Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

My Take on the Beautiful Barbet Bird

2021-01-31T08:00:00.017-07:00

When I went to Africa among the many animals I fell in love with was the Barbet - a most unusual patterned bird. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-and-yellow_barbet There are several kinds of Barbets.

This is my take on the Barbet, a wearer of many patterns and colors, blue legs and feet and attention seeking.

Making the Bird That Flew Out of the Pillow (see previous post), I just had to make another bird. This time I took some photos of the process to share with you.

Materials: steel wire, pliers, wire cutters, Ultra-lite clay, aluminum foil, polymer clay (solid colors and old canes)

Taking the steel wire and forming the bird head, body, legs and feet was the most difficult part of the process. Figuring out the scale, the type of bird shape, how to attach the legs and form the feet definitely took the most time. It was also the most essential part.

Starting the wire form

The next step was filling the body with foil and using 28 g wire to secure it in place.

This was the first time I used Sculpey Ulta-lite clay and I found it light in weight, easy to manipulate. The bird body took shape. The Ultra-lite bakes at about the same temperature as polymer and cures before I put on the polymer layer.

Getting the patterns and color palette sorted and organized is important for the end result. When using old canes I was careful to have enough of the pattern. I did not want to have to make new canes to match the old ones. I divided the spaces (wings, neck, body etc and began placing a thin layer of polymer canes. I found this a great way to use some of my old canes. (Those are the small logs of polymer that have the same pattern running through no matter where you cut it.) This is where combining colors and patterns started to bring the bird to life!

Dividing the space

Choosing colors and patterns

I cured the bird in parts to make it easier to handle. First the body and head outline, then the wings, and last the beak,the legs and feet. This bird was almost too large for my oven and ended of on the side in baking soda dish for baking. The baking soda gives a rounded or unusual shape support and does not hurt the clay. A tent of foil covered the bird each time it was baked.

Getting the bird to sit or stand in a stable position will be something I will continue to work with. At this point I seem to need the tail to become the 3rd leg in the tripod. Before I put the polymer on the form, the bird was standing nicely. After the tail went on the weight shifted and became a part of the stability solution.

My Barbet

The finished bird makes me smile and I think I will be making more of some kind of bird for my aviary.

I hope you enjoyed this adventure.

The Bird that Flew Out of the Pillow

2021-01-24T08:00:00.006-07:00

The Bird Flew Out of the Pillow

Sometimes an idea needs time to foment or stir up the creative mind to action. This is one of those times!

I have a friend/client who is on the tail end of finishing the decorating of her home. She is using a wonderful fabric with woven character birds on her kitchen chairs. We fell in love with the birds and she sent me (she lives in another town) enough fabric to make myself a pillow. The more I looked at that fabric the more I wanted to create a bird for her table.

This is the product and I'm waiting for my friend to name her new table accessory!

It took awhile to plan an attack. I used steel wire, wire cutters, pliers, aluminum foil, Ultra lite Clay, and polymer clay. In my next post, I will go into much greater detail of the process. I've made another bird and took pictures along the way.

I'm sure this bird will have quite a story when she arrives to her new home.

Don't miss those shoes!!

Sea Creatures - A Study of Texture, Color and Nature

2020-12-12T07:00:00.030-07:00

Series of Four - Texture, Color and Nature

It's always fun to start a new project. This time I wanted to explore nature with techniques using texture and color highlighting sea creatures. The sea fascinates me with all the large and small shapes of animals, with animals that look like flowers and plants, with seashells that were homes and so much more.

Selecting which creatures I use in this study took some research, planning and experimenting. There is so much in nature we are not aware. For instance -Sea Slugs and the variety of shapes and colors they come in. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_slug Nor was I aware of the Ribbon eel - such a graceful unusual creature. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribbon_eel

I began collecting pictures of the creatures that were appealing to me and that might support each other in a texture series.

Before the actual work could begin, the decision of how and what to use for mounting each piece was decided on. The structure chosen was a 4" x 4" x 2" box without a bottom. These could be hung on the wall, set on a table or set on edge on a shelf. They could be grouped as one or used individually. I knew I would be attaching the polymer creatures to the wood box.

The first texture is created with many tiny shell-like pieces that range in height. The twisted tubes, red to orange to yellow appear to break through the tiny shells as they reach up.

Reaching up

The second, based on a beautiful anemone seems to stretch across the sunny sandy beach. The color ranges from green to blue to magenta with each tentacle coming from the center in a radial pattern. In both the first and second pieces, blending the colors was most important.

Picture of an actual anemone on the left and my rendition on the right.

Sea Slugs provide another challenge in texture. I used translucent polymer to get the translucent quality in the tube. The blue and white bands add to the stability and bendable quality. The texture of sand and rock is also important to show how these creatures move. In each of the creatures, planning and experimenting with color and placement took priority.

Planning the shapes and colors

My rendition of Sea Slugs

The Ribbon Eel came next. I looked for a simpler texture and shape to accompany the other three pieces and found the eel. It is a very thin ribbon of clay with blue to yellow as it swims through the water. This is an adult male ribbon eel. One of the very fun things about researching is discovering things one did not know. Nature is amazing.

My Ribbon Eel

I hope you enjoyed the process of my study. The pieces will go to the Prescott Mountain Artists Guild's next show 'It's a Wild World' in January 2021. Please come visit!

My Twist on Tropical Fish

2020-10-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what you could do with those extra parts and pieces you have in containers? I happened to pick up a polymer start to a bead and decided to do something else with it. I may never know why it reminded me of tropical fish but it did. This was my opportunity to experiment, create and learn.

These are polymer shells I learned to make in Dan Cormier's class and as it happens I got carried away and made several I did not use. They make great fish bodies!

Next a little research - I wanted my fish to be somewhat accurate (yes with lots of poetic license!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_fish

Then I started going through some of my old polymer canes and making some new colors and textures and the fun began! Just coat the baked shells with liquid polymer and start applying textures and colors. Once the fish were finished.....ok it was so much fun I may have to make more!...I needed seagrass to anchor them in the visual story.

Long strands of seagrass came from using the extruder.

Extruder [add clay and push)

I used a plastic placemat I had as a pattern to cut out the coral fans. Metallic polymer adds shimmer as does an acrylic glaze. To finish I painted a board, added a glaze and glued everything in place.

I'm really happy with the result! I hope you enjoy seeing it.

Challenge: A Large Polymer Clay Bowl

2020-08-12T07:00:00.002-07:00

A challenge! That's what I need to take me away from the world's overwhelming daily concerns. So I wondered how big of a polymer clay bowl I could make. What could I use for a form? What technique would I use? How much clay would it take and what would fit in my oven?

You've seen my 'Small Bowls for Little Things' on my Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/LindaBrittDesign/) and in my Etsy shop (https://www.etsy.com/shop/LindasButtonsBowls). If not, please take a look! Those same questions were ones I had to answer when I started making the small bowls except in the other extreme. How small could I make a bowl and it still be useful, what form to use and what technique?

One of my favorite bowls is a handmade Mexican pottery bowl with a scalloped edge. It just fits in my little oven if I take the rack out. I can use some of my large 3" cane slices that were left over from a Christmas ornament project as they will add interest. The plan develops into a blue, yellow and green field of flowers - a millefiore design.

First I need to place the large canes in a pleasing pattern. Using liquid clear polymer will keep the cane circles pretty much where I want them as I place the green strands of polymer (Cernit metallic green) around them. Let me explain why I use strands. It is important to keep the polymer an even thickness throughout the bowl. If I use the pasta machine to give me a bigger flat piece of polymer, I have to cut and shape the spaces between the canes. As you can see there are lots of tiny spaces. I'll the extruder to make several strands the same size and thickness as the canes. Then the strands can be easily moved into the empty spaces.

There is something else I need to consider when I fill the empty spaces with green. Texture and pattern! Inside the bowl there will be texture I make with a tool but the underside of the bowl will show the lines or edges of the strands. It will be important to have a rhythm or consistency when I turn the bowl over. More experimentation!

The video I made to show you how I make the textures will not load here! Sorry! Making the texture takes patience and time! I use a tiny ball tool to make the tiny imprints and move the clay about.

About halfway up the sides of the bowl, it is obvious to me that baking will enhance the rest of the process. Clay can be baked several times at the same temperature and not hurt anything. In fact, in this case it will keep me from mashing the green texture with my hand. Everything needs to be as perfect as possible because once I bake the clay it becomes harder and less malleable.

I realized I am going to be out of clay very soon! I admit it! I'm going try incorporating another color. It's obvious more clay has to be ordered and the waiting starts!

Back to work. Finish the green spaces being careful on the scallop edges. Bake it again. 275 degrees F for an hour. Let it cool before removing it from the form.

Just a side note! May I suggest finding a bowl form without a pattern? This bowl form had fruit and leaves painted on it. It was difficult to block that pattern and colors out of my mind when my clay was placed on it.

Next morning I carefully remove my bowl from the form; turn it over to see how the underside looks. Lovely! The edges of my designs show and the patterns work. Happy Dance!

The edges of the scallops need to be sanded for smoothness but that is all. Baking on a glass or shiny surface produces a shiny finish to the clay. When you start to place the clay on your form, you have to decide where you want the shiny finish - inside or out!

The last thing is to make a concave foot to hold the bowl. I have not decided if I want to glue it on the bowl or just set the bowl in it. This bowl will be for decorative purposes or perhaps hold fruit. It will not hold water as there are a few small open spaces. It can be washed. If I want it to hold water, I need to coat it with clear polymer or place a thin layer of polymer over the back. Then I lose the pattern on the underside. Also some of the canes are translucent and l like the light coming through.

This is a longer than my normal post. Sharing experiences and keeping a log are two reasons I write these posts. It becomes my journal as well as a way to communicate with you. Please leave your comments. I'd love to hear from you.

A Presentation of a Brief Overview of Polymer Clay

2020-06-28T09:00:00.003-07:00

A collection of polymer jewelry 'Carnival'

This week I made a presentation to members of Mountain Artists Guild here in Prescott AZ of some of the things I've made from polymer clay. The purpose was to expend the members knowledge a about the many possibilities of this wonderful medium. I wanted to share my slides with you hoping to also expand and inspire you!

Collaboration in Wood, Decorated Eggs

So many uses of polymer. So many ways to create!

Which Story to Tell? Which Color to Wear?

2020-06-21T07:00:00.015-07:00

My last post told how a mixed media wall piece combined wood, metal clay, feathers and ribbons to produce a story. I introduced the 'Gastornis' - an extinct flightless primitive bird.

This week I'm sharing the 2 pendants I made at the same time I made the 'Gastornis' wall decor.

This post is about telling a story with jewelry and shows how color can add to the message.

The pendant on the left above combines warm brass beads, meaningful red prayer beads and a handmade bronze wire clasp. Does it made you feel excited? The pendant on the right combines Hubei turquoise with silver and bronze. The greenish color along with the silver cools the bronze. Maybe this pendant makes you feel calmer?

Each of us bring our own color experiences with us. I find it helpful to understand what we like and why. That makes selections more meaningful and enjoyable.

Let's look at the pendant on the left and I'm going to call it 'The Warm Bird'. This story is about a bird filled with hope, warmth and caring- maybe looking for a little fun! The bird in the bronze metal clay pendant almost looks like he is on skies instead of sticks on the ground. The leaf settles behind him telling us a little about his attitude!

Below are pictures of the details of this story. The hand made bronze clasp is made of hammered wire and it is a little primitive looking too. The beads remind one of cages and are handmade in India. The lower picture is a close up of the 'Warm Bird'! The technique used to make this is described in the previous post.

The Pendant in the photo on the upper right or the 'Cool Bird' combines Hubei turquoise with silver and bronze. The bird looks relaxed sitting on his leaves next to the impression of a flower. The bird and leaves are raised from the background - maybe he is wishing he could fly!

The back of a pendant is also important. It tells some of the story that the designer is sharing. In this case, it shows the attention to detail and the texture adds to the primitive feeling of the bird. Remember this is an extinct old bird!

Any piece of jewelry can tell a story - a true story or a flight of fancy. Shape, texture, materials and color all give us information that enhances it. Enjoy!

These pieces can be seen this summer in the 'Hot Hot Hot' Show at Mountain Artists Guild in Prescott AZ

The Winding Path To Creating a Story With Art

2020-06-07T07:00:00.010-07:00

New Direction

Cleaning up my art studio always produces new directions in my projects. As I reorganize and open drawers that have been closed for a while, I find tools I've forgotten.

Metal Creator

This cleaning session uncovered The Metal Creator I purchased in a crowd funding several years ago. It was invented by Bill Struve and consists of a foot pedal, a CO2 canister, two tubes and a regulator. The purpose of this tool is to save hand stress as the CO2 pushes the metal clay paste through a syringe. If I were using a typical syringe, my hand would push the plunger as the clay is extruded. That gets pretty tiring after a while.

When I first purchased this tool, I also purchased 3 syringes of bronze metal paste. Fortunately I used one of the syringes and stored the other 2. One of those syringes was still a good consistency. I hooked up the tool to try it out -thinking it was time to use it or sell it! Then I discovered the CO2 canister was empty. Where to get it filled? A gas company one town over was able to fill it for about $6. Now I'm ready!

But what to make? Since I love birds and experimenting I began with bird shapes and discovered I could make loops and squiggles! As I formed an odd shaped bird, Peter walked by and said, "That looks like a diatryma!" "What?" When I looked it up on Wikipedia I found it was also called a 'Gastoris' or an extinct primitive flightless bird https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastornis

I made 3 gastornis figures, let them dry, placed them on a slab of bronze metal clay and cut out a shape with not much in mind as to the final project. As I sat and thought (I tend to do that a lot) about this bird, what it ate, how it lived, what it might have done. A plan was forming!

The clay was fired in my kiln at 1487 degrees F in activated carbon for a total of 4 hours (2 hours at 1000 degrees F and 2 hours at the higher temp.)

Next I found an old piece of twisted wood from a dead tree - treasure from one of our trips in the wild!

Cleaned it, brushed it and figured out a way to hang it.

The largest bronze plaque would become part of a totem telling a story of the gastornis bird. As you can see from the photos, I collected things I thought he might be wanting for a nest in case he wanted to impress his female friend (colorful ribbons, shiny beads, seeds, feathers and more.) The woven wire cord as well as the knitted crown might represent part of the woven nest.

After finishing the totem, I thought how much fun it would be to have the chain, bronze plaque and feathers etc removable and wearable if one wanted. The cup hook, placed just above the hanger in the back holds the totem in place.

This project is a reminder to plan and work out technical problems in order to tell a cohesive story.

My 'gastornis' bird weaves history with whimsy in storytelling with art.

Artist Challenge:Decorating an Egg in Gustav Klimt's Style

2020-05-31T08:00:00.022-07:00

It seems that this 'stay at home' enforced time due to Covid 19 spurred many artists to challenge themselves. Here's mine!

The Challenge: Select an artist you love and a painting you love. Apply the style of a 2 dimensional painting to a 3 dimensional object.

It was my challenge to myself and I chose Gustav Klimt and his painting 'Tree of Life'

https://www.gustav-klimt.com/The-Tree-Of-Life.jsp

My hollow turkey egg was ready for the first covering of polymer clay. While that was curing, I looked through my stash of polymer canes (designs in polymer) and selected some that would work. Next I made a few more and extruded strips to use for the tree and branches.

The design was sketched on the polymer covered egg and using a type of liquid polymer I applied the branches in areas and cured them in the oven. I've learned to do a few at a time to keep shapes stable - that means baking the egg several times, After the branches were done, the flowers and leaves and figures were applied and cured.

All that was left was to fill in the gold background. To do that I chopped pieces of Premo Gold and applied the small pieces making sure I took advantage of the mica shift. https://thebluebottletree.com/mica-shift-polymer-clay/

Mica shift is a polymer clay technique where an illusion of change of color or dimension is achieved when using metallic or pearl polymer clay. In this case then I rolled the gold clay in a certain way, the mica lays flat and the polymer looks shiny gold. When I cut it in small pieces and mix it up some of the mica lays flat and some does not. It looks like I have 2 colors of gold but there is only one. This was a perfect solution for the background.

After the egg cured for the final time, I sanded and sanded and buffed and polished to make a smooth shiny finish. Pretty happy with the end result and maybe Gustav Klimt would be too!

Oh No! I Dropped My Egg and It Cracked!

2020-05-24T11:43:00.007-07:00

The next turkey egg is prepped, ready to apply the polymer design to the polymer covering. This time my design is based on Deb Hart's techniques and a wrought iron design I like. On goes the lines and I bake it. Next I fill in the spaces.

I tried using liquid polymer and quickly realized it wasn't going to work. The curved surface encourages the liquid polymer to run off. Now wouldn't you think I could have figured that out without trying it?

I like using 2 colors of polymer chopped and mixed to get depth and I also like chopping metallic polymer and using the mica shift to look like 2 colors. That comes in the next egg!

My design is finished and cured and now I need to sand. I use 3 grades of sandpaper and my Jool Tube for the sanding. It gets nice and smooth and even. I take it to my drill press with the lambswool buffer. Turn it on and start to buff and polish. And then....the egg slips from my hand, hits the concrete floor and I hear the cracking sound! Crying won't help.

FaceBook has some good points - like polymer groups of artists who are willing to share and to support each other. A couple people suggested using the Japanese technique of Kintsugi (fill in the crack with gold!) So I tried it... here is where liquid gold polymer did work! I brushed it in the larger cracks and cured it in sections. Then I wiped it all over the egg making sure it filled the smaller cracks, wiped it off and cured.

Yes I'm happy with the result. It was at first disappointing to have a cracked egg and I could have thrown it away and started over. I'm so glad I did not do that. Learning new ways to solve problems is very satisfying!

Exploring More This Year!

2020-05-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

Introspection and Thinking....

The Year of Covid-19 means more introspection and more observation on my part. Staying home, exploring art, enjoying the color and nature around me encourages me to try 'the new'! New recipes, new art materials, recreate my space and so much more. It turns out that I have quite a few supplies, art books, and ideas to explore.

My version of Deb Hart's Southwest Polymer Egg

I've taken some online classes, one I'll share today, read books, entered online gallery shows and actually used my notebook. The class I took was Deb Harts - 'Southwest Polymer Eggs' Since I'm allergic to chicken eggs, I buy turkey eggs at The Prescott Farmer's Market. They are equal to about 1 1/2 chicken eggs in size. I'm often asked, "Do they taste like chicken eggs?" and my answer is 'I don't know. I have not had a chicken egg in a long time.' They do have a thicker yolk and white and the shell is a tad stronger than chicken eggs.

After making sure I had all the supplies for the class including my blown out clean turkey egg, the tutorial started. Deb Hart writes a detailed well thought out tutorial with many learning lessons. It took me almost a week to build all the canes and understand her process and it was well worth the time and money. Usually I take side trips during a class and sometime I don't follow the directions exactly. This time I did almost everything Deb told me to!

Ready to start applying the polymer

After finishing my Southwest egg, I just had to try another with my own design. My next post will tell you about fixing a cracked egg!

By the way, welcome back. I've missed sharing my experiments with you.

Quick Tutorial - Silkscreen on Polymer Clay

2019-09-27T16:37:00.001-07:00

Be Sure Before You Hit Delete!

2019-09-04T14:00:00.001-07:00

The time had come to make a hard copy in the form of a book to record my blog entries for 2019! I use https://www.blog2print.com/. They even have a coupon!

Alas when I went to my blog, there were only broken links and no photos. After researching it would seem that I have deleted all the pictures in the archive photo file. I did this to myself as I was clearing out old pictures in google+.

Looking at this as an opportunity - not a disaster - I get to decide if I want to continue with a blog on a somewhat regular basis. Or do I want to see if I can add one to my website? Or am I ready to move on to other things than blogging? I'm thinking.

But I will let everyone know my decision in a few weeks. If anyone has comments or suggestions I would love to hear from you.

It's the start of fall and I'm wishing fun and adventure in your future!

Enamel on Copper - I Can But Do I Want To?

2019-08-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes an artist needs to evaluate the what and why of their art. That's what I've been doing lately. Learning and doing should bring me joy. That joy comes through in my creations and when there is no joy perhaps I should try something else. That little voice in my head questions me and asks "Have you practiced enough and do you understand the process? Should you try one more time to improve your skill and see if you find joy?" So I take another class or watch another video and try again! Sometimes that works and sometimes not. This year I took a class with Susan Lenart Kasmer at Art Unraveled - a little different technique and using liquid enamels.

Susan's classes are always enjoyable as I love her art, jewelry and her outgoing personality. She is a good teacher but this time I was frustrated with my progress and my project. Usually I have a lot of things to show from the class. Not so much this time. When I got home, I decided to get some liquid enamel (which is a fine powder until you mix it with water or fire it with a torch). I have all the other supplies needed and want to improve my skill set. One of my objectives became finding joy in the process or final piece.

Setting Up

Map Gas and Torch

Cutting copper discs (26 gauge copper)

Dapping or forming copper domes

Different sizes of domes

Counter enamel on the backs and liquid enamel on the fronts - ready for the torch!

All this took time and I actually enjoyed the disc cutting and dapping. I admit to dropping a couple of discs after the powdered enamel was sifted on and having to redo those pieces. This entire process took about 3 days. When the discs were fired and arranged by size and color I started stacking the beads for necklaces. The necklace with 5 beads was my initial concept. I certainly did not need to make so many discs but it was nice to have several to choose.

I had enough extra discs to make 5 necklaces with one stacked bead each. Putting these together, deciding which to put on top and how many was fun. I'll have them in my fall collection.

The question remains: Did I find my joy? Do I want to continue with enameling? I know I can but do I want to? The answer is still out there. I'm not ready to sell all my supplies nor am I ready to focus on enameling. So I'll just wait a while and see what develops! It's always good to expand your skill set.

Enjoy the up close video of the original concept!

The Zen of Building a Better Bead

2019-07-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

From my new fall collection

My latest online class: Building Better Beads with Dan Cormier

What a learning experience! I'm pretty experienced with polymer clay and know there is always something new to learn. In this class I built a bead in 4 weeks. No, I've never taken that much time to build a bead! A lot of time was spent on each step building the best bead I could instead of making lots of beads as fast as possible. The zen experience of looking at each step and deciding if it was the best it could be before going to the next step really made me focus. While I may never spend that much time on a bead again I will look at what I'm doing with more discerning eyes evaluating time, value and quality.

Seeing the process of each step through the eyes and hands of a skilled professional who is willing to teach is invaluable. Getting feedback on how to improve is so important. The skills of sanding and buffing polymer, steps to bring a high gloss to a piece, definitely add time to the project. Is it worth the extra effort? Oh yes, it's magic! Then there is the part about using the right tool for the right job. Comparing a lambswool buffer and a cotton buffer made the difference between a shiny finish and a glass like finish. Yes it's worth knowing. Had I not taken this class, I may have opted for the shortcut.

Now I have a new fall collection - unique and filled with quality. Can't wait to show it. Photography is next and then I'll share. I've shown a couple of photos here as a teaser!

From my new fall collection!

The Value of Online and DVD Classes

2019-07-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

A Favorite Bracelet made from a DVD class

Time - I can watch the classes at my convenience. Maybe early morning or late at night! Or in the middle of the day or with earphones while waiting in a hospital room.
Comfort - I don't have to dress for class -- actually I don't have to dress!
Convenience - I can watch a segment and go try the technique. I can watch the same part over and over until I get it! I can watch again in a year because I don't remember everything.
Authority and experience - the teachers are amazing, interesting, and professional. Teachers are all over the world.
New Techniques and tools - I learn so many new things, get new ideas and see what is available in other parts of the country.
Expense - even though some classes are expensive they seldom cost as much as actually traveling to a different part of the country plus hotel, etc.
There are tutorials and mini-classes and usually you can ask the instructors questions. You can 'talk' with other students and share each work.

Yes, I really value online classes.

Here are only a few of the places I find classes. Of course, I'm focused for the moment on polymer clay. There are many classes about all kinds of art and crafts.

From 'Bio-forming' class by Dan Cormier

From the Sea Glass Class offered by The Blue Bottle Tree

From a tutorial about the Stroppel Cane

Here are a few places to find art/craft classes. We need more!

https://www.craftcast.com/

https://www.dancormier.ca/

https://www.curiousmondo.com/

https://createalong.com/

https://thebluebottletree.com/
https://katersacres.com

You Tube offers many tutorials as do manufacturers and distributors of products. Many artists offer classes on their websites.

It just takes some digging and research to find the right class, the right topic and the right instructor for your needs.

If you have favorite sources I'd love to hear from you.

'Not for Sissies' Necklace - An Idea Evolves

2019-07-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

2 Years of Simmering

Sometimes ideas sit and simmer. Sometimes for years and then they need to be revisited.

2 years of moving these beads around my studio

After cleaning off my work space in the studio many small containers of red beads appeared. A couple of years ago (you know how time flies...) I had a idea for a necklace. One group of beads I made were thin discs cut from a floral cane. They cured on small muffin tins so they flared and ruffled. The smaller thicker red discs and some much smaller round beads were added. Then I stopped. Probably a different idea got my attention and the red beads sat there.

Several times over the following weeks and months they were moved from place to place. Then thinking about having to sand all those beads before I used them made me wonder exactly how I would put them together. There were times I wondered why I just didn't throw them away. But there they sat.

Dividing the beads and deciding how to string them

This week it was time for action! Either sand them or dump them! Of course the necklace idea was still in my head so I started sanding a few at a time. Connecting with the beads made me re-imagine the necklace again.

Need More Beads!!

Since my idea was vague and needed definition, I started stringing the beads in various orders. Finding the one I liked also made me realize I did not have enough small round beads. Good grief. More beads! It is already a 2 year project so what's a few more hours?

Beads made and cured and tumbled for a little shine. Stringing and adding a clasp. Finished! Can't wait to wear it. This necklace makes a statement - Not for Sissies!

Don't toss out all those old ideas. Let them simmer and revisit them!

Do You Need A Wall Button?

2019-06-11T14:56:00.000-07:00

Who's heard of wall button? My older brother, the wood turner, went to a wood turning demonstration in Kansas City, MO. He learned about wall buttons there and I'm including a video of that meeting. The wood turned wall button makes interesting wall art especially for someone who sews, knits or crochets. It's definitely a conversation starter. Rick Bywater's Wall Buttons

He made one for my birthday and I was pleasantly surprised when it came!

Mine, made of Purple Heart, had grooves in it for polymer accents. Dave and I collaborated on several turned vases that included polymer bands. What fun to work together.

The colors of metallic gold, red and yellow combine in concentric circles and are quite striking against the Purple Heart. After the polymer was conditioned, placed and textured it was cured with a heat gun. Had to be careful to cure the polymer and not burn the wood!

I'm thinking of asking him to make a couple of coaster size buttons and selling them. What do you think of that idea? I'd love to know!

Jellyfish - My Way- Mixed Media

2019-05-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Finished Jellyfish!

While taking my latest metal clay class with Hadar Jacobson, my muse took over and said, "Oh this could be a jellyfish!" And so my mokume gane project took this shape!

For anyone not familiar with mokume gane it is a Japanese metal technique that merges several different metals. Artists of metal clay came up with a way to merge different metal clays to form similar patterns. Artists of polymer clay developed a totally different method. (more on that in another post).

In Hadar's class we used bronze, copper and steel to form the patterns and inserted those pieces of dried clay into a bronze base. The mokume gane pattern shows well on the body of the jellyfish.

This was a piece that I brought home in dried clay (greenware) form and fired the piece in my kiln. I was so happy that it fired well and finished beautifully. In the greenware state I added wire loops for attaching the polymer tentacles.

The partially completed jellyfish sat for a couple of months while I thought about and experimented with translucent polymer clay. The tentacles had to be thin and somehow attach to the body. The ribbon like tentacles needed to be ruffly. The final solution was to use 2 very thin strips of translucent clay with a thin wire in the center. I found I could ruffle the flat strips by gently pushing them down the wire. The string tentacles have wire hooks embedded at the tips.

wires in tentacles

Wires in ruffled tentacles

This jellyfish came out pretty much how my muse and I saw it! Wish I had a virtual aquarium for it to live in.

A Flurry of Metal Clay

2019-03-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

Flexible Copper (Hadar's Quick Fire)

There's been a flurry of metal clay in my studio. My late winter goal was to use the older Hadar clay that I have so I can focus on her new One-fire clay. Over the years (yes it keeps that long in powder form) I've collected many containers of Quick-fire bronze, copper, steel, etc. They take longer to fire and have 3 stages of firing instead of 2.

Hadar's Flexible Copper

My mid-west background of using and saving kicked in and I would not allow myself to use the new One-fire clay until all the other was gone. So I started creating. First I was just going to make some simple earrings and then a pendant. Pretty soon I wondered how I could make some pieces using tools not used before. One thing led to another.

Crisco Ad Engraving

A metal engraved stamp for a Crisco ad that my mother saved became a necklace. When this piece was fired, it separated in two parts. I liked it so much I repaired it and fired again. This time I fired it on edge and gravity pulled the end a little lower. Always learning! The fix? A polymer back that is straight and make it visually interesting from the front. Be creative!

Crisco Necklace with ruby CZ accent

Small engraved pictures that my mom also saved became bead squares with 2 channels on the back of each for chain or connectors. This could become a bracelet but I chose to make a double strand of chain for a necklace. The squares are pictures of Del Monte Peas, Del Monte Canned Fruit and Del Monte Canned Vegetables. I kept the engraved pictures subtle without patina and I like the contemporary look.

Del Monte Necklace

Detail - Del Monte Canned Vegetables

I've always wanted to make a lariat necklace. It's time had come! Using some of the techniques I learned from Hadar, I made the bronze teardrop hollow focal. I also used some flexible copper for accent. The trick was to the make the accompanying piece the right size to go through the larger teardrop focal and to make it all interesting from both sides. Here it is with the amber bead chain!

Now you know why I haven't posted for a few weeks! If you are in the Prescott area be sure to stop in Tis Gallery and in Mountain Artist Gallery to see some of my work.

Have a great week! I'll be enjoying all the birds on my deck.

Sea Shells As Inspiration for Polymer Clay

2019-02-01T06:30:00.000-07:00

My Inspiration - Collection of Sea Shells

Every year my collection of seashells increases. If I find a really interesting shell at an estate sale I buy it. If I'm walking on the beach I'm looking for unusual shells. Apparently the love of seashells runs in the family as I now have incorporated some of my father's shells. I love the variety of color and shape and love learning about the animals that left them.

When I saw Donna Greenberg's latest installations of underwater polymer, I knew I had to use my seashells as inspiration to create my own polymer beach segment. It was such fun to develop the shells. The following pictures show the development of the mushroom coral.

Basic shell shape

I cut each oval in half and used a paper punch for the holes.

I stacked each half and put a wire through them to create a circle.
Find the finished mushroom coral below in another photo.

I experimented with many shapes and as I finished one I like, it went into the storage container.

The beginning batch of polymer shells

Deciding how many were enough and how many were too much.

The most fun shell I made was the water bear's egg. In reality it is minute but it was such fun I made it bigger!

Preview of placement

Should I leave everything white and shades of white or should I create a sandy illusion of a beach? My choice - create the illusion of a beach. First I added lots of water to my acrylic paint pallet of beige, blue and green. Then I added sand to the paint and brushed it over the canvas. Since water flows in one direction, I made the strokes go in one direction. After the paint dried I was delighted when the sand really stuck to the canvas. And then I added the polymer shells with superglue.

This project was such fun. I enjoyed exploring the shapes in polymer and the subtle use of color. It will hang on the wall in the next 'Changing of the Colors' at Prescott Art Market.

20" x 20" Seashell Inspiration

Collaboration - sharing knowledge

2019-01-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

Collaboration - Wood and Polymer

Collaborating is a wonderful way of achieving success in producing unusual products and in developing friendships. Throughout my interior design career I collaborated with my clients as we set out their goals for the projects. I collaborated with many craftsmen and artists to develop those goals into finished products.

After my retirement I realized I could use those same skills to work with other artists and craftsmen in creating art.

before finishing and insetting polymer

Complete

As my older brother increased his skills in woodworking I wanted to see how we could work together. Cynthia Tinapple's work with insetting polymer clay into wood gave me the idea to combine my brother's wood turning with my polymer art.

Stroppel cane inset

The success of collaborative work seems to be based on recognition, trust, authenticity and passion. I knew I would have to learn more about woodworking terms and my brother Dave would have to learn more polymer language to enable us to really understand each other's requirements. We both enjoy being recognized for our expertise. We both are passionate about using our talents and are excited about sharing with each other. We began the collaboration!

Dave sent me a wood turned vase with grooves cut per our discussions and I created polymer strips made in the stroppel cane technique. I cured the polymer after insetting it and mailed it back.My brother lives in Kansas and as much fun as this collaboration was, the shipping was expensive. We reviewed the process by phone and email. We decided that I would make more polymer designs, ship those with instructions for him to inset them and cure them. This process took time, some experimentation and instructions.

It worked, we were both pleased about creating a new product together. The reward is an increased respect for each other's passion and our work is showcased in a gallery in Kansas!

Dave's finished piece

Collaboration is about working together in partnership to create an end result. It is about listening and sharing. I had to be willing to explain and share my knowledge while trusting that I was receiving the same from my brother. It's that way with all collaboration. One has to be willing to share their knowledge and skills with another. It's not about giving away secrets but about increasing both parties knowledge and skills while sharing and creating a better product. The end result is always a better product and a better understanding of your partner.

Words and Actions for 2019

2018-12-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Courage like a muscle it must be used and respected.

Strength like a muscle it must be exercised.

Patience like a muscle it takes time to develop.

Persistence like a muscle it must not be forgotten.

I think I'm going to post these thoughts where I can see them several times a day!

There are so many aspects of my life where their reminder will be useful.

Happy New Year to you all!

The Season for Dazzling Colors

2018-11-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

Elegant jewel tones are one of this season's best trends! Sapphire blues, deep rich purples, vibrant reds and luxurious gold get everyone's attention. But too much of these colors overpower most of us. One easy way to stay in the holiday fall/winter trend is to add them in small amounts. A pair of earrings that combine royal blue and gold with a gold necklace, a chunky colorful choker, a luxurious one of a kind pendant are all great options to create an unforgettable outfit. Once we get comfortable with wearing these elegant colors in small amounts, it's just another step to a vivid fushia blouse or a dramatic emerald green scarf. Lots of ways to add dazzling colors to our wardrobes!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/561910957/colorful-pendant-purple-gold-and-green?ref=shop_home_active_17

https://www.etsy.com/listing/561931081/dark-blue-and-gold-drops-shiny-blue?ref=shop_home_active_20

https://www.etsy.com/listing/80437132/romantic-purple-necklace-etched-glass?ref=shop_home_active_31

https://www.etsy.com/listing/605581126/circle-purple-pendant-round-handmade?ref=shop_home_active_5&frs=1

Using Old Polymer Canes To Create Ikat Pattern

2018-11-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

One evening while I was on Facebook, I came across a 2 part tutorial by https://www.facebook.com/Amatistart62/ It shows making an Ikat pattern using old canes and I was hooked! Following is a pictorial with some explanation of the process I used after watching her video. It's a great video worth watching.

Many of us have old canes that we aren't sure what to do with but don't want to toss them or smash them up for scrap. I found this to be a very interesting way to use them.

These are the two canes I decided to use.

I flattened the brown flower cane after conditioning by squeezing it

Then I ran it through the pasta machine and the colors stretched into stripes.

The colors are blended by folding the clay color to color and running it through the pasta machine

You can see the subtle pattern. Thin slices are cut and placed against each other on a black ground.

It is important to use the end cuts next to each other and to shift the pattern slightly.

You can begin to see the Ikat pattern (shifting colors).

The piece on the left is before cutting the thin strips and the piece on the right has been run through the pasta machine to smooth the surface. As you can see this is a subtle pattern.

This cane has lots more color and should make a more vivid Ikat design.

I've cut it and stacked the pieces

This is mashed into the start of stripes

Here you can see the stripes after running through the pasta machine.

Look at the ends of the slab to see the colors of the Ikat. This is the side that will be sliced and placed next to each other.

The top slab before it is cut. The bottom slab shows the end cuts placed next to each other.

The top slab is ready to be cut into shapes to be cured. It is smooth from running through the pasta machine and burnishing.

Next week I'll show the finished pieces and a few others from canes I've used to achieve the Ikat effect.