through her small vessels and jewelry to see where she’s headed. She’s on Facebook, Instagram and her own site.

Frothy polymer

Jana Roberts Benzon continues to unlock the texture secrets of polymer. She’s ruffled, crumpled and cut her pieces with laser-like precision. Still she felt compelled to push farther.

Now she’s whipped up frothy layers that undulate around this new bangle. Here she is on Facebook and Flickr.

Jana jots her ideas in marker on her glass work surface as she experiments. She uses her phone to take a picture of each step before she erases the writing and moves on.

No more lost steps or mystery processes. Documentation like this is a must if you’re an avid experimenter like Jana.

Exploring gardens

There are hints of flowers in the online air. These from Alaska’s Katie Way (Bullseye Studio) are updates from an earlier polymer garden.

Her thin multi-layered disks are textured then enhanced with a wash of paint and stacked. If you know Katie’s work, you’ll recognize them as hers instantly. Look on Facebook, Flickr, and Etsy for more.

Simple, subtle, modern and they give us a taste of the colors ahead. We’ll explore a few more gardens next week.

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