Organic Support

July 19, 2017

Fantastical and fun as well as fundraising, this amazing polymer bra was Randee Ketzel‘s entry into the annual Art Bra event in Austin, Texas. The chosen pieces are showcased during a one-night event by local models, all of whom are breast cancer survivors. The huge event raises money for the Breast Cancer Resource Center which assists Central Texans affected by breast cancer in overcoming obstacles related to accessing treatment and confronting the issues that affect quality of life, all for free. What a cool event!

And what a beautiful piece Randee created for this very noble cause. The composition, with the leaves coming up to cradle the mix of flowers as they flutter off towards the straps, is nicely balanced by the composite cane flower beads that ground the upward sweeping cups on their centered, drop placement.

For more on Randee and her other work, go to her Flickr photostream or her Etsy shop. For more on the organization and event this was made for, go to the Art Bra event site.

 

_________________________________________

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

    The Great Create Sept 15 blog   businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front   Shades of Clay Sept 15 Blog

_________________________________________

A Fitting Start

January 5, 2017

cblackburn-dodecahedraAt first I couldn’t figure out what Carol Blackburn had done here and could only stare at this in wonderment. But then, I was looking at the image on my phone as Randee Ketzel had forwarded it to me and I have to immediately check out anything Randee sends my way. On closer examination (and on a full size computer screen), I realized that these are sheets of Skinner blended clay fitted together using interlocking tabs. Carol refers to them as Dodecahedra and mentions in the thread of comments on her Facebook page that she plans to make earrings out of them so I guess they aren’t too big. I sure would love to see them in person. It’s her color combinations that really make these work with all cool or all warm colors on each one, making the variety of color relate.

Carol does like to play with sheets of clay, much like paper and in ways related to paper art but the durability and embedded color add an aspect you just can’t get in paper. You can see what I mean by jumping over to her website. If you are on Facebook, jump over to  Carol’s page and check out the comments and conversation.

_________________________________________

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

Shades of Clay Sept 15 Blog   never knead -july-2015c-125   The Great Create Sept 15 blog   businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front

_________________________________________

Summer 2016 issue Cover … Movement!

16P2 Cover v4 web newsletterWe interrupt this week’s looking at the ground for inspiration to being you the latest cover of The Polymer Arts magazine!

This issue is not out yet, and although we would usually get this out to you by the end of May, it looks like it will be the first week of June, but we are moving along as quickly as we can while still ensuring you have wonderful quality content and beautiful pages to enjoy.

So, what do we have coming up for you in a few short weeks? Some truly energizing articles! As you can see, the theme is Movement, so we have really fun and dynamic articles for you including …

… Randee Ketzel  sharing her beautiful new faux bakelite in a flowing bracelet design.

… Lisa Pavelka shares secrets on using illusion and juxtaposition for dynamic and vibrant color.

… Loretta Lam gets you thinking about how to create visual movement in your compositions.

… I’m sharing  a mulit-piece kinetic earring and pendant tutorial set as well as a tutorial on creating balanced mobiles.

… my staff is going to give you some ideas on creating dangles as well as putting together truly wonderful PDF tutorials to sell.

… Shannon Tabor talks us through looking at the big picture to move your business forward.

… Tory Hughes has a fascinating discussion with long time polymer supporter Robert Liu of Ornament magazine.

… Anke Humpert has dug up secrets and plans in her interview with the amazing Georg Dinkel.

… and much more! Sheesh. I need to catch my breath!

While I’m catching my breath and polishing your next issue, enjoy this cover with this intense wall piece by Bonnie Bishoff and J.M Syron. It’s mesmerizing and wholly moving besides being completely enthralling just trying to figure out how it was made. If you need to get your subscription up to date, you can do so on the website at  www.thepolymerarts.com/Subscribe.html. I apologize, we don’t have single issue pre-sales yet, but I hope to have the site updated by next week so we can do that.

 

Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Pick up an old copy of The Polymer Arts (or any craft magazine or book) and spend some time with it on your work break, over coffee, or to wind down tonight. Our old magazines and books are a treasure trove of inspiration.  Find something you had wanted to try or find yourself wanting to try now, and do it. Make a goal of attempting of accomplishing a new technique, form, or approach by this weekend, no matter how busy you are.

_________________________________________

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  

_________________________________________

The Jeweler

February 10, 2015

crazy heart etsy RKetzelToday, we have a great little love story from the very talented Randee Ketzel. Her talent has been long in the making, as we can see from the story. She also sent a wonderful not-so-very-ordinary mokume “Crazy Heart” to accompany. She has this and other beautiful hearts, as well as a wide range of her lovely work in her Etsy shop.

The Jeweler

In 1981, I was working at Wilson’s Jewelers in Tampa, Florida as one of the first women jewelers in the  Southeastern  US.  My own office.  My own rules.  Creative control (within a big box jeweler’s parameters, of course.)  I was fiercely proud of my work to get there–a medieval apprenticeship, years of self-training with very few resources and I had finally arrived.

So one day, this incredibly attractive, well-dressed man walks up to my counter and proffers me a watch for repair. The office next door was the horologist’s. (Watchmaker–it’s a sister profession.)  As Julio was out to lunch, I graciously deigned to fill out the paperwork. The man looks me over–dust mask around my neck, nerdy magnifying headset on my head, fireproof apron on–tilts his head, and says,  “Oh, you must be the watchmaker’s assistant, right?” I stop writing. I lift my head and stare him right in the eye.

“I am the JEWELER,”  I say. “He works for ME.” (Okay, it was the eighties.)  The attractive man blushed, mumbled something and retreated with claim ticket in hand. Three days later, he returned. With another watch. A week later, another. As he came to pick them all up, he cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and asked, would I possibly be available for dinner, maybe, sometime …?

I coolly answered yes–then went around the corner of my office and exploded into an insane happy dance.  That was 34 years, 2 children, 4 houses, and 5 states ago.  He is still incredibly attractive and well-dressed.  And occasionally says the most bone-headed things.

Don’t ever change, baby.

 

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

Claire’s Accident

November 8, 2014

I thought we’d end this week on depth with an in-depth mini-interview conducted by Randee Ketzel. This time she spoke to Claire Wallis who doesn’t work with illusionary depth, but does explore faux and illustrative techniques quite a bit. Here is what Randee sent to share with us:

5283318719_c70aa92153_oClaire Wallis is probably best known as the creator of the faux knit tutorial in polymer clay, which she generously shared with the world, but there is so much more to her work. Caner, sculptor, illustrator, Claire is a self-taught artist from the south of England and came to polymer ‘entirely by accident’. She played with it as a child and became re-engaged with it after viewing the works of other artists on the Internet.

An avid fan of Fantasy/Sci-Fi, she has carved her favorite characters on pumpkins, sketched them on chinaware, and sculpted them in polymer. She also illustrates–this elephant cuff is smashing–and clearly has no fear of color, as evidenced by her eye-popping bangles.

The influence of her other artistic  explorations like ceramics, acrylics, pastels, printmaking and pyrography is evident in her work, though she says she had very little formal training. She counts that a blessing, as it leaves her free to approach polymer with no preconceptions as to how it ought to be used. As she puts it, “I find ignorance is not only bliss, but genuinely constructive, particularly in a medium as adaptable as polymer clay.”

Her driving force is a keen desire for craftsmanship, every  piece should be the best it can be, and she can’t imagine a day without some artistic endeavor to try her hand. Claire recently gave up her job as an assistant manager for St. Barnabas’ charity shop (which helps support their hospice work) to be a full-time mom and is waiting to see where motherhood leads her creative processes.

She describes herself as ‘a bit of a one-trick pony,’ with which I humbly  beg to differ, given her obvious mastery of so many media and techniques. She says of herself, “I love to read and learn, and for me nothing beats the sense of achievement you get when you master a new skill.” We will eagerly await the next chapter in her new adventure. In the meantime, you can certainly glean hints from her Flickr photostream and maybe recognize a kindred soul.

 

Randee Ketzel, a life-long craft artist, previously worked in metals, but is now a polymer enthusiast and co-author of “Polymer Clay Gemstones, the Art of Deception” a different kind of polymer book devoted to faux techniques and the reproduction of historical jewelry.  Her book can be found on Amazon while her other tutorials can be found in her Etsy shop.

 

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.

14-P3 Fall-Play cover Full sm      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  

A Little Sparkle with Wendy Wallin Mallinow

October 4, 2014

I have a treat for you today. When I asked around for artists that wanted to guest blog, I got an enthusiastic “Yes!” from the energetic Randee Ketzel. I thought she would find and comment on a selection of work based on a theme as we do here every week, but instead she decided she would like to interview a few artists for us. I was thrilled. This will be the first of those interviews. We’ll get out these special posts by Randee every couple of weeks or so for as long as she’ll send them along!

6ebb034760708306540ec563273b8ba4Wendy is definitely one of a kind. What else can you say about  a workshop instructor who shows up in a Mad-scientist lab coat, rainbow leggings and a faux bone/bird skull tiara? Plus, when she pulls out the giant polymer radish who grins impishly at you with REAL human teeth–well, you know this is going to be an interesting class. But, beyond the mischievous  showmanship is a serious artist with some serious talent. That talent will be on display at the Carthage College exhibit, “A Re-Visioning: New Works in Polymer”, through the end of October.

Art was in her blood; coming from a family of artists, she  has been working in polymer since the late eighties, creating her signature bone and skull jewelry. She had known about the medium, but seeing a  full page article on the work of Pier Volkous sent her into the hunt. Her work with ceramics–and frustrations with it–made polymer a natural fit. Earlier in her career, she had  been an in-house illustrator and art director for a graphic design firm (she has a dozen books to her credit), and her work is informed by that experience. Wendy has a BA in both Art and Business and feels that it is a mixed blessing. One professor told her that he worried she would not stick to just one path, and fortunately for us, she didn’t. Her wild, thought-provoking combination of many media is precisely what makes her work so unique.

Wendy is a driven artist. She describes her brain as a constantly simmering stew of ideas that must find some sort of expression every day and hopes that people either love her work, or hate it; the only thing she fears is indifference. In preparing for this post I asked Wendy to describe her passions and she responded in a very Wendy-kind of way:

“Hmmmm… running, skiing, snow, anything sparkly, animation, my husband’s music, my sons’ art, wine, good food, the sun, the water, anything transparent, rocks, biology, geekery, bones, chartreuse, neon (the lighting and the colors), anything woodland and candy…”

We all need a little sparkle in our lives. Thank goodness we have Wendy.

You can find more of Wendy’s work in her Etsy shop and on her Tumblr pages.  Be sure to scroll down on the Tumblr page to see her incredible paper cut pieces!

Randee Ketzel, a life-long craft artist, previously worked in metals but is now a polymer enthusiast and co-author of “Polymer Clay Gemstones, the Art of Deception” a different kind of polymer book devoted to faux techniques and the reproduction of historical jewelry.  Her book can be found on Amazon while her other tutorials can be found in her Etsy shop.  

 

 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.

14-P3 Fall-Play cover Full sm  Blog2 -2014-02Feb-3   polymer clay butterfly ornament sm   TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  tpabl-10-9072014

 

Layers of Form and Texture

August 27, 2014

14632460808_d8031d3039_o

Today’s reader’s choice comes to you thanks to the talented Randee Ketzel who kindly sends me cool stuff on regular basis. This piece by Olga Ledneva caught her attention due to the layering and the perfectly applied application and juxtaposition of elements.

Yesterday, we got started talking about how the impact of texture can be enhanced by form, but it can be taken one or two steps further by adding lines and contrast to the mix. These forms are created by lines, both curved and straight, which, along with color value, provides dynamic contrast in what is a fairly well controlled composition.

The meticulous finish and balance of elements is key in the work Olga does. See more of her pieces on her Flickr page.

 

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.

14-P2 CoverFnl-blog   Blog2 -2014-02Feb-1   marble cane ad

Internal Framing

February 2, 2014

So for a little while at least I’m going to try something different on Sundays. I’ve been collecting tutorial and tip links but haven’t been getting them into the week day posts. So I thought I’d work them in on Sundays along with any other odd bits I think will be of interest.

I had something else lined up for today before Randee Ketzel brought this amazing technique from Sona Grigoryan to my attention. Such great beads and such an unique technique. The internal metal framing is genius!

1794614_664749673589915_1531235503_n

As Randee said, this is very generous of Sona to post her steps for this technique. I have other pieces to put together for some upcoming articles but I may have to take a break from that and try this! Check out Sona’s posts and notes on her Facebook page here.

 

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 blue string art cane   WhimsicalBead051512

Swirling Color

April 3, 2013

Being brave with color can be a bit frightful. When do know if you’ve gone too far? I think the trick with bold color is to not hold back. If you’re going to go bold, go all the way.

Here is such an example. Randee Ketzel has no fear of color. Take a close look at her color choices here. Three bright, warm colors and then just one soft, cool color. Why does the powder blue work here? Well, it creates a dynamic contrast against all the warm, bright tones.  A very brave choice indeed.

8575120777_0490e5fc0a

Randee experiments quite a bit with color as well as techniques. You can check out here experiments and resulting work on her Flickr page as well as grab yourself some of her tutorials on her Etsy shop.

Organic Support

July 19, 2017
Posted in

Fantastical and fun as well as fundraising, this amazing polymer bra was Randee Ketzel‘s entry into the annual Art Bra event in Austin, Texas. The chosen pieces are showcased during a one-night event by local models, all of whom are breast cancer survivors. The huge event raises money for the Breast Cancer Resource Center which assists Central Texans affected by breast cancer in overcoming obstacles related to accessing treatment and confronting the issues that affect quality of life, all for free. What a cool event!

And what a beautiful piece Randee created for this very noble cause. The composition, with the leaves coming up to cradle the mix of flowers as they flutter off towards the straps, is nicely balanced by the composite cane flower beads that ground the upward sweeping cups on their centered, drop placement.

For more on Randee and her other work, go to her Flickr photostream or her Etsy shop. For more on the organization and event this was made for, go to the Art Bra event site.

 

_________________________________________

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

    The Great Create Sept 15 blog   businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front   Shades of Clay Sept 15 Blog

_________________________________________

Read More

A Fitting Start

January 5, 2017
Posted in

cblackburn-dodecahedraAt first I couldn’t figure out what Carol Blackburn had done here and could only stare at this in wonderment. But then, I was looking at the image on my phone as Randee Ketzel had forwarded it to me and I have to immediately check out anything Randee sends my way. On closer examination (and on a full size computer screen), I realized that these are sheets of Skinner blended clay fitted together using interlocking tabs. Carol refers to them as Dodecahedra and mentions in the thread of comments on her Facebook page that she plans to make earrings out of them so I guess they aren’t too big. I sure would love to see them in person. It’s her color combinations that really make these work with all cool or all warm colors on each one, making the variety of color relate.

Carol does like to play with sheets of clay, much like paper and in ways related to paper art but the durability and embedded color add an aspect you just can’t get in paper. You can see what I mean by jumping over to her website. If you are on Facebook, jump over to  Carol’s page and check out the comments and conversation.

_________________________________________

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

Shades of Clay Sept 15 Blog   never knead -july-2015c-125   The Great Create Sept 15 blog   businesscard-3.5inx2in-h-front

_________________________________________

Read More

Summer 2016 issue Cover … Movement!

May 18, 2016
Posted in ,

16P2 Cover v4 web newsletterWe interrupt this week’s looking at the ground for inspiration to being you the latest cover of The Polymer Arts magazine!

This issue is not out yet, and although we would usually get this out to you by the end of May, it looks like it will be the first week of June, but we are moving along as quickly as we can while still ensuring you have wonderful quality content and beautiful pages to enjoy.

So, what do we have coming up for you in a few short weeks? Some truly energizing articles! As you can see, the theme is Movement, so we have really fun and dynamic articles for you including …

… Randee Ketzel  sharing her beautiful new faux bakelite in a flowing bracelet design.

… Lisa Pavelka shares secrets on using illusion and juxtaposition for dynamic and vibrant color.

… Loretta Lam gets you thinking about how to create visual movement in your compositions.

… I’m sharing  a mulit-piece kinetic earring and pendant tutorial set as well as a tutorial on creating balanced mobiles.

… my staff is going to give you some ideas on creating dangles as well as putting together truly wonderful PDF tutorials to sell.

… Shannon Tabor talks us through looking at the big picture to move your business forward.

… Tory Hughes has a fascinating discussion with long time polymer supporter Robert Liu of Ornament magazine.

… Anke Humpert has dug up secrets and plans in her interview with the amazing Georg Dinkel.

… and much more! Sheesh. I need to catch my breath!

While I’m catching my breath and polishing your next issue, enjoy this cover with this intense wall piece by Bonnie Bishoff and J.M Syron. It’s mesmerizing and wholly moving besides being completely enthralling just trying to figure out how it was made. If you need to get your subscription up to date, you can do so on the website at  www.thepolymerarts.com/Subscribe.html. I apologize, we don’t have single issue pre-sales yet, but I hope to have the site updated by next week so we can do that.

 

Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Pick up an old copy of The Polymer Arts (or any craft magazine or book) and spend some time with it on your work break, over coffee, or to wind down tonight. Our old magazines and books are a treasure trove of inspiration.  Find something you had wanted to try or find yourself wanting to try now, and do it. Make a goal of attempting of accomplishing a new technique, form, or approach by this weekend, no matter how busy you are.

_________________________________________

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

The Jeweler

February 10, 2015
Posted in

crazy heart etsy RKetzelToday, we have a great little love story from the very talented Randee Ketzel. Her talent has been long in the making, as we can see from the story. She also sent a wonderful not-so-very-ordinary mokume “Crazy Heart” to accompany. She has this and other beautiful hearts, as well as a wide range of her lovely work in her Etsy shop.

The Jeweler

In 1981, I was working at Wilson’s Jewelers in Tampa, Florida as one of the first women jewelers in the  Southeastern  US.  My own office.  My own rules.  Creative control (within a big box jeweler’s parameters, of course.)  I was fiercely proud of my work to get there–a medieval apprenticeship, years of self-training with very few resources and I had finally arrived.

So one day, this incredibly attractive, well-dressed man walks up to my counter and proffers me a watch for repair. The office next door was the horologist’s. (Watchmaker–it’s a sister profession.)  As Julio was out to lunch, I graciously deigned to fill out the paperwork. The man looks me over–dust mask around my neck, nerdy magnifying headset on my head, fireproof apron on–tilts his head, and says,  “Oh, you must be the watchmaker’s assistant, right?” I stop writing. I lift my head and stare him right in the eye.

“I am the JEWELER,”  I say. “He works for ME.” (Okay, it was the eighties.)  The attractive man blushed, mumbled something and retreated with claim ticket in hand. Three days later, he returned. With another watch. A week later, another. As he came to pick them all up, he cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and asked, would I possibly be available for dinner, maybe, sometime …?

I coolly answered yes–then went around the corner of my office and exploded into an insane happy dance.  That was 34 years, 2 children, 4 houses, and 5 states ago.  He is still incredibly attractive and well-dressed.  And occasionally says the most bone-headed things.

Don’t ever change, baby.

 

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

Claire’s Accident

November 8, 2014
Posted in

I thought we’d end this week on depth with an in-depth mini-interview conducted by Randee Ketzel. This time she spoke to Claire Wallis who doesn’t work with illusionary depth, but does explore faux and illustrative techniques quite a bit. Here is what Randee sent to share with us:

5283318719_c70aa92153_oClaire Wallis is probably best known as the creator of the faux knit tutorial in polymer clay, which she generously shared with the world, but there is so much more to her work. Caner, sculptor, illustrator, Claire is a self-taught artist from the south of England and came to polymer ‘entirely by accident’. She played with it as a child and became re-engaged with it after viewing the works of other artists on the Internet.

An avid fan of Fantasy/Sci-Fi, she has carved her favorite characters on pumpkins, sketched them on chinaware, and sculpted them in polymer. She also illustrates–this elephant cuff is smashing–and clearly has no fear of color, as evidenced by her eye-popping bangles.

The influence of her other artistic  explorations like ceramics, acrylics, pastels, printmaking and pyrography is evident in her work, though she says she had very little formal training. She counts that a blessing, as it leaves her free to approach polymer with no preconceptions as to how it ought to be used. As she puts it, “I find ignorance is not only bliss, but genuinely constructive, particularly in a medium as adaptable as polymer clay.”

Her driving force is a keen desire for craftsmanship, every  piece should be the best it can be, and she can’t imagine a day without some artistic endeavor to try her hand. Claire recently gave up her job as an assistant manager for St. Barnabas’ charity shop (which helps support their hospice work) to be a full-time mom and is waiting to see where motherhood leads her creative processes.

She describes herself as ‘a bit of a one-trick pony,’ with which I humbly  beg to differ, given her obvious mastery of so many media and techniques. She says of herself, “I love to read and learn, and for me nothing beats the sense of achievement you get when you master a new skill.” We will eagerly await the next chapter in her new adventure. In the meantime, you can certainly glean hints from her Flickr photostream and maybe recognize a kindred soul.

 

Randee Ketzel, a life-long craft artist, previously worked in metals, but is now a polymer enthusiast and co-author of “Polymer Clay Gemstones, the Art of Deception” a different kind of polymer book devoted to faux techniques and the reproduction of historical jewelry.  Her book can be found on Amazon while her other tutorials can be found in her Etsy shop.

 

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.

14-P3 Fall-Play cover Full sm      TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  

Read More

A Little Sparkle with Wendy Wallin Mallinow

October 4, 2014
Posted in

I have a treat for you today. When I asked around for artists that wanted to guest blog, I got an enthusiastic “Yes!” from the energetic Randee Ketzel. I thought she would find and comment on a selection of work based on a theme as we do here every week, but instead she decided she would like to interview a few artists for us. I was thrilled. This will be the first of those interviews. We’ll get out these special posts by Randee every couple of weeks or so for as long as she’ll send them along!

6ebb034760708306540ec563273b8ba4Wendy is definitely one of a kind. What else can you say about  a workshop instructor who shows up in a Mad-scientist lab coat, rainbow leggings and a faux bone/bird skull tiara? Plus, when she pulls out the giant polymer radish who grins impishly at you with REAL human teeth–well, you know this is going to be an interesting class. But, beyond the mischievous  showmanship is a serious artist with some serious talent. That talent will be on display at the Carthage College exhibit, “A Re-Visioning: New Works in Polymer”, through the end of October.

Art was in her blood; coming from a family of artists, she  has been working in polymer since the late eighties, creating her signature bone and skull jewelry. She had known about the medium, but seeing a  full page article on the work of Pier Volkous sent her into the hunt. Her work with ceramics–and frustrations with it–made polymer a natural fit. Earlier in her career, she had  been an in-house illustrator and art director for a graphic design firm (she has a dozen books to her credit), and her work is informed by that experience. Wendy has a BA in both Art and Business and feels that it is a mixed blessing. One professor told her that he worried she would not stick to just one path, and fortunately for us, she didn’t. Her wild, thought-provoking combination of many media is precisely what makes her work so unique.

Wendy is a driven artist. She describes her brain as a constantly simmering stew of ideas that must find some sort of expression every day and hopes that people either love her work, or hate it; the only thing she fears is indifference. In preparing for this post I asked Wendy to describe her passions and she responded in a very Wendy-kind of way:

“Hmmmm… running, skiing, snow, anything sparkly, animation, my husband’s music, my sons’ art, wine, good food, the sun, the water, anything transparent, rocks, biology, geekery, bones, chartreuse, neon (the lighting and the colors), anything woodland and candy…”

We all need a little sparkle in our lives. Thank goodness we have Wendy.

You can find more of Wendy’s work in her Etsy shop and on her Tumblr pages.  Be sure to scroll down on the Tumblr page to see her incredible paper cut pieces!

Randee Ketzel, a life-long craft artist, previously worked in metals but is now a polymer enthusiast and co-author of “Polymer Clay Gemstones, the Art of Deception” a different kind of polymer book devoted to faux techniques and the reproduction of historical jewelry.  Her book can be found on Amazon while her other tutorials can be found in her Etsy shop.  

 

 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.

14-P3 Fall-Play cover Full sm  Blog2 -2014-02Feb-3   polymer clay butterfly ornament sm   TPA Blog Newsletter Ad  ShadesofClay 1014 v2  tpabl-10-9072014

 

Read More

Layers of Form and Texture

August 27, 2014
Posted in

14632460808_d8031d3039_o

Today’s reader’s choice comes to you thanks to the talented Randee Ketzel who kindly sends me cool stuff on regular basis. This piece by Olga Ledneva caught her attention due to the layering and the perfectly applied application and juxtaposition of elements.

Yesterday, we got started talking about how the impact of texture can be enhanced by form, but it can be taken one or two steps further by adding lines and contrast to the mix. These forms are created by lines, both curved and straight, which, along with color value, provides dynamic contrast in what is a fairly well controlled composition.

The meticulous finish and balance of elements is key in the work Olga does. See more of her pieces on her Flickr page.

 

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.

14-P2 CoverFnl-blog   Blog2 -2014-02Feb-1   marble cane ad

Read More

Internal Framing

February 2, 2014
Posted in

So for a little while at least I’m going to try something different on Sundays. I’ve been collecting tutorial and tip links but haven’t been getting them into the week day posts. So I thought I’d work them in on Sundays along with any other odd bits I think will be of interest.

I had something else lined up for today before Randee Ketzel brought this amazing technique from Sona Grigoryan to my attention. Such great beads and such an unique technique. The internal metal framing is genius!

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As Randee said, this is very generous of Sona to post her steps for this technique. I have other pieces to put together for some upcoming articles but I may have to take a break from that and try this! Check out Sona’s posts and notes on her Facebook page here.

 

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Cover 13-P4 web   PCW blue string art cane   WhimsicalBead051512

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Swirling Color

April 3, 2013
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Being brave with color can be a bit frightful. When do know if you’ve gone too far? I think the trick with bold color is to not hold back. If you’re going to go bold, go all the way.

Here is such an example. Randee Ketzel has no fear of color. Take a close look at her color choices here. Three bright, warm colors and then just one soft, cool color. Why does the powder blue work here? Well, it creates a dynamic contrast against all the warm, bright tones.  A very brave choice indeed.

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Randee experiments quite a bit with color as well as techniques. You can check out here experiments and resulting work on her Flickr page as well as grab yourself some of her tutorials on her Etsy shop.

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