Extruded sunset

Libby Mills assembled this polymer collaged 4-inch tile as she quietly worked at our table at a recent conference. Backed with a Skinner blend, the tile combines a layer of ripple blade slices, swirled extruded strings and dabs of solid colors and textures in a fall palette. Her goal was to produce a series of decorative compositions for a wall.

This snapshot of Libby’s work popped up as I prepared samples for a class next Wednesday. (It looks very Santa Fe sunset!) My new extruded disks are now on sale on the Kazuri West site and I’ll be teaching extruder tricks (like perfect polka dots).

Extrusion is an enjoyable technique that we can use as another nifty tool to cover large areas and to produce consistently-sized elements. Ok, I have a thing for extrusion, do you?

Action-packed inchies

These 1-inch squares from Missouri’s Chris Kapono are packed with color and movement. Textured strips, rolls and balls of polymer have a surprising impact crammed into small spaces. They remind us that we can make a big splash with a few tools and a little clay.

See Chris’ gallery on ClayLessons and her sales site on Etsy. Thanks to Randee Ketzel for the link.

Putting the pieces together

Each of these 25 polymer squares was made by different artists following a pattern handed to them. Julie Eakes prepared the Picasso drawing puzzle and the Pingree group created the pieces in 2011.

The rules were to reproduce the image you were given and to use a limited palette. No one knew what the whole project would look like. Assembling the tiles into an image was a struggle and a good group project.

Synergy puzzle

Judy Belcher and I are trying to assemble a picture of the polymer world for the Synergy conference. When you fill out the first of our surveys on Monday, you’ll be adding your anonymous data to our puzzle. Be ready, pop quiz on Monday. With your help, we’ll begin to see a picture emerging.

Wednesday class

I’m also assembling the last bits for my Rolling Stones class on Wednesday which will include some faux sea glass tips. Join me online at Craftcast for a fun session.

Polymer bowls and tiles

It’s been a while since we’ve visited polymer bowl (and tile) maker Emily Squires Levine from Philadelphia.

Emily’s bowls usually include a thread of solid color among the cane slices to lead your eye along and to give the pieces a touch of whimsy. This 11″ tall pot includes a shock of grass along its rim.

Emily has also developed a way of arranging cane slices on a flat square and then coating the assemblage with resin to create accent tiles that can be used in kitchens.

These 3D accents with their smooth rounded edges beg to be examined closely. Oh, and don’t miss her egg collection.

Jeannie Havel (pcPolyzine) decided she needed to toot Emily’s horn and sent in the link. Thanks! Remember to find a deck of cards and measure some clay this weekend.

Friedlander’s polymer meditation

Dan Friedlander’s series of 4″x4″ white polymer tiles is a study of textures. This Colorado artist makes the process sound like a meditation – sculpting the clay with only his hands, firing the tiles in a solar oven, and giving each a poetic title. You can see how he digs deep to come up with his wide range of variations…and titles! Ann Kruglak sent the link along.

Learning about color…and patience

Since I’ll be getting to the hotel too late to find some polymer bauble in Judy Belcher’s luggage to show you, enjoy this soothing, sensuous polymer clay two-inch-square tile that Kim Cavender made for a Synergy2 collaborative project.

No one but Laurie Mika knows what the entire project looks like but she says it’s fabulous and you can see her clay quilt in Baltimore.

My flight to Minneapolis has turned into one of those tarmac-sitting experiences which allowed me to watch all the TED.com videos I’d brought along. Take a look at this one on color and have a very colorful weekend. I hope I get to the conference sometime today.

Pier’s objet d’art

Alexis Pier (of Pier and Penina) has also shifted her interest to making polymer clay “objet d’art”.

The small sculptures below and the 4″x10″ tile at the left show her first steps toward larger wall pieces and more sizeable sculptures.

Air-filled closed shapes build on a technique introduced by Pier Voulkos in 1997 with refinements and new style added more recently by Jeff Dever and others.

Note: I’ll try to pry Carol Simmons’ cane reducing secrets out of her before I leave at the end of the week.

Kramer’s art in relief

New York’s Pat Kramer says that working with polymer clay art lets her preserve fleeting feelings, "how it feels to see the first flower bloom after a very long winter" and remembering "how warm the sun feels on a crisp cold fall day."

Most of her work is sculptural or in relief as in this pin and tile (right). She began her career as a watercolorist and started selling her polymer clay art eight years ago. Her style is an enjoyable departure from many of the usual techniques. You can see more of her works on her Etsy gallery.

Thanks for the tip goes to super web surfer, Susan Lomuto.

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