Some of My Favorite Things
December 22, 2014 Inspirational Art
I am going to use this week to pull out some pieces I’ve been holding onto but haven’t found a place for in our themed weeks. Just a few of my favorite pieces and artists to drool over this holiday week.
I am not sure what in this is polymer, but it’s in the description of the work so I’ve been hanging onto it. If you read the Fall 2013 issue of The Polymer Arts, then you probably saw (and maybe read?) my article, “Ravages of Time”, on faux deteriorated surfaces. So yes, I have a thing about rust and patina and anything that represents a passage of time and the later cycle of life for inanimate materials. Knowing that, you can probably figure out why I am drawn to this piece by jewelry artist Tish Collins. The piece is titled “Time Machine”, which I easily interpret as the passing of time as shown by the disintegration of elements seen in the rust and patina here. But that is just my take on it. Then again, isn’t that what the purpose is behind art–to pull from it what resonates with you and put your own story to it? How would you read this?
Polymer is not a primary medium for Tish, but I do urge you to look at her jewelry, both with and without polymer. She has some beautiful forms and compositions to share with you on her website.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Outside Inspiration: Beyond Design to Storytelling
January 3, 2014 Inspirational Art
Vicki Grant is a ceramicist creating wall sculpture that seems abstract and primarily design based, but taking some time to look over the elements, a story starts to emerge. Like in this piece here, the growth of flowers, the unusual sky and what looks to be tortured earth makes you start to wonder what is really going on in this scene.
Stories don’t have to be literally represented. I think the abstraction of imagery allows for more emotion to be coaxed from the viewer as their own experiences and memories fill in the spaces that are well defined or easily interpreted.
So if you’re looking for ways to change up your work, you can try pushing it to be more or less abstract than you usually work. If your pieces are primarily composed of abstract design elements, you can work on creating more recognizable imagery or use abstract symbols to map out a story. Or if you use literal imagery, try adding a bit of abstraction to leave more open to the viewer’s interpretation.
For more ideas and eye candy, take a look at Vicki’s website, Claytree Fine Art.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
I am going to use this week to pull out some pieces I’ve been holding onto but haven’t found a place for in our themed weeks. Just a few of my favorite pieces and artists to drool over this holiday week.
I am not sure what in this is polymer, but it’s in the description of the work so I’ve been hanging onto it. If you read the Fall 2013 issue of The Polymer Arts, then you probably saw (and maybe read?) my article, “Ravages of Time”, on faux deteriorated surfaces. So yes, I have a thing about rust and patina and anything that represents a passage of time and the later cycle of life for inanimate materials. Knowing that, you can probably figure out why I am drawn to this piece by jewelry artist Tish Collins. The piece is titled “Time Machine”, which I easily interpret as the passing of time as shown by the disintegration of elements seen in the rust and patina here. But that is just my take on it. Then again, isn’t that what the purpose is behind art–to pull from it what resonates with you and put your own story to it? How would you read this?
Polymer is not a primary medium for Tish, but I do urge you to look at her jewelry, both with and without polymer. She has some beautiful forms and compositions to share with you on her website.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Read More
Vicki Grant is a ceramicist creating wall sculpture that seems abstract and primarily design based, but taking some time to look over the elements, a story starts to emerge. Like in this piece here, the growth of flowers, the unusual sky and what looks to be tortured earth makes you start to wonder what is really going on in this scene.
Stories don’t have to be literally represented. I think the abstraction of imagery allows for more emotion to be coaxed from the viewer as their own experiences and memories fill in the spaces that are well defined or easily interpreted.
So if you’re looking for ways to change up your work, you can try pushing it to be more or less abstract than you usually work. If your pieces are primarily composed of abstract design elements, you can work on creating more recognizable imagery or use abstract symbols to map out a story. Or if you use literal imagery, try adding a bit of abstraction to leave more open to the viewer’s interpretation.
For more ideas and eye candy, take a look at Vicki’s website, Claytree Fine Art.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Read More