Innate Symmetry
March 1, 2014
Inspirational Art
We couldn’t have a proper week on symmetry without two things … earrings and kaleidoscope canes. So who better to demonstrate both than Sandra McCaw. If you look at this pair of earrings as a cohesive whole, instead of two individual pieces in a set, they are a perfect example of mirror image symmetry. Her creative style encompasses precision and exactness, as witnessed in these masterful canes using color and intricacy of pattern to form her McCaw Cane. She adds richness and texture to her pieces with the application of 23K gold leaf.
For those of you who are not familiar with Sandra, she developed a caning process that bears her name, the McCaw Cane. It involves mixing several gradations of two or three colors, rolling them into sheets and stacking them into blocks. Each block is then cut in the same way and the pieces swapped to create simple multi-colored patterns. These blocks are then reduced and divided to make increasingly complex patterns. If you would like to learn this technique step-by-step, grab a copy of her DVD, “Innovations: A Polymer Clay Series” or take a peek at the book, “The Art of Jewelry: Polymer Clay – Techniques, Projects, Inspiration.”
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: Obsessive Ceramics
February 1, 2013
Inspirational Art
Ricky Maldonado has to be at least a little bit obsessive. I saw his ceramic work as an image on Pinterest first and thought for certain I was looking at a polymer cane covered form. But no, the designs he applies are completely hand done, every dot, every dash drawn out on the piece before he carefully fills in the pattern with glazes.
He creates teapots, plates, gift boxes and other vessels as well as balance focused sculptures like this one he titled Alien Mardi Gras.
Ricky’s work is just another reminder that with polymer, we really do have it easy. We can develop patterns of intense intricacy with a handful of skillful steps and end up with yards of it from that one process. We can cover any kind of form with an infinite array of color, marks and texture and rather rapidly.
But sometimes, an extensive, hand applied process just can’t be beat. We have a couple artists in the next issue that apply detail carefully and fastidiously to achieve a complexity that draws you in not just in wonder at the visual impact but also in wonder at the patience and vision that created them. When the Spring issue of The Polymer Arts comes out (due to be mailed in digital and print out by the 18th) look for the work of artists such as Aniko Kolesnikova, Gera Scott Chandler, Marisol Ross, Sandra McCaw and Susan Dyer … all artist who obviously spend a great deal of time working out and developing the details in their pieces.
Quick and simple can be great for producing a large number of items that can be sold at a reasonable cost but as an artist, there is nothing to compare to a piece you spend hours and days, maybe even weeks or months with, a piece that gets every last consideration and fully expresses your intent and vision. These kinds of pieces take time, are harder to sell for a price worthy of your efforts (we also have an article on pricing your art work in this next issue) and can be much harder to part, especially if you don’t do this kind of thing often. But then, if you find you love it and do have a hard time parting with such pieces, doesn’t that just tell you that you probably need to take this approach more often?
Something to ponder this weekend. Me, I will be pondering the last of the seemingly never-ending details that accompany a periodical being readied for the printer. At least this is the kind of project is something I not only have no problem parting with, I am thrilled to send it out to all of you so you can get as excited about the inspiring ideas, words and art of the artists who so generously share their stories and work with us this issue. I very much look forward to hearing what you think.
A Little Sunday McCaw
June 24, 2012
Inspirational Art
You have probably seen Sandra McCaw’s work, if not on the internet somewhere, then in a polymer clay book or two. Sandra does amazing cane work and applies her canes to beautifully constructed jewelry usually combined with precious metals. This brooch is a great example of her use of line and color.
In her own words:
“My inspiration derives from a fascination with the interplay of color, line and form. In working with polymer clay, I am able to create complex patterns where lines seem to lose their distinction and blend, and where colors bloom and merge. Polymer clay, with its richness of color and flexibility, allows me to create the intricate patterns that I love.”
‘Nuf said.
Hope you all had a beautiful weekend.
We couldn’t have a proper week on symmetry without two things … earrings and kaleidoscope canes. So who better to demonstrate both than Sandra McCaw. If you look at this pair of earrings as a cohesive whole, instead of two individual pieces in a set, they are a perfect example of mirror image symmetry. Her creative style encompasses precision and exactness, as witnessed in these masterful canes using color and intricacy of pattern to form her McCaw Cane. She adds richness and texture to her pieces with the application of 23K gold leaf.
For those of you who are not familiar with Sandra, she developed a caning process that bears her name, the McCaw Cane. It involves mixing several gradations of two or three colors, rolling them into sheets and stacking them into blocks. Each block is then cut in the same way and the pieces swapped to create simple multi-colored patterns. These blocks are then reduced and divided to make increasingly complex patterns. If you would like to learn this technique step-by-step, grab a copy of her DVD, “Innovations: A Polymer Clay Series” or take a peek at the book, “The Art of Jewelry: Polymer Clay – Techniques, Projects, Inspiration.”
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.
Ricky Maldonado has to be at least a little bit obsessive. I saw his ceramic work as an image on Pinterest first and thought for certain I was looking at a polymer cane covered form. But no, the designs he applies are completely hand done, every dot, every dash drawn out on the piece before he carefully fills in the pattern with glazes.
He creates teapots, plates, gift boxes and other vessels as well as balance focused sculptures like this one he titled Alien Mardi Gras.
Ricky’s work is just another reminder that with polymer, we really do have it easy. We can develop patterns of intense intricacy with a handful of skillful steps and end up with yards of it from that one process. We can cover any kind of form with an infinite array of color, marks and texture and rather rapidly.
But sometimes, an extensive, hand applied process just can’t be beat. We have a couple artists in the next issue that apply detail carefully and fastidiously to achieve a complexity that draws you in not just in wonder at the visual impact but also in wonder at the patience and vision that created them. When the Spring issue of The Polymer Arts comes out (due to be mailed in digital and print out by the 18th) look for the work of artists such as Aniko Kolesnikova, Gera Scott Chandler, Marisol Ross, Sandra McCaw and Susan Dyer … all artist who obviously spend a great deal of time working out and developing the details in their pieces.
Quick and simple can be great for producing a large number of items that can be sold at a reasonable cost but as an artist, there is nothing to compare to a piece you spend hours and days, maybe even weeks or months with, a piece that gets every last consideration and fully expresses your intent and vision. These kinds of pieces take time, are harder to sell for a price worthy of your efforts (we also have an article on pricing your art work in this next issue) and can be much harder to part, especially if you don’t do this kind of thing often. But then, if you find you love it and do have a hard time parting with such pieces, doesn’t that just tell you that you probably need to take this approach more often?
Something to ponder this weekend. Me, I will be pondering the last of the seemingly never-ending details that accompany a periodical being readied for the printer. At least this is the kind of project is something I not only have no problem parting with, I am thrilled to send it out to all of you so you can get as excited about the inspiring ideas, words and art of the artists who so generously share their stories and work with us this issue. I very much look forward to hearing what you think.
Read More
You have probably seen Sandra McCaw’s work, if not on the internet somewhere, then in a polymer clay book or two. Sandra does amazing cane work and applies her canes to beautifully constructed jewelry usually combined with precious metals. This brooch is a great example of her use of line and color.
In her own words:
“My inspiration derives from a fascination with the interplay of color, line and form. In working with polymer clay, I am able to create complex patterns where lines seem to lose their distinction and blend, and where colors bloom and merge. Polymer clay, with its richness of color and flexibility, allows me to create the intricate patterns that I love.”
‘Nuf said.
Hope you all had a beautiful weekend.
Read More