Happy Incidentals

So … have you had that moment yet? The moment when we just stop and stare at the bedlam that now exist in our studio space from the last few weeks of madness? With the holiday season winding down, what do we do with all the scrap canes, cut up bits of clay sheets, and half completed pieces?

I would suggest, first of all, to not relegate it all to the scrap box. Just put the bits aside. Your brain is probably overloaded if you have spent a lot of time in the studio finishing last minute orders or putting final touches on holiday gifts for friends and family, and you are probably in no shape to judge what is worth saving or not (And yes… some of us are STILL working on those final touches!). Save these for a week or so down the road when you’ve had a break and given yourself time to breathe.

When you do get back to the studio, realize that the extras and bits you have may still have some surprises left in them. Although your leftovers may no longer be useful because they were holiday specific, or they just didn’t work out for the project you created them for, if you rethink and repurpose them you may come up with some very happy incidental pieces.

Here is a charming little bug created by Kim Deters that came from an unsatisfying pink cane. She didn’t like what she originally had so she added some other canes to it and … surprise! It brought about the creation of this wonderful piece.

If you need some ideas about how to recycle or repurpose your extra bits, see our Summer 2012 issue of The Polymer Arts magazine, which is all about such ideas. (You can even see a sampling of that issue here if you don’t have your own copy yet.)

Have a great holiday weekend!