The Convergence of Like Materials
As I mentioned last week, I was very excited to have a metal clay article for this issue. I have been wanting to do one for a while, especially since Metal Clay Artist magazine was forced to close their doors. I spent a lot of time conversing with the editor of MCAM, Jeannette Froese LeBlanc, trying to find a way to integrate our periodicals so they could continue to provide articles to metal clayers, but this market is a big challenge. Jeanette eventually went onto create Creative Fire, an online periodical, presented blog style, with in-depth and magazine-quality posts. If you are interested in metal clay, you need to subscribe to the free posts there.
It was through those conversations that I was steered to Dawn Stubitsch who so kindly agreed to write The Polymer Arts magazine’s first metal clay article. Dawn has been working in polymer for quite a while and only found metal clay as a way to create more durable bails for her pendants. The combination resulted in some truly unique pendants, like the one you see here. The bail is not just something added as a functional necessity, but it is the real focal point of the pendant. You don’t even think about it being a bail; it’s that strong center that holds all the riotous colors and patterns together.
I’m hoping Dawn’s article, with its clear direction and many tips, will get polymer clayers to consider giving metal clay a try. We use a lot of the same tools and many polymer skills translate quite directly to metal clay. As with many of the articles in the Spring issue, which focuses on the convergence of polymer and similar or complementary materials, we hope you see how expanding materials to use with polymer so greatly expands your creative potential with clay.
For more pieces from Dawn, go to her Flickr page, or check out her Facebook artist’s page where you can find shots from her work table that will complement what you see in the article, as well as more of her work.
Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Create or design a functional part of a piece as the focal point. It could be bail, an ear wire, or a necklace or bracelet clasp. If you are creating decor, it could be the handle, knob, latch, feet, or lid of the piece. Or if you’re creating a sculpture, make the base or wall hanging a well considered and important piece of the composition. Make it so the part in your craft art that is necessary for function comes across just as, or more than, necessary for the design.
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