The Party is in Full Swing. Come join us!
May 31, 2023
Polymer community news, The Polymer Arts magazine news
What party is this? The latest project from little ol’ me, Sage. The Sage Arts podcast is more than up and running… I have 25 episodes up as of this posting, ready on your favorite podcast player (New to Podcasts? Click here to find out how easy it is to enjoy them!) and a new one coming out every week.
What’s This Podcast All About?
This podcast is all about feeding and exciting your muse. By enlightening or reminding you about important and maybe unconsidered aspects of creating and living as an artist, I hope to help you find more joy and satisfaction in what you do, sharing ways to create with authenticity and fearlessness, while supporting your uniquely defined version of success.
Now what the heck does that all mean? Well, let’s look at what this is and what this is not…
It IS…
… a way to consistently feed your muse
… all about you. Myself, my guests, and my guest co-hosts speak to the issues, curiousity, and hurdles that you as a creative deal with on a regular basis.
… focused on creating a more fulfilling, joyful, and meaningful artistic journey.
… a conversation that goes both ways with lots of opportunities for you to be heard.
It is NOT…
… all about polymer clay or any one medium, as it’s important stuff for all artistic folks.
… focused on “how-to” or the latest tools and materials.
… just interviewing successful artists and talking at you. Rather it is like a coffee house chat or other friendly gather and I include you, the listener, in every way I can.
I created this podcast to supercharge your creativity, motivation, and artistic style through novelty, story, conversation, and community. Everyone has how-tos and ways to increase your sales – valiant and necessary stuff, of course! But what does your muse need? What does your work and your love of your art need to thrive? That’s where I want to help.
I aim to give artists ways to further hone their unique voice, increase their joy and productivity, and create a version of artistic success that is meaningful, satisfying, and anything but ordinary.
Come Join the Conversation
If you have something to share, would like to be a guest (for a chatty interview), or be a guest co-host (you and I banter on a particular subject) drop me an email me via my contact page on the show website: https://thesagearts.com/contact/ or send a voice mail (use the red button on that same site, bottom right corner of any page.)
And join me on social media!
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thesageartspodcast/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheSageArtsPodcast
And don’t forget to click “FOLLOW” or that little arrow on your favorite Podcast player so you get notices of new episodes. New Episodes come out weekly on Friday evenings, barring natural disasters or other bits of interference, of course. I hope you’ll join me there, on The Sage Arts podcast!
There are new artists and creatives joining every day with tons of great things to say…
“Just what I needed!”
“I just binged-listened … and I can’t wait for more!”
“There is so much validity in your presentation…”
“Looking forward to all the thinking and creating that they prompt.”
Taste test on my RSS website: https://rss.com/podcasts/thesagearts/
Or on the podcast home website: https://thesagearts.com/
Or start with this episode:
Wiwat and His Hidden Beauties
March 25, 2014
Inspirational Art
Wiwat Kamolpornwijit’s work has fascinated me since I first laid eyes on one of his trapped rose necklaces, as I like to call them. A couple new variations on these are in the new 1000 Beads book. I, too, have a fascination with things that are wholly exposed, with caves and crevice, and what is hiding behind the screen, in the box and under the veil. Wiwat’s work presents a lot of these intriguing, partially exposed and trapped elements.
This piece is actually older. I am thinking from around 2007 but you can see that this partly hidden and trapped theme has been an ongoing vein of interest to him.
As he describes his work, “I hand-form every piece of polymer clay jewelry with no use of commercial molds. I use several techniques including caning, engraving, weaving, layering, and many others for which I don’t have names.”
Wiwat, who originally is from Thailand and currently lives in Virginia, is a Niche Awards winner for 2011 and 2013, and Saul Bell Design Award Finalist for 2011. You can be inspired by more of his work on his website.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Lark’s 1000 Beads
March 24, 2014
Inspirational Art
Just got my copy of Lark Craft’s latest in their fantastic photo book series, 1000 Beads. I am always curious, and a bit apprehensive about books that should include plenty of polymer clay because too often there has not been a great representation of our medium among the older and more readily accepted fine craft mediums. But this book is a huge exception. Polymer is found throughout this collection with a rather wide range of talent as well as technique. I would have lost myself for most of the day Saturday when I got it, if I hadn’t been in the midst of office remodeling and in a rush to get things back in workable order. But this morning … wow! A few hours of doing nothing but pouring over this book and looking up the many talented artists was such a fantastic way to start a Monday!
So I thought this week, I’d focus on and congratulate some of the polymer artists that landed their work in this latest Lark book. We only have a week so it will be but a fraction of the artists represented. But let’s look at great beads, and ones not in the book so you have more to look forward to when you get your own copy! (The official publication date is April 1st but it looks like Amazon already has them in stock.)
I was particularly thrilled to see the work of some of my favorite polymer friends including the enthusiastic and dedicated Cara Jane Hayman. She is one of those artists still exploring a wide range of techniques but her focus on refined skill and creating work not directly derivative of the artists she is learning from is inspiring. These beads were created in a Sarah Shriver workshop but they aren’t readily recognized as Shriver-esque. And they are nicely finished with a wide range of visual textures to draw you in.
Cara Jane hails from Bristol in the UK. Her background as a research scientist led her to explore and test polymer and share her findings on her blog. Cara Jane has written for us at The Polymer Arts as well as From Polymer to Art. This year is looking to be a big year for her as well, starting with demonstrating polymer alongside Donna Kato at the Paperworld show in Germany, her appearance in 1000 Beads and her upcoming role as one of our curators for the first Polymer Arts book publication. (What book, you ask? Just stay tuned and we’ll start posting information about this soon!)
You can also see more of Cara Jane’s art on her website and her Flickr pages.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
The Line Between Art and Craft
March 23, 2014
Inspirational Art
I found this video on the TedEd website (TedTalks educational series of lessons rather than talks) fascinating. Because being able to deem certain work as art versus craft gives the creator a frame work through which to price and market their work as well as offering a certain status for those deemed artist, there have been many a long debate on this subject. What most people probably don’t realize is that the idea of being an artist rather than just a skilled craftsperson is a relatively new concept for mankind, and in some parts of the world is still not a widely used concept.
This short 5 minute video goes over the history of the concept of art and how we might define craft versus art. I was not surprised at the conclusion but it does very succinctly illustrate the problem with trying to create a black and white definition. (Click on the image to get to the video.)
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Patience Paying Off
March 22, 2014
Inspirational Art
This set seems to be the first of its kind for Sydney, Australian artist, Rocky Antonio. As we have been looking at bracelets this week, here is a bracelet and necklace set with ornate attention to detail, an Art Nouveau floral feast. Sometimes I find I not only have the patience for such work but find it therapeutic, getting lost in the many little details as I build carefully on each aspect of the very evolving design.
Rocky loves to work not only with polymer clay, but also with filigrees, vintage finds, recyclable materials, paint, metal findings, and mica powders. You can see more of her work on her Flickr site or her blog spot.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Outside Inspiration: Sketching on the Inside
March 21, 2014
Inspirational Art
Here is something to consider doing with a bracelet–draw on it! And not just on the outside.
I know we so love our polymer because of the colors and textures but a subtle surface can also lend itself well to sketching or image transfers. This is not actually a bracelet but it could be. This straight sided bowl is by ceramicist Helen Beard but when I first saw this, I thought it would have made such a great bracelet. Some of my favorite pieces–in polymer and other mediums–are those with details hidden on the inside or backsides. There is also something particularly intriguing about a piece that tells a story.
According to Helen’s website, “she likes to tell a story, creating whimsical scenes that capture the insignificant yet precious moments that make up our daily lives.” Wouldn’t it be neat to have such simple stories on one’s arm as well?
Take a look at the other precious scenes Helen illustrates on her wheel thrown porcelain pots, cups, bowls and other pottery on her website.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
On the Edge of Fall
March 20, 2014
Inspirational Art
I found this bracelet awhile back but have yet to find the artist who created it. The pin leads to the www.polymerclayfimo.livejournal.com page but after searching posts for far too long, I couldn’t find it. Can our readers help us out?
I know we are so far from Autumn up here in the Northern Hemisphere but our Southern counterparts are entering the season right about now. And who can resist the beauty of rich rusts and glowing earth tones any time of year? I love the way the edges are treated in both layers, one torn and the other scored and worn looking so the feel from imagery to texture has a very soft and natural feel to it.
Ok … so who can get us some answers? We’ll update the post as soon as we find out who created this lovely piece.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Atypical Bracelets
March 19, 2014
Inspirational Art
There is actually a lot of commonality between today’s bracelets and the one’s in yesterday’s post. Like Evgeny, Andrea Zajacová also uses contrast in texture but in a more graphic manner. The concept and approach to design using contrast is similar but with a very different feel. Although obviously handmade and inexact, the bracelet is designed in sections instead of scattering the three-dimensional pieces around the whole of it’s circumference. This gives the bracelet a specific area of focus with that fully tactile texture contrasting the low visual texture of the other areas as well as high contrast in color between the purples and yellows.
Andrea posted variations of this bracelet on this blog post. Great colors palettes. And she has a lot more art to share in her store as well.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Organic Grace
March 18, 2014
Inspirational Art
This combination of organic plant and stone texture comes across as rather luscious and graceful. This creative bracelet by Russian artist, Evgeny Alexandrov, is an ode to the vivacity of natural elements. This bracelet design mirrors the feel of the rocks and the velvety moss that covers them. The succulent looking plants are fashioned with smooth surfaces, while the rock and the moss offer an enticing contrast to the tactile nature of the surfaces.
Evgeny’s work is full of luscious organic forms and the tactile textures. You can admire more of her work in her online shop.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
The Art of the Bracelet
March 17, 2014
Inspirational Art
I have avoided doing a week with the theme particular to a type of jewelry but we have a list of really amazing bracelets that I just can’t wait to share with you any longer. The reason I wanted to avoid a single form was because it could end up being a week of pieces that only inspire those that work in that form, but these bracelets I’m bringing you this week have surface treatments and textures that can apply to all kinds of polymer–from other forms of jewelry to decor and even sculpture. Even if you don’t create bracelets, much or not at all, look at what the pieces present in terms of techniques and combinations of characteristics. I think many of you will find exciting inspiration everyday this week.
This first bracelet is actually some of DDee Wilder’s older work but I think her combination of techniques, colors and forms still have lessons for us now. The combination of colors vibrate along with the sliced polymer spots stretching out on the inside of the bracelet emphasizing the spin of the curling, rippling form that makes this such a lively bracelet.
DDee has a whole series of these bracelets you can enjoy on her Flickr pages, but don’t stop there. She has many other lovely forms, textures and palettes to inspire you, no matter what forms you prefer to work in.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
Anke’s Big Beads
March 16, 2014
Inspirational Art
This is one of the newest classes over at Craft Art Edu and I just had to stop and share because, for one, they are really neat beads, and secondly, Anke has such wonderfully innovative and sophisticated designs.
It is called “Big Hollow Bead Necklace” class. Here is the link to Anke’s classes on CraftArtEdu.
German artist Anke Humpert is a true mixed media artist and Renaissance person. To see more of her work, check out her website. She is teaching several classes at Craft Art Edu, including carve your own stamps, polymer clay embellishment, heat embossing techniques, creating your own travel altar, and metallic ATCs. If you haven’t stopped by CraftArtEdu.com, join the fun and take a look and find something you want to learn.
If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.
