Fishing About

May 2, 2016

halibut bowlAlthough I’ve been so buried over here under the enthusiasm of readers and the many orders for the Polymer Journeys book as well as getting ready for the Summer issue and picking up slack while my key staff is in the process of moving or settling into a new home, my better half has regularly been dragging me away from work to help with the new home project, a large fish tank. I thought setting this up would be more like a chore but I have to say, it’s actually quite a creative process, picking out fish with an appropriate mix of sizes, colors, textures and temperaments as well as plants and structures for the fish to play around and hide under. The tank is like a canvas with a whole composition to work out. With two artists on it, our conversations have sounded more like we are working on a collaborative painting than creating an underwater environment so it’s been quite the relaxing and creative escape.

I also seem to be spotting more and more fish in the streams of art going through Flickr, on Pinterest and in my Facebook searches. (It’s been a little creepy actually … like the computer knows what I’ve been up to when I’m away from it!) So I’ve pulled a few favorites to share this week.

I absolutely adore the work of Gera Scott Chandler and spotted her hand in this Halibut Bowl as soon as I saw it. Her intense colors and the surprised expressions of the silly fish make me smile every time I look at it. The circular texture of the bowl emulates a flow of water and, with the saturation of these colors, it collectively gives the bowl a very energetic and fun feel.

Gera has a beautiful new site here. There isn’t a gallery but if you want to get this bowl for yourself, it is up for sale! You can keep up with her latest creative endeavors (including lots of fish!) on her Facebook page as well.

 

Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Bring your outside life into your studio. What has been going on in your family or social world, or with you personally that you can pull visuals from or create visuals for. If  you’ve been spring gardening, bring a texture you’ve seen in the plants or the landscape into a piece of your art. If you have a lot of abstract things going on, imagine what colors, shapes or textures could represent it and create work around the visuals you conjure up in your mind.

_________________________________________

Like this blog? Lend your support with a purchase of The Polymer Arts magazine and visit our partners:

PCTV March 2016 Blog  Shades of Clay Sept 15 Blog  2Wards Blog May 2016

The Great Create Sept 15 blog  never knead -july-2015c-125  

_________________________________________

Just Add Mint

February 11, 2015 ,

???????????????????????????????Here is an example of a love story that someone thought no one else would be much interested in. But, I can’t imagine anyone not finding this touching; if for no other reason, than to remind us of the hope we all should have. Debbie Crothers shares her amazing rough and beautiful beads and her once rough and now beautiful love story. And when you’re done brushing the tears from your eyes, go see what other luscious things this polymer explorer has been up to on her Flickr photostream.

Just Add Mint

I was 30 years old and had just come out of a terrible relationship.  Two and a half years of my life had been invested, and I was planning on marrying this man.  It certainly wasn’t the world’s best relationship.  He could be so charming when he wanted to be.  I think I held onto those moments and tried to forget all the bad times.  Huge mistake.  Two years into the relationship, I found out he turned to heroin – what!!!; how could I not have seen that; how on earth could I not know?  Believe me, I had no idea.  He was the world’s best liar and manipulator, and you know what – it was apparently, all my fault!!!  We tried to get help; we tried to fix things; we tried to make our relationship work, but there was no way it was going to.  He left town, and I was left to deal with the financial mess, the “drug people” who came looking for him and the thought that I must be a horrible person to make someone turn to drugs.  My life was shattered, and I was an emotional wreck.  The nightmares started, the stress started and the depression began.  Life was hard, but I had to keep going.

The story moves on to about six months later; still nightmares, still financial stress and definitely not looking for a partner.  I was having drinks with my sister and some friends.  Her boyfriend, Colin, had been trying to match-make me with his best mate, “Mint”, in Perth, but I sure as hell wasn’t ready to get involved with anyone – or so I thought.  Anyway the phone rang.  Colin answered it, spoke for a while, then handed the phone to me and said “Deb, there’s someone here who wants to talk to you.”  I took the phone and said “hello.” A beautiful, calm voice came on the other end and said “Hi, just wondering if you’d like to marry me?”  I was a little surprised, but stayed calm and said “sure, where shall we have our honeymoon?” To be honest, the rest of the conversation is a bit of a blur now (well, it was a long time ago), but all I remember is this beautiful voice that filled me with a sense of calm and made me feel safe.  Crazy, I know, because I didn’t even know the guy – had never even seen him before.

I wanted to meet him, and he wanted to meet me, so he arranged to come to Geraldton in a few weeks time.  We decided to have drinks again at Colin’s unit while waiting for Mint to arrive.  I remember when he walked through the door – I can still picture it now.  He said his hello’s to everyone, and then came over to me.  He smiled at me and shook my hand, and it was a moment I’ll never forget.  I was excited and nervous all at the same time.  I knew this was a good man, and I loved the way he made me feel.  We all spent the night talking and laughing, and then when everyone else had gone to bed or gone home, we still sat and talked – it was like we had known each other forever.  We met up again the next night, and that’s when we decided to have children together. We even chose the name of our first son – Red.

That was December; we moved in together the following July, got married in September and had our first son, Red, in February.

20 years on, we now have 3 beautiful children and a wonderful life together, and I still get excited every afternoon when he comes home to me.

He is my love story.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

  tpa-blog-125x125-2015 LP-PA-FoilsDf0215   ice cream ad  TPA_McGuire_blog ad

Framed Beads

February 1, 2014

Frames are great for directing focus and presenting your beads and surface treatments but it let’s look at one more way to make them an integral element. In this case, let’s essentially make them the beads themsevles.

In this beaded necklace by Gera Scott Chandler, she provides a rich three dimensional bead by combining multiple elements, which includes beads and frames.

80dcb51c90fbbe7ea6f1a311fdb104e5

This Canadian artist likes to combine polymer clay with found objects for her mixed media wearable art, canvases and sculptures. Gera’s work can be found in collections in Canada, USA, Europe, Australia, and Japan, as well as on her Flickr site.  She talks also about her process, and even provides some brief tutorials, in her blog “a Mused Studio” 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.

Cover 13-P4 web    PCW_flower tile canes  WhimsicalBead051512

Fishing About

May 2, 2016
Posted in

halibut bowlAlthough I’ve been so buried over here under the enthusiasm of readers and the many orders for the Polymer Journeys book as well as getting ready for the Summer issue and picking up slack while my key staff is in the process of moving or settling into a new home, my better half has regularly been dragging me away from work to help with the new home project, a large fish tank. I thought setting this up would be more like a chore but I have to say, it’s actually quite a creative process, picking out fish with an appropriate mix of sizes, colors, textures and temperaments as well as plants and structures for the fish to play around and hide under. The tank is like a canvas with a whole composition to work out. With two artists on it, our conversations have sounded more like we are working on a collaborative painting than creating an underwater environment so it’s been quite the relaxing and creative escape.

I also seem to be spotting more and more fish in the streams of art going through Flickr, on Pinterest and in my Facebook searches. (It’s been a little creepy actually … like the computer knows what I’ve been up to when I’m away from it!) So I’ve pulled a few favorites to share this week.

I absolutely adore the work of Gera Scott Chandler and spotted her hand in this Halibut Bowl as soon as I saw it. Her intense colors and the surprised expressions of the silly fish make me smile every time I look at it. The circular texture of the bowl emulates a flow of water and, with the saturation of these colors, it collectively gives the bowl a very energetic and fun feel.

Gera has a beautiful new site here. There isn’t a gallery but if you want to get this bowl for yourself, it is up for sale! You can keep up with her latest creative endeavors (including lots of fish!) on her Facebook page as well.

 

Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Bring your outside life into your studio. What has been going on in your family or social world, or with you personally that you can pull visuals from or create visuals for. If  you’ve been spring gardening, bring a texture you’ve seen in the plants or the landscape into a piece of your art. If you have a lot of abstract things going on, imagine what colors, shapes or textures could represent it and create work around the visuals you conjure up in your mind.

_________________________________________

Like this blog? Lend your support with a purchase of The Polymer Arts magazine and visit our partners:

PCTV March 2016 Blog  Shades of Clay Sept 15 Blog  2Wards Blog May 2016

The Great Create Sept 15 blog  never knead -july-2015c-125  

_________________________________________

Read More

Just Add Mint

February 11, 2015
Posted in ,

???????????????????????????????Here is an example of a love story that someone thought no one else would be much interested in. But, I can’t imagine anyone not finding this touching; if for no other reason, than to remind us of the hope we all should have. Debbie Crothers shares her amazing rough and beautiful beads and her once rough and now beautiful love story. And when you’re done brushing the tears from your eyes, go see what other luscious things this polymer explorer has been up to on her Flickr photostream.

Just Add Mint

I was 30 years old and had just come out of a terrible relationship.  Two and a half years of my life had been invested, and I was planning on marrying this man.  It certainly wasn’t the world’s best relationship.  He could be so charming when he wanted to be.  I think I held onto those moments and tried to forget all the bad times.  Huge mistake.  Two years into the relationship, I found out he turned to heroin – what!!!; how could I not have seen that; how on earth could I not know?  Believe me, I had no idea.  He was the world’s best liar and manipulator, and you know what – it was apparently, all my fault!!!  We tried to get help; we tried to fix things; we tried to make our relationship work, but there was no way it was going to.  He left town, and I was left to deal with the financial mess, the “drug people” who came looking for him and the thought that I must be a horrible person to make someone turn to drugs.  My life was shattered, and I was an emotional wreck.  The nightmares started, the stress started and the depression began.  Life was hard, but I had to keep going.

The story moves on to about six months later; still nightmares, still financial stress and definitely not looking for a partner.  I was having drinks with my sister and some friends.  Her boyfriend, Colin, had been trying to match-make me with his best mate, “Mint”, in Perth, but I sure as hell wasn’t ready to get involved with anyone – or so I thought.  Anyway the phone rang.  Colin answered it, spoke for a while, then handed the phone to me and said “Deb, there’s someone here who wants to talk to you.”  I took the phone and said “hello.” A beautiful, calm voice came on the other end and said “Hi, just wondering if you’d like to marry me?”  I was a little surprised, but stayed calm and said “sure, where shall we have our honeymoon?” To be honest, the rest of the conversation is a bit of a blur now (well, it was a long time ago), but all I remember is this beautiful voice that filled me with a sense of calm and made me feel safe.  Crazy, I know, because I didn’t even know the guy – had never even seen him before.

I wanted to meet him, and he wanted to meet me, so he arranged to come to Geraldton in a few weeks time.  We decided to have drinks again at Colin’s unit while waiting for Mint to arrive.  I remember when he walked through the door – I can still picture it now.  He said his hello’s to everyone, and then came over to me.  He smiled at me and shook my hand, and it was a moment I’ll never forget.  I was excited and nervous all at the same time.  I knew this was a good man, and I loved the way he made me feel.  We all spent the night talking and laughing, and then when everyone else had gone to bed or gone home, we still sat and talked – it was like we had known each other forever.  We met up again the next night, and that’s when we decided to have children together. We even chose the name of our first son – Red.

That was December; we moved in together the following July, got married in September and had our first son, Red, in February.

20 years on, we now have 3 beautiful children and a wonderful life together, and I still get excited every afternoon when he comes home to me.

He is my love story.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

  tpa-blog-125x125-2015 LP-PA-FoilsDf0215   ice cream ad  TPA_McGuire_blog ad

Read More

Framed Beads

February 1, 2014
Posted in

Frames are great for directing focus and presenting your beads and surface treatments but it let’s look at one more way to make them an integral element. In this case, let’s essentially make them the beads themsevles.

In this beaded necklace by Gera Scott Chandler, she provides a rich three dimensional bead by combining multiple elements, which includes beads and frames.

80dcb51c90fbbe7ea6f1a311fdb104e5

This Canadian artist likes to combine polymer clay with found objects for her mixed media wearable art, canvases and sculptures. Gera’s work can be found in collections in Canada, USA, Europe, Australia, and Japan, as well as on her Flickr site.  She talks also about her process, and even provides some brief tutorials, in her blog “a Mused Studio” 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.

Cover 13-P4 web    PCW_flower tile canes  WhimsicalBead051512

Read More
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