Would you say that you are primarily a polymer artist or do you work with another type of material either separate from or with polymer clay? This is a question I asked in a survey I sent out late last year. I found it interesting, although not overly surprising, that 75% of the survey respondents said they worked with another material. That would seem to indicate that the majority of us are technically mixed-media artists even if we identify as polymer artists. Not that the labeling should matter but sometimes it does. I’ve had chats with a number of artists who have felt guilty when they wander off to work with another material, as if they’re cheating on polymer clay. Of course, that’s quite silly. We are creative’s first and should be open to whatever material works for us in the moment., Besides, polymer plays so well with others that you’re unlikely to abandon your stockpile of clay. Working in another material just grows your creative circle.

Trying out a new material is also a fantastic and energizing challenge you can pose for yourself this new year. I know it can be hard to step away from something you know so well and become a newbie once again but the excitement and the humbling aspects of having to learn something new can provide a fresh injection of ideas and creative motivation that is hard to achieve any other way. When first working with a new material, it’s best to let yourself fall into a childlike state full of curiosity and a hunger to explore. And, generally, it is not that hard to do because, acknowledging you have no experience in the material, you shouldn’t have particularly high expectations of yourself. It can be wonderfully freeing.

If you are tentative to step outside the polymer focused arena but are curious about what adding another material can do for your polymer creations, look to materials that quite readily combine with polymer clay. Yeah, I know, that’s pretty much everything but let’s look at a few that plenty of mixed-media artists who work with polymer already play with.

Making New Material Friends

Some of the easiest materials to explore for a polymer focused creative are other sculpting materials. Epoxy clay, paper pulp, and air-dry clays are obvious materials to pick up. You already have most of the tools and a good base of skills to work with them. But if you want to challenge yourself a bit more, precious metal clay is tremendously exciting and can increase the actual and perceived value of your work if you sell your art. (Yes, it’s sad that people don’t always value polymer because is not a “precious” material, but that’s a discussion for another day.)

These days, precious metal clay comes in every common metal type – silver, gold, copper, brass, bronze, steel, and even iron. This means it’s doesn’t have to be nearly as expensive an investment as it used to be. Yes, ideally, you’d have a jewelry kiln (or a friend that does!)  but there are also some metal clays (primarily silver, low fire varieties) that can be cured with a small, inexpensive blowtorch. And who doesn’t like to play with fire?

Dawn Stubitsch is one of the first people I think of when it comes to combining polymer and precious metal clays. She has worked with a range of metal clays although she seems to prefer copper. She creates stunning pendants that that look like the 70s got design lessons from the Art Deco era, blending some of the best attributes of both eras.

Dawn also wrote a tutorial on creating with precious metal clay and combining it with polymer in The Polymer Arts Spring 2016 issue – Convergence. Her article is one of the best overviews of the process that I’ve seen. It will give you a great idea if this is something you want to do dive into.

Working with metal is popular for many polymer art artists, although many of them go for more traditional metalsmithing processes. This is also an area where you probably have many of the tools you would already need if you’re already working in jewelry. Adding a jeweler’s hand saw and a small blowtorch (still get play with fire!) will allow you to investigate quite a range of metalsmithing techniques.

Consider the construction possibilities of metal by looking around at artists such as Celine Charuau. She combines metal and polymer so that neither material stands out, so entranced are we with the forms and her unusual juxtaposition of them.

Celine is actually working on a new workshop focusing on “metal and polymer clay and how to connect these different elements together. No need to know how to solder, no need for specific or expensive tools and materials.” That would be the perfect opportunity to try something new. Not sure when and where that workshop will be held yet. I expect she will give notice about her workshop on Instagram and Facebook.

For very inexpensive and quick to learn alternative materials, how about beads or macramé? Or maybe both beads and macramé? Here’s an example where polymer may be the focal element but most of the energy comes from the bead and macramé design. Yulia of Multi-craft Studio on Livemaster is, a Russian currently living in India. She works in a variety of materials with a definite penchant for fiber but is well skilled in polymer as well.

Micro macramé is another technique tutorial, written by Iris Mishly, that you can find in that same Convergence issue of The Polymer Arts, if you want to try that technique out right away. Honestly, if you’re looking to try a new material to combine with polymer, pull the Spring 2016 issue out of your collection or purchase it on the website. That same issue also explores cast paper, found objects, epoxy clay and a few other intriguing mixed media ideas.

Here’s another material and art form you may not have considered mixing with polymer – embroidery! I love how easy it is to get into a flow doing embroidery, but I had never considered adding polymer to it. However, as you can see by the piece this post opened up with and the work-in-progress below, it’s a wonderful combination. Justyna Wołodkiewicz is a Polish artist who likes to say that she “stitches with clay,” which is a great summation for what she does as both materials are equally important in her compositions.

I know I only really touched on metal and fiber options here but my objective is not to give you full sampling of what is possible – because that would be impossible with polymer being as mixed-media friendly as it is – but to get you to start thinking about other materials you may not be working with at this point but have been curious about. It doesn’t even have to be about combining with polymer. Just trying a new material can inject new life into your polymer work even if the two don’t go together for you.

Take a look at these gorgeous eggs that our Chris Kapono has been hand painting while still well entrenched in working with polymer. She’s not combining her eggs with polymer, but they do both influence each other. If you’re familiar with her polymer art, you can see how her polymer designs are reflected in her egg painting. Then take a look at her Etsy shop and see how often egg shapes pops up in her polymer work. These two different materials look to be informing each other quite a bit.

Whether you go out and explore a new material or not, I do highly encourage you to just try something new. Novel experiences not only help your creativity but it keeps your brain young. Being creative in general will do that but if you do the same thing over and over again it definitely diminishes its benefits. Yes, it can take courage and a lot of hard work to develop your own distinctive voice but I don’t think there is a better high than getting those ideas and feelings you have inside of you out into the world in the form of your own unique art.

Explore Your Voice with the Virtual Art Box

Exploring and developing a unique personal voice is a big part of what I will be trying to help you with through the new Virtual Art Box project which, by the way, is now available for sign-ups on the website. If you sign up for an auto renewing subscription, you can get yourself a forever loyalty discount that will get you the Art box at the lowest possible price for as long as you’re subscribed.

Note that the forever Loyalty discount will only be available through January 31^st.

Go to the website to sign up now. With the auto renewing payment, you won’t be charged until the 1st of February and you can cancel at any time so if you are at all interested, jump over and get yourself set to receive the first virtual box. I’ll send it out on Sunday, February 2^nd.

And remember, as of next month, this blog will be an abbreviated version because only members of the Virtual Art Box will be getting the full article. I’m not deserting you completely if you can’t afford to join my clan of VAB people. I’m still dedicated to sharing and exploring mixed-media design with as many people as possible but, you know, one has to make a living while, preferably, not working oneself into an early grave by trying to do too much. So, if you like these posts, for less than $10 a month you can get the full article every weekend plus other articles, downloadable tools, videos and much more by joining the Virtual Art Box project.

It’s All in The Genes

For those who have been so kindly keeping track and nudging me to take care of my health, I’ve got a little bit of news in that area.

I’m back working a fairly full schedule although my right arm is not super happy about the situation because I keep forgetting I shouldn’t be typing with it. (I’m working, right now, with a loose rubber band around my right-hand fingers which makes it just awkward enough to remind me not to type with it. But then, I have to remember to put the rubber band on in the first place!)

The really great news is that I think we finally figured out what’s going on with my metabolism. It looks like the root cause is a genetic condition whereby I don’t process fats efficiently and end up with too much fat in my bloodstream. Not breaking down fats is, strangely enough, related to high blood sugar as fat can block the mechanism that allows insulin to move glucose into cells, causing a vicious cycle of high blood glucose, high blood insulin, and a stressed pancreas, eventually resulting in type II diabetes. This can happen if you eat a lot of fat and processed foods or because you have a stupid, annoying gene like I seem to have.

So contrary to conventional wisdom, I am on a high carbohydrate diet but, mind you it’s all whole foods, mostly plants, and I still avoid all refined sugar. And, guess what? This week I’ve had 4 days in a row of normal blood glucose testing! I know, super exciting, right?! Okay, yeah, more exciting for me, I’m sure but my blood sugar readings were in the diabetic range when this month started and I was getting really scared, so this is an amazing turnaround. Thank the powers that be for my nutritionist! I get more usable information and better results from her than anything my MD has told me or prescribed. And not just for the metabolic issue. It’s true that we are what we eat so it makes sense that what we put in our body will have such a tremendous effect on our health and medical conditions. If you’ve never seen a nutritionist, and you have anything medical you’re dealing with, go find one. It could literally change your life.

Okay, off my soapbox now. I know this is not a health blog but, hey, as many of you well know, it’s really hard to make art when you aren’t feeling well so I just wanted to share what I’ve found in case it helps any of you. Let’s take care of ourselves as best we can so we can continue to add to the beauty and wonder of our world!

Okay, enough yammering from me today. Have a wonderful, healthy, and creative week!

[If you are getting this email mid-week, my apologies. Emails sending was turned of the last few days for the blog due to late night human error. But now you have a mid-week pick-me-up!]

Have you ever used accountability to help you get something done? You know, when you tell someone else that you are going to do something and then you feel obligated to do it because somebody knows and you don’t want to tell them that you couldn’t or simply didn’t do what you said you were going to do? Most of us are pretty easily pressured by what other people think of us which can be used to our advantage when we’re trying to complete something that is difficult, scary, or just no fun. Like finding motivational goals for the new year!

Having someone else know of your plans can help you prioritize goals and just daily life. It’s why people do challenges in a group and post on social media. Your online circle of fellow challengers and followers will be expecting to see something from you and so you’re less likely to set that challenge project aside for something else.

Sometimes, though, even telling others isn’t enough to keep you on task. But what if you are working with someone else? Collaborations put a lot more pressure on us than just having someone else know you have a particular goal. We aren’t likely to step away from a project when we know someone else is expecting something from us. So, if you need something to kickstart your new year or want to take on a big project but are feeling a little overwhelmed, maybe the answer is collaboration.

The Who, Why, and What of Collaboration

As an artist, you can collaborate with anyone else who is creating. That means you could collaborate with another polymer artist, someone in another craft medium, someone who works in a traditional two-dimensional art medium, or even someone who works outside the visual arts like a writer, dancer, actor or musician. You do your thing and they do their thing under the umbrella of a particular concept or with a particular final project or event in mind. Not only are you more likely to complete your part of the project when working with another artist, the excitement and interaction with that person can give you so much energy as you’ll both generate excitement through the communication and exchange of ideas.

Have you ever collaborated with someone before? If you have are not, this is something to consider for this new year. Why is that? Let’s look at a few reasons:

• Collaboration helps you grow. Having to work within the constraints and compromises of another person’s artistic vision pushes you to go in directions that you would never have gone on your own. There’s a lot of self-discovery in collaboration.
• Collaboration can help you reach a new audience, especially if you collaborate with someone who is not working in the same medium or selling to the same market as you.
• Collaboration cuts the workload in half on big or time intensive projects which makes them more manageable, probably more enjoyable, and more likely to be completed.
• Collaboration adds a social aspect to your creative process for the duration of the collaboration. It can be hard working alone in the studio for hours or days on end, especially if you’re a full-time artist. The occasional collaboration becomes especially appreciated when you work alone a lot.
• And, as mentioned, working with someone else is extremely motivating and inspiring.

Let’s look at a few examples of polymer artist collaborating with others.

The Whole Is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

Although there are many ways to put together a collaborative project, quite commonly one person does one portion and then hands their portion off to the other person to do their share. Helen Breil and Annie Pennington did just that to create this gorgeous brooch. It started with the blue polymer framework from Helen and was finished off by Annie with her metal and felt work.

If you work in canes, trading canes with someone or sending canes to someone to work with is an easy type of collaboration. That’s what happens with the extra canes and scraps that are sent to Ron Lehocky who makes them into his wonderful hearts. The canes for these hearts were created by Jane Dwyer.

Finding someone with a similar aesthetic or style as you can really help bring a collaboration together, not to mention a friendship. Polymer’s master caner John Stuart Anderson worked with painter and sometimes sculptor Luke Brown on this Tryptamine Palace. Although it sounds like they have been friends for some time, you can only imagine what working on an intense project like this did for their friendship.

Get an even better look at this amazing piece through this video.

Here’s an interesting roundabout collaboration. Stephanie Kilgast took on the challenge of painting and adding to a sculpture produced by Moon Crane Press from a graphite drawing by Miles Johnston, a two dimensional artist working heavily in pencil as well as ink and paint. In this case, the drawing was done independently of a collaboration idea but then Moon Crane Press, who Miles already worked with, decided to create a three-dimensional image of the drawing from which sculptures could be cast. Stephanie was invited to paint and further embellish the work. I’m not sure that one could purposely re-create such a situation but it is a great example of a collaborative option to take something that has already been completed by one artist and have it further developed by another.

Stephanie’s example brings up the point that collaboration doesn’t have to be just between two people. The Into the Forest project, the Russian Quilt project, and the Fimo 50^th year Globe had dozens, if not hundreds, of people working on the same project. Most of us aren’t up for organizing things that big but if it’s manageable for a local group like your guild, you could have the whole guild work on a single project. Or three or four of you best artist friends could get together and make something any one or two of you would never have conceived of. Pretty exciting stuff, right?

Just Gotta Ask

if you are going to embark on a collaboration, be ready to ask a few tough questions and be ready to answer a few of your own. These are the kind of questions you and your collaborator(s) should both ask and answer.

• What are you hoping to get out of collaboration project? You want to keep focused on each participants purpose in taking part in the collaboration as the work progresses.
• How much time do we each have to dedicate to this project? Be realistic about how much you can do and scale back the project if necessary.
• Will the final project be sold or, if not, who will it live with or how will you share it? Not everything you make has to be sold, but if you do want to sell it, collaborative projects as charity donations will get you publicity and networking opportunities.
• What concept, theme, or vision is important to both of us? This question tends to get the ball rolling on what you want to make and allows you to get to know your artistic partner.
• Will one or both of you oversee the organizational aspect of the project? Commonly, especially if there’s more than just two people, one person will organize the timeline and process, and keep track of progress. Overseeing the project doesn’t mean that person makes all the decisions, it just means that they will keep the project on track. It’s nice to have this figured out from the start so collaborators don’t step on each other’s toes.

Keep in mind collaboration doesn’t mean the work is 50-50. If one of you wants to do a lot more than the other or the primary concept is one person’s (such as Miles Johnston’s sculpture) but is embellished or finished by another (which is what Stephanie Kilgast did with Mile’s work) it’s still a collaborative piece but you’re just working to each other’s strengths.

Also remember that collaboration is supposed to be an enjoyable and inspirational learning experience. Be patient with your partner(s) if they’re not doing what you’d expect, talk if you have concerns, and be ready to compromise. It’s kind of like a marriage – you know something great’s going to come of it but it’s a give-and-take to get there.

The State of Things

I had hoped to have sign-ups for new subscribers to the Virtual Art Box this week but unfortunately, I was not doing so well this week and had to take it easy early on. I’m back to full steam ahead now but I have some catching up to do. It will be very soon though.

Nudge Sale is Still On… For 3 more days!

Our year end Nudge Sale is almost over. All the reduced prices go back to full price after the 15^th. Right now, almost everything is on sale so if you need more inspiration at your fingertips as you set yourself up for a great creative year, hop over to the website and snatch up a great deal on beautiful print and digital publications!

Okay, I have to stop working now as I’ve got a birthday to celebrate. The tradition in my house is that the birthday person doesn’t have to do any work which, of course, makes it a struggle for this workaholic. But I’ll be good and let my dear man make me breakfast and take me to dinner and I don’t know what else. Maybe just curl up in a corner with a book. I don’t think I’ve done that for ages and ages.

If you want to help me celebrate my birthday, my preference is actually to have friends and family do something charitable. You can donate to my charity listed on Facebook – the International Rescue Committee fund which assist refugees and other displaced persons. Any bit of help that can be given to our poor Australian friends would also be wonderful. Being a big picture person, I give to the Global Recovery Fund who set up assistance for the long haul. If funds are in short supply, as they often are after the holiday season, just be kind to the world that we live in by maybe giving up one less disposable item (get a filtering water bottle and never buy bottled water again for instance) or just doing something thoughtful and kind and make someone’s day.

You all just stopping to read my yammering makes my day! Thank you and have a wonderful week!