Polymer Clay Daily

Nailing it with small talk

Makesmalltalk's Lisa makes wrinkles that radiate on PolymerClayDaily.com

Dallas’ Lisa (makesmalltalk) has been draping, wrinkling, and wrapping polymer for some time. As the Olympics have us saying this week, “She nailed it,” with this translucent striped vessel. Lisa had been creating big earrings but now she’s gone even bigger.

Can’t you see it filled with brushes or tools? Or hanging with a light inside? The container has a tactile, fabric quality that’s exuberant and fun.

Lisa sells her new collections every Friday evening.

If you want more examples of polymer artists who are veering off course into new territory, join us at StudioMojo each Saturday morning where we suss out fresh ideas, emerging trends, and other artists who are nailing it!. 

Bowling over yourself

LA’s Nomi Isak (nomiisak) combines inclusions and translucent, layers and colors, rough edges and cutouts into a delightful bowl. Rather than carefully exploring each ingredient on its own, she gives them a whirl all at once and it works.

Nomi gets out of her own way. Sounds easy but for some of us, it isn’t.

This week’s StudioMojo is about that same concept. Now more than ever we shuffle fires, storms, wars, worries, and to-do lists into the background. How do you shove all that aside to play? Join us as we find a way.

Thin glowing polymer

Sunny days may inspire you to dig out the translucent clay like UK’s Belinda Ashton did.

Light streaming through thin colorful polymer is a wonderful Monday project. Belinda has gone thinner and brighter with each of her experiments. These flower petal shapes glow.

Hello, Monday!

Hair blossoms

Chica3f puts delicate petals in your hair on PolymerClayDaily.com

Japan’s Chica3f gently offsets delicate translucent petals on a barrette finding to create a springlike hair accessory. She also offers them in spring tones. Like wearing cherry blossoms in your hair!

Chica3f puts delicate petals in your hair on PolymerClayDaily.com

She lets us take a peek at the translucent curved bar on which she floats the petals.

StudioMojo will be full of surprising trends and introduce you to some of the new artists on the scene. Many new names have burst onto the scene with huge followings and busy stores. They seem to have secrets and savvy that you won’t want to miss. Sign up and come see.

Forced blooms

Nancy Nearing forces spring blooms on PolymerClayDaily.com

Rather than wait for real blooms in her Connecticut yard, Nancy Nearing grabbed a 36″ branch lying in the melting snow and created some polymer blooms.

She reinforced the stick with Apoxie sculpt and wired on caned leaves and delicate translucent blue blooms. Lights may be next. She has just the spot above a corner window in her studio for her touch of spring.

PCD is getting ready for spring too and will post only two or three times each week. I’m cutting back and clearing my schedule to make time for more art and adventure. If you need additional inspiration, please sign up for the weekly StudioMojo newsletter that arrives every Saturday full of tips, talks, tools, and other juicy bits.

Patterns that light up

MelaMelanie Allan lights up translucent kaleidoscope canes on PolymerClayDailynie Allan lights up polymer with translucent kaleidoscope canes on PolymerClayDaily

Australia’s Melanie Allan (innervisionpc) lights up her polymer! What looks like a lovely glass bottle covered with polymer cane slices comes to life when lit from within.

Melanie definitely has a “cane brain” that gravitates to very complex patterns that she brings to life in big kaleidoscope canes.

Melanie Allan lights up translucent kaleidoscope canes on PolymerClayDaily

Here’s the surprising part. Melanie zooms out from the big kaleidoscope and focuses back in on the juiciest, most spectacular smaller patterns. Those smaller patterns she features in earrings.

When you look at her IG and FB, concentrate on big pattern/small pattern to follow how she moves in and out.

Succulent Skinners

Anna Nell makes blends for her new succulents on PolymerClayDaily.com

What would Poland’s Anna Nell make with the Skinner blends she showed on Instagram? A few days later she gives us the answer.

Anna Nell makes blends for her new succulents on PolymerClayDaily.com

She says she uses translucent clay, porcelain (I’m guessing she means pearl), and glow in the dark (she calls it “night effect”). She added pastels as well and some gold leaf for bling

Anna surrounds herself with a large collection of succulent inspirations so it’s difficult to distinguish real from polymer.

Layered translucents

Lynn Yuhr pushes liquid polymer in translucent directions on PolymerClayDaily.com
Lynn Yuhr pushes liquid polymer in translucent directions on PolymerClayDaily.com

Florida’s Lynn Yuhr (the FlyingSquirrelStudio) explores liquid polymers. “What if?” is her guiding principle.

In this case, Lynn dotted, painted and stamped liquid polymer over thin translucent. She wanted the metal grid behind the veneer to show through so she used a light touch and kept the patterns sparse with plenty of translucent showing.

The piece at right is the start of the veneer.

You may have seen this 2019 video before, it’s Lynn in her early liquid polymer exploration. She’s on day 63 of her 100-day 2020 excursion

Flowers and flutters

Bonnie Bishoff suspends translucent curls from wire cable on PolymerClayDaily.com

I admit to having an art crush on Maine’s Bonnie Bishoff. Take a closer look at her imaginative use of stainless steel wire. She has mastered using Apoxie Sculpt as a strong base form. Her color sense is impeccable and makes my heart sing.

And now she’s laid up with a broken foot but still, she posts sumptuous earrings to her webshop. She and her husband have crafted a great life.

Here two thin translucent slivers of clay curl toward each other as they dangle from wire cable. Light as a feather.

If you need a mid-week pick-me-up, go admire the flowery and fluttery earrings in her shop.