FOLLOW FRIDAY: Susan Crocenzi

Susan Crocenzi mixes glass and polymer in large lively mosaics on PolymerClayDaily.com

Weary of earrings? Done with slabs? Nothing better than a scroll through Susan Crocenzi’s mosaics for a breath of fresh air.

Look closely, she combines glass and polymer in ways that make it hard to tell what’s what in the riot of color. And her pieces are big and bold. They will lift your mood if you’re feeling timid and uncertain.

Feeling lazy and unproductive? Good! And when you’re looking at the clouds and swaying the hammock, you’ll be surprised at the ideas that pop up.

Join us over at StudioMojo for a Saturday morning dose of surprise and delight.

Spring on steroids

Sherstin Schwartz makes gardens that climb the walls on PolymerClayDaily.com

Minnesota’s Sherstin Schwartz (lifeofapaintbrush) admits that she’s an alien.

She sculpts flowers, pods, mushrooms, and other vegetation in eye-popping colors and mounts them on square tiles.

Sherstin calls herself an alien floral designer and her exaggerated shapes and lush colors help you understand why.

The effect of her polymer gardens gathered on a wall will wake up your Monday.

Art, spirit and culture in polymer

Michelle Petelinz sculpts her heritage on PolymerClayDaily.com

North Carolina’s Michelle Davis Petelinz helps us continue our observance of Black History Month with this sculpture called Munira, Ancestress of Radiance, part of her Ancestral Series

Michelle works in polymer and mixed media and has explored her African and Native American heritage in sculptures, tiles, wall art, bowls, and other mixed media pieces.

She describes her work as a fusion of art, spirit, and culture.

Groovy polymer

Deb Hart takes us back to peace and love on PolymerClayDaily

Texas’ Deb Hart takes polymer back to its roots with these three hippie-themed tiles.

With regular retreats canceled, Deb is using her free time to indulge her inner flower child and make some class samples for next year’s events.

On her Facebook, you can see her in-process photos as she creates an outline with a string of extruded polymer and positions the main elements. She fills in later with colors and more patterns. The peace theme feels hopeful and right.

Walk on the wild side

Margaret Polcawich takes a different tack on PolymerClayDaily.com

Lindly’s fundraising campaign has put me back in touch with artists who usually lurk quietly in the background.

What a treat to get reacquainted with Maryland’s Margaret Polcawich. Her vessels and wall art have a delicate sensibility….reeds blowing in the wind, small tiles thick with color, vessels with spindly legs.

They trigger some part of my brain that says, “Yes…let’s try that!” Visit her site if you need to walk on the wild side.

Layers for 2020

Libby Mills 6x6 squares reveal layers of textures, shapes, and colors on PolymerClayDaily.com

Connecticut’s Libby Mills (Libzoid) has hit her stride with her wall tiles that are made of layered slabs of polymer. This latest is not only brighter but there’s a lot going on.

Look closely and you’ll spot veneers and canes, stitches and waffles, circles and arcs, cutouts and appliques.

That’s a lot of elements to make work together! And she does it! Libby comes into 2020 with a look that’s distinctly hers. Here she is on Facebook.

In this weekend’s StudioMojo, we will look into our crystal ball and see who’s leading us toward new ways with clay. Come on over if you want to see what’s ahead.

Pop art tiles

Fiona Herbst gets ready for Paddy's Day with these tiles on PolymerClayDaily

Ireland’s Fiona Herbst leads us into March with her collections of shamrock tiles. Look closely and you’ll see how hearts turn into shamrocks for Paddy’s Day.

These have an Andy Warhol look with their blasts of color.

But actually, Fiona was inspired by Bettina Welker’s leaf brooch.

Finding the beach in your clay

Caroline Casswell frames a series of remarkable scenes on PolymerClayDaily.com

UK’s Caroline Casswell rips and tears her polymer to produce a series of remarkable seascapes. She layers and textures the ragged edges and smooth skies.

Caroline’s landscape tiles make us look at our clay with fresh eyes. The cropped images here look even better after Caroline mats and frames her tiles. See her whole series on Instagram.

Tiled tea tables

Bridget Derc builds complex tiles for her tables on PolymerClayDaily

The UK’s Bridget Derc has two 27 1/2″ square patio tables to cover with polymer tiles. She calculated how much clay she’d need and got busy.

Bridget shares many of her work in progress shots on Flickr. No two of the 18 tiles (each about 9″ square) are alike. Her meticulous arranging of the kaleidoscopic pieces is amazing.

She makes assembling hundreds of pieces look so effortless that we think, “Yeah, I could totally do that.” What is it about watching someone else work so diligently that allows us to forget the herculean effort involved?

Lots of clay, lots of math, lots of patience. Then lots of satisfaction having tea on your beautiful new tables.

Last year PCD watched her work on this smaller table.

Polymer pointillism

Leah Radlett rolls polymer into a pointillist sunflower on PolymerClayDaily

South Australia’s Leah Radlett tales a different approach to mosaics. Her 4″ tiles are composed of round polymer elements.

Nice of Leah to share her in-progress shots. She starts with the background and works inward. which isn’t what you might have expected.

See more of her landscapes on Etsy and Instagram. She calls this one Joyful and says, “I’ve been blessed by so many nice comments about my work and it makes my heart happy to know that people enjoy my art.”

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