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:
The Glotzer Have Landed!
July 9, 2018
Inspirational Art
Guest Blog post by Christi Friesen
Have you noticed what Georg Dinkel has been up to lately? He’s been creating an array of surreal pieces that are some of the most interesting little characters I’ve ever seen.
But wait there’s more! Georg is a master photographer, so he has observed these Glotzer creatures in the wild, preserving their spirit of adventure and exploration through his captivating images.
When you hear someone talk about an artist having a “voice” it means that their work is distinctly their own. You know who the artist is without having to search for the credit because it’s instantly recognizable. Georg has a voice and it’s been loud and clear lately!
Oh! And he’s just launched his new website, including the store where you can get one of his amazing creations before they are all gobbled up. Of course, you won’t be able to get Glotzer #10, because it’s already on the way to me!
I think that one of the most wonderful things about following the work of an artist who has a distinct style is watching it evolve, grow and become more “itself”… something for us all to think about as we explore our own creative paths.
In the meantime, the Glotzer have landed. Brace yourselves.
Don’t forget to check out Christi’s new book coming out soon. It’s going to be a great summer for reading! And creating! Link to new book site:
https://www.christifriesen-workshops.com/ebooks
To Be Inspired By
July 6, 2018
Inspirational Art
Guest Blog Post by Kathleen Nowak Tucci
Inspiration: a feeling of enthusiasm you get from someone or something that gives you new and creative ideas.
When I saw the photo of a fiery-throated hummingbird by Jess Findlay, inspiration struck. On my worktable, there were corrugated recycled aluminum Nespresso coffee capsules in the shape of fans and I finally knew what I would do with them. The idea percolated for months and it wasn’t until I was participating in a residency in Mexico that I had time to work on the idea. In Mexico, I had a full month to experiment and refine a necklace that was inspired by the photo of the hummingbird and a year later I made an entire dress and headpiece using the same inspiration.
Interestingly, another person taken by the same photo recreated it in colored pencils. A different medium was used but it was virtually identical. This was not inspired but rather, everything about it, the color, composition, and position of the image, had been copied. It is not enough to change mediums for it to not be a copy!
So how can you be inspired by another artist’s creations but not copy them? Be inspired by the combination of color, by their balance of color, their arrangement of objects, their use of textures, etc. Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook have made it very easy to collect images of art but resist the urge to collect images made in the same category that you work. Don’t have a photo of another artist’s work in front of you or study another artist’s work so thoroughly that you reproduce their style or aesthetic. Take your own photos and use them for inspiration. Use a word or feeling and not an image for your next creation. Be inspired!
Copy: to make a similar or identical version of; reproduce.
Kathleen Nowak Tucci’s multimedium jewelry using polymer and recycled materials will be featured on Season 5 of Netflix’s Grace and Frankie. Follow Kathleen on Instagram and Facebook.
Hummingbird dress photo by East Hill Photo.
Boho Beads
July 4, 2018
Inspirational Art
Guest Blog Post by Alison Lee
How much fun to be a guest blogger and share with even more readers about art, craft, and inspiration. Thank you, Sage.
I’m not a polymer clay artist but a polymer clay enthusiast to be sure. Of course, it is always to my delight to have a polymer artist join us at CRAFTCAST.com to teach and share their techniques and passions. It’s a privilege to have watched hours of artists’ demonstrations while preparing for our online classes!
The artist I wanted to share today is Tanya Mayorova. I think she started following me first on Instagram and I followed back.
I don’t know a lot about her except that she is Russian and I love what she creates. As soon as I saw this necklace of Tanya’s, though, I was hooked. She uses polymer clay, beads, cord, hardware, agate, wood, and wire. The color palette makes me long for a jaunt to the beach and the textures and shapes simply make me smile.
These “boho beads” spoke to me as well. The colors and patterns are just scrumptious. I love getting a glimpse into other people’s color palette choices. It’s a peek into someone’s visual viewpoint. Always inspiring to me. There is depth and contrast in her choices of color and design, plus an overall golden glow that adds a royal elegance. Her findings compliment the beads as well.
Enjoy her Instagram page and her website.
Alison Lee runs www.CRAFTCAST.com, an online resource for polymer clay and other craft tutorials with master artists and teachers from around the world.
Thread and Clay
July 2, 2018
Inspirational Art
Guest Blog Post by Stéphanie Kilgast
Justyna Wołodkiewicz mixes embroidery with polymer clay in an always poetic way.
She seamlessly binds traditional arts to very contemporary ones, resulting in often abstract and always mesmerizing works of art.
Her work vacillates between organic shapes and precise geometry with a dash of oddity. Eyes and sad or sleepy faces often inhabit her embroidery hoops.
Her world is one of colors, and she effortlessly mixes hues and shades, giving each sculptural work a different set of emotions.
Her artist’s name, “Nibyniebo,” translates into “just like the sky,” and just like the sky, her work is an evidence of poetry that will resonate within you.
You can follow her artistic journey on Instagram and also buy certain of her pieces on her website.
Stéphanie Kilgast shares and teaches her craft through video and online tutorials. Find them at www.petitplat.fr and follow her on Instagram @petitplat.
Moody Creatures
June 29, 2018
Inspirational Art
Guest Blog Post by Donna Greenberg
We don’t seem to talk much about emotion or mood in polymer art. We share a lot about color, design, construction, and problem-solving, which are all necessary and practical ideas, but seem to shy away from work that is clearly emotional, thought-provoking or even frightening. Although not a polymer artist, Beth Cavener’s work takes this subject head on with her large-scale animal sculptures and offers us food for thought, especially those of us that love to create human or animal sculptures.
Hares, foxes and other familiar and beloved creatures in folklore are given uncanny human-like facial and bodily expressions, making us look twice at Cavener’s sculptures. Occasionally she will even add a decidedly human body part to the animal, yet manages to do this in such a way as to make it seem quite natural. Her creatures seem to have been frozen in a moment of action, often expressing fear, uncertainty or other primitive human instincts. If we look closely, we can almost see our own human emotions reflected in them. It’s not always comfortable to witness these works, but Cavener’s attention to every detail, exquisite craftsmanship and control of the narrative masterfully lures us into her world nonetheless.
Her sculptures are also technically brilliant. The artist methodically goes through multiple steps during weeks and months of creating thumbnail sketches and numerous small maquettes, and then makes many changes in designing the right armature before she even starts on her final work. Yet as traditional as some of her methods are, she still has no fear of flouting “rules” when it comes to achieving her desired look. Interestingly, Cavener ignores most ceramic glaze-type finishes in exchange for basic household latex paint, an action that is often frowned upon in purist ceramic circles. Keeping a limited color palette helps support the mood as well as shows off her prodigious sculptural handwork. Surprisingly as well, she will sometimes incorporate classical delft porcelain colors with elegant Japanese-style tattoo designs such as those on the snake in “Tangled Up in You” which adds a soft, accepting moodiness to an otherwise disturbing subject. Combining all these disparate artistic goals in any single piece could easily become a messy affair for many of us, but in the hands and mind of a master like Cavener, it all comes together beautifully.
See more of Beth Cavener’s striking work at her website.
Check out the new “BioSystem” wall works from Donna Greenberg on Facebook. This is a brand new series incorporating her love of organic forms such as lichen, fungi, and corals with her interest in painted details in a true wall-hung format. Her self-challenge is in combining multiple intricate complex forms with a limited color palette to create depth and dimension with a strong yet subtle outcome. Visit Donna’s website here.
The Inspiration of Children
June 27, 2018
Inspirational Art
Guest Blog Post b
y Debbie Crothers
When visiting the website of Perth-based porcelain artist Fleur Schell, my immediate reaction is to smile. Fleur’s work has such a whimsical, carefree style and makes me stop and take a breath. There is so much to explore and as I do so, I find myself getting lost in the detail.
Her restrained use of color is just beautiful and being the color junkie I am, I find this surprisingly refreshing and calming. It also helps us really “look” at each piece.
Her children, Harry and Heidi, are a huge inspiration and it appears that Fleur delights in creating whimsical worlds for them, almost like savoring their childhood and celebrating their innocence and differences. This particular artwork title sang to me: “She was beautifully out of place, like the moon during the day.”
Lose yourself in the story of Fleur and her amazing sculptures by visiting her website.
Debbie Crothers shares her love of polymer, color, and craft through her blog here, with tutorials available both free and for purchase here.
Inspiration, Aspiration, and Jon Stuart Anderson
June 25, 2018
Inspirational Art
Guest Blog Post by Teresa Pandora Salgado
Van Gogh admitted to the world, “I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.” Me too, Vincent.
One of the most infuriatingly fabulous things I cannot do is make cane like Jon Stuart Anderson. Jon creates canes in a cunning palette that leans in close and whispers, “Go ahead…take your time…look at me.” And I surely do. And the world does too.
I love the way Jon cruises nimbly past the pedestrian cane crossing. He jaywalks that trodden path without ever touching the ground. Obvious contrast? He doesn’t need it, no matter how much the cane is reduced. Nor does he require new colors. Jon keeps it fresh with precision, composition, and balance. Neat trick.
Jon Anderson is known for his millefiori animals: elephants, turtles, bulls, and birds. You’ll notice the creatures have a flesh and blood sense about them, a beating heart beneath their rich robes. So you look and you look and then, just when you think you know him, Jon takes you to another fork in the road. To the left, skulls, vessels, lights. And to the right, guitars. Ohhh, the guitars.
So, go ahead. Look. Be inspired. Aspire.
See Jon’s work at his website here.
Teresa Pandora Salgado is a polymer clay artist, designer & instructor from Los Angeles, California. She has made 87 YouTube tutorials which have garnered over 2 million hits from viewers in 151 countries. In addition to teaching live workshops on millefiori complex caning across the U.S., Teresa helms the online store, Tiny Pandora Crafting Boutique, which featuresMilll her specialized tools and kits.
Romancing the Stone
June 22, 2018
Inspirational Art
Guest Blog Post by Christi Friesen
Well, Sage is off on an adventure, and some of us agreed to jump in to keep the blog posts going so she could rest easy, knowing all is well.
Bwahahahahahahaha! If only she had known that I would use her blog for my own nefarious purposes!
Actually, she said I could use it to promote my upcoming new book, “Do You See What I See?” My new book will be out at the end of August. I’ve got all kinds of very tantalizing incentives such as a book bundle (including combos with a limited edition silkscreen with Creative Nudge Cards, with original sketches from the book and more!).
Ok, back to the regularly scheduled informative blog content …
Stones, crystals, and minerals are naturally interesting and often spectacularly beautiful. I always love seeing an artist who uses a beautiful stone in their artwork to make something more amazing than either stone or art would be separately.
I’ve long admired the repoussé work of jewelry artist Linda Kindler Priest, who is a master at this skill, and her work has helped me learn more about how things go together in my own work.
A good example is her “Polar Bear on Ice” brooch. The quartz crystal cluster she chose to combine with her golden bear repoussé piece could actually be ice! Brrrrrrr.
As you know, polymer and stones go together beautifully too. Almost every stone, mineral, or crystal can be worked into your polymer creation and baked together. Just something to think about when you make your next creation.
You can find more of Linda’s work on her website.
A Mosaic Tease
June 20, 2018
Inspirational Art
One more little tease before I go off. This is a brand-new Christi Friesen piece she created just for the new book, Polymer Art Projects—Organics, for which we will have discounted pre-sale opportunities when I get back in a couple of weeks.
Christi has been playing around a lot with mosaics and shares her techniques for creating polymer mosaic pieces and then applying them on variously shaped surfaces. This covered tin box is a textural jungle gym for the fingers. She mixes the busy, hard-edged mosaic pieces with the soft, organic flowing shapes and surface variations. This is all done over a tin box. Her tutorial is wonderfully detailed and allows some room for those people who like to change things up a bit as they go along, making their own unique version. Which, I think, is the end goal of working through tutorials—to learn the skills to make your own unique, self-expressive work. All the tutorials in this book will give you that opportunity if that’s what you want.
I thought it was also apropos to share this particular piece because Christi’s inspiration for this is Gaudi, as in Antoni Gaudí whose work can be found all over Barcelona. And that is exactly where I’m heading to tomorrow! For three days I’m going to take in all the Gaudi and fabulous Spanish food I can manage. So with that, I leave you in the hands of my generous artist friends, starting with Christi guest-blogging on Friday. ¡Hasta luego!
See more of Christi’s mosaics on her website and stay tuned here or get our newsletter, which you can sign up for on our website here, to be one of the first to hear when the new books are ready to order.
A Wave and a Tease
June 18, 2018
Inspirational Art
As of Thursday, I will be out of the country, gallivanting about with my family in Europe for a couple of weeks. Per doctor’s orders, I am trying to completely unplug so I will post something for you Wednesday and then, after that, you’ll have the pleasure of hearing from a number of other well-respected and accomplished artists as they share work by some favorite artists of theirs. It should be a nice, refreshing, change of pace for a couple of weeks, for you and I.
While I am gone, my assistant, Sydney, will be will be working away on our upcoming books we officially announced last week. Her first order of business will be working on the invitation list for the 2018 edition of Polymer Journeys, slated to come out in October. Consideration for inclusion in the book is by invitation only and although we have quite the list going already, we want to make sure we don’t miss anybody because you don’t have the right email or we’re simply not aware of what you’re doing. If you think your work should be included, see the details below.
Sydney will also be orchestrating the continued work on our first Polymer Art Projects tutorial collection – Organics. We’ll share the cover and set you up for pre-sale opportunities soon after I get back in mid-July. But, in the meantime, I’m going to be a terrible person and tease you by sharing a couple of pieces you will be able to make from the upcoming Projects book. Not to get you overly excited too early but I’m excited and dying to share some of this with you.
Here are variations on a pendant necklace that Debbie Crothers will teach you how to make in her tutorial in the book. She shares a number of her lovely surface treatments as well as a creative polymer clasp and other wonderful accents and touches. I asked Debbie to be part of this book because of her colorful, well-designed, but loose-feeling approach to surface design. She shows you how to complete a version of one of these but you’ll be able to easily take from the skills she teaches and create unique pieces of your own.
If you don’t follow Debbie and her blog, you can do so here. She often throws out little freebie tutorials as well as selling her fun and engaging video tutorials on her site here.
Polymer Journeys Invitations: If you were invited to participate in Polymer Journeys last time, you will be in the pool for the initial rounds to choose who gets invitations but please update us with your most recent email if it has changed since then. If you have not been previously invited but would like to be because your work represents some of the best that polymer has to offer and/or are contributing to the polymer community in unique or significantly supportive ways, you can request consideration for an invitation.
To be considered, fill out an invitation request here. Note that making a request does not guarantee an invitation as we are limited to 250 invitations and so we will narrow down the list in the first round before invitations are even sent out. Invitations go out mid-July. Submissions of work completed between 2016 and 2018 will be due in early September. If you have questions while I’m out, you can write Sydney at connect[at]thepolymerarts.com.
