Meet the Presenters for Polymer Art Summit: Polymer PLUS
Kathryn Corbin
Mixed Bag of Mixed Media: polymer clay and paper collage, wire mesh, and more.
This pre-recorded session will be a look at some unexpected uses of materials which extend the potentials we associate with polymer clay. Wire mesh, aka bug screen, can be either an alternative to a free-form structural support or an integrated visual element. Paper and polymer can be layered and fused to make dimensional but very light weight forms and shapes for multiple applications, including with the mesh. Add colorants that work with these media to visually manipulate or connect your mixed media creations.
Christine Dumont
Alternative Materials for Alternative Design
Introducing alternative materials into our practice offers the exciting promises of the new: novel materials, new construction solutions. For some, it may be freeing oneself from a perceived polymer clay straight jacket and a new way to differentiate ourselves as artists. Materials have their intrinsic physical, visual and emotional characteristics. A guiding principle for the designer/maker is to highlight the individuality of the materials while at the same time unify these potentially divergent elements. Learning how to resolve this tension liberates the artist by giving them a design strategy and design opportunities.
Denise Fitzsimmons
I’m Totally Wired!
I started using wire with my polymer clay projects about three years ago and I have been hooked every since. My mother was a fantastic knitter and sewer and although I did learn how to knit, I never learned how to properly sew. I wanted to see what would happen if I started sewing wire into my polymer clay pieces. That discovery was mind blowing for me! I then started adding wire in other ways to my clay pieces and adding my own wire chain with other mixed media like gemstones, fiber, glass, acrylic, ceramic, and mor, to create finished pieces unlike anything I had been producing before. I find that sewing with wire is so … well, just cool….and adding other mixed media so creative that it keeps all my pieces fresh and new.
Laura LePere
4 Ps: Paper – Paint – Polymer – Pencil
Combining polymer clay with traditional art media in collage compositions expands your artistic horizons while also being playful. In this session we’ll paint paper with abandon, add polymer clay, and then use pastel pencils and colored pencils to add details to both.
Layl McDill
Go Big & Go Crazy
When working with mixed media and polymer clay you might think you have two limitations- melting temperature and size of your oven but there are ways around both of these issues. I will talk about the various types of surfaces that don’t melt that I have baked clay on to in my many creations over the years and then spend more time on the trickier or un-bakable materials such as wood, some plastics, frames and styrofoam. I will also talk about how I’ve experimented with baking mixed found objects into pieces that do melt just a bit- like light bright pegs and game pieces.
Then, I’ll share my techniques for building large scale pieces that do not fit in the oven.
Corliss Rose
Polymer Clay & Jewelry Scale Beaded Mosaics
Learn how to create distinctive jewelry using polymer clay and beads. Demonstrations include making custom bezels from polymer clay and dimensional polymer clay forms that you could cover with raw veneer and beads. You’ll also be shown how to finish your pieces professionally and not necessarily use more polymer clay. The possibilities are endless and can encompass elements for brooches, necklaces, and bracelets. You’ll be shown applications for all.
Laura Tabakman
Polymer & Textiles
In this session I will demonstrate several textile techniques to use with polymer clay. I will use textiles, like fabrics and threads or textile techniques as structure or visual enhancement for the work, like different embroidery stitches or tassels.