wired for fun

i've admired jeff dever's work for some time now. his double-walled, hollow polymer clay vessels are vivid examples of masterful engineering. i took a two day technique workshop with him a few years ago and i walked away scratching my head, still wondering "how did he do that?" my comment is not a reflection of his teaching ability-dever is a gifted, generous teacher with a great deal of patience. his meticulous attention to the details of construction and his mastery of the medium just rock.my.world.

somehow jeff's new work slipped right by me - he is now mixing wire with his pod-like, abstract polymer forms - adding another dimension to the world of baskets. many thanks to toby goldsmith for the link. enjoy!

fabricated

"My grandmother had a dress shop in New Orleans. My favorite place was the attic of the store, where the alterations were done. To a young child, the sewing machines, scraps and threads of all colors, hooks, eyes and all types of scissors were mysterious, rich and tempting. After my grandmother died most of the sewing accessories were mine. In addition to the visual inspiration they provide, I use some of these tools when constructing my porcelain sculptures and incorporate some of the threads, fabrics and buttons in the finished work." Laura Peery

her grandmother's passion for dressmaking offered laura peery more than just sewing lessons. the countless hours she spent in her grandmother's shop helped peery form a lifelong fascination with fabric. today she fabricates whimsical teapots and shoes by cutting porcelain clay from patterns, pressing fabric into the clay to capture delicate texture, draping the clay and adding seam lines - resulting in teapots that look like they have been carefully sewn together. the finishing touch? colorful polymer clay flowers that dot the surface of these joyful pots.

judy, judy, judy

"My inspirations for a piece may be a pattern or design that sticks in my mind, or something blooming in my garden, or the symbolism of a crane or koi. As the piece unfolds, there is an element of surprise for me, and many choices to make along the way....from pallette, to backing for a piece of jewelry, to what will layer over my drawings. I find that the piece guides me." Judy Dunn

pursonality

"I love Mid-Century design. Objects and materials from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. Things like linoleum flooring, Formica® table tops, and Fiesta® dinnerware. An Eames chair, screenprinted rayon textiles and Bakelite® jewelry are all favorites." SL Savarick

perseverence and persistence payoff. take a look at sl savarick's finely crafted, highly detailed polymer clay inro and purses and you will quickly see what i mean. impressive. it is evident that he has spent years studying, practicing and experimenting. multi-layered silk screened images are an elegant surface treatment for these beauties. they've got pursonality, don't you think? savarick will be unveiling a new line of work just in time for the new year. patience my dears, patience.

as the wood turns

"This bowl shows my recent fascination with extrusions. The first piece in this series sold quickly to a chemical engineer who kindly explained some principles of fluid dynamics to me. Armed with some knowledge of how the polymer clay is traveling down that cylinder, I’m anxious to experiment further." Cynthia Tinapple

well known polymer clay artist cynthia tinapple combines her talents with husband blair davis' to turn out elegant bowls waiting to become the centerpiece of any table. he turns the wood, she inlays the polymer clay. brilliant. the bowl pictured above won best of show last year at ohio's high road gallery fall show. see cynthia at work on a bowl here (scroll down the page a bit).

we are anxious to see more. maybe if we ask nicely? i've got a new word for you today that might help: tinlay: tinapple's delicious inlay. come on cynthia - may we please see more tinlay?

pretty please?

character traits

"I like characters. The dancer in the back row not paying attention… the punky girl with the blue hair at the checkout counter, an old Italian woman at the airport with black on black and a beautiful red umbrella. They are everywhere and yet never seen. They are life’s little stories being told all over simultaneously and without a big commercial. The ongoing circus act of humanity." Laura Balombini

laura balombini celebrates the human condition. balombini's whimsical teapots and handwoven wire vessels capture the playful, quirky character traits in "the ongoing circus act of humanity". wearing curious looks and colorful cloaks, harlequin-like polymer clay figures sit atop handwoven wire baskets. each finely detailed vessel has a distinct personality and i never get tired of looking at them – feels like visiting fanciful characters in a well written story. she describes her work as “devilish fun”. i describe it as a beautiful marriage of wire and polymer.

minaudiere

“I am often asked, "Why purses? Why don´t you make figurines or sculptures?" The reason is because a figurine or sculpture just sits there collecting dust. You aren´t supposed to touch it. But because these purses are functional, you are supposed to touch them, caress them and examine them. Your life is enhanced because it´s wonderful to carry beautiful things around with you and use them. And that is what I want my creations to do.” Kathleen Dustin

o.k. i admit it. i'm drawn to unusual things: people, art forms, points of view. polymer clay is one of those unusual things. around only about fifty years, the medium is now getting the recognition it deserves. a handful of polymer clay artists have emerged (along with the support of a growing polymer clay community) to catapult the medium into the realm of fine art. watch closely folks, this is history in the making.

it is easy to see why kathleen dustin is one of the world's foremost polymer clay artists. her purses are on the cutting edge of wearable art. almost all of her exquisite evening bags incorporate haunting images of women which she sketches and then transfers to the clay.

i've seen her work up close and personal. held a purse like this one. examined it. turned it over in my hands. opened it. closed it. the craftsmanship and artistry is superb, but please don't take my word for it - see for yourself.