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:
Bubbles, Dots and Cupped Flowers
August 16, 2014
Inspirational Art
After a week of studying dense and mostly random repetition of elements, I thought some of you might be looking for some ideas to play with using this design concept, so today I brought you a few ideas.
Ponsawan Sila has an easy mokume gane tutorial using bubble-like elements to create a dense surface texture. She flattens hers, but I was thinking, just keep the raised spots, and maybe create a denser bubble pattern then indent the middle of each bubble for additional dimension. I think that would look interesting.
http://polymerclaybeads.blogspot.fr/2007/02/blog-post.html
If you want just some simple, fun repetition that could get you in the zen mode dot after dot, try this tutorial from Marina, known as Paper World Mary on Blogspot.
http://bond-mary.blogspot.com/2010/04/blog-post.html
If you were admiring some of the cupped shapes and flowers we saw, how about this cupped flower tutorial by Olga Fufygin.
(Click on the image for a larger view. There seems to be a problem with the image coming up on the blog page it’s from.)
Here’s to hoping you get some time for clay play! Have a great weekend.
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: Crochet & Pearls
August 15, 2014
Inspirational Art
Today’s outside inspiration, a bit of crochet jewelry by Russian crafter by Zaji Galochka, has a little of all the things we’ve talked about this week. There is repetition and the crowding of the duplicated elements. Then there is an example of both an orderliness with an organic movement and a lack of precision. Plus, it’s just a lovely piece! The shine of the hard, round pearls plays a lovely contrast to the soft, rippling texture and looseness of the crocheted leaf shapes. Additionally, there’s a great dichotomy in the color scheme between the two sides.
I just wish the center bead was something else, maybe a large, dark-colored pearl or a rough, textured bead with a soft color that would straddle the contrast between the pearl and crochet elements. I wonder if the artist chose this bead in order to create a more dynamic focal point. Anything at that center, bottom point of a piece where the shapes and colors meet will be a focal point, even if it’s an open and empty crocheted circle. I don’t usually discuss ways to improve pieces, but this is so lovely in every other regard, I just would love to have seen it take one more step towards the elemental unity. Of course, some of you may disagree, finding it perfectly done as is. That is the wonderful thing about art; it reads differently for different people.
I found this piece on Deviant Art, which has some of the most fantastic artists, but is sometimes a little difficult to dig through. All the information and items I could find for Zaji are on her page here. If you like this piece try searching Pinterest or Google images for more crocheted art jewelry. There is some amazing work out there, much of which I could see inspiring many a polymer artist with their handy extuder by their side.
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.
Crowded Elegance
August 14, 2014
Inspirational Art
I knew it was not likely that I would get through a week about repetition and crowded aesthetics without bringing in Cynthia Toops. I tried, but of all the artists I can think of, no one really beats her degree of repetitious elements that is a portrayal of beauty rather than something that tips into chaos or excess.
This tube necklace really drives home the idea that no matter how machined and perfect the elements, the crowded disorder of their assemblage is going to read as organic. Every element here was created with a precision tool or skill set, from the extruded tubes to the carefully chosen gradation of colors, and then to the elegant high-sided bezels the polymer tubes are packed into. It is easy to sense the care in the craftsmanship, but the precision may be hidden. You see this and still think of bunches of flowers, a meadow dense with wildflowers or the flowering of yarrow plants and the like, don’t you? It’s that very slight variation in color and height of each standing tube that sways our thoughts to the natural settings. A simple idea, but the results are complex, rich and rather intense in a quiet, elegant way.
From their amassed tubes to dense string of pods, and on to micro mosaics, Cynthia and her collaborator, Dan Adams, really crowd it in and continue to awe and delight us along the way. If you’ve never visited their website, take a a little trip through some of these beautifully packed spaces.
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.
Nature Undermines Manmade
August 13, 2014
Inspirational Art
I was hoping to find a piece as crowded with random repeated elements as we’ve had the last two days, but without the obvious organic element to see how that affects the design. However, that has been rather hard to find. Once the repetition is applied in random order, any man-made, machined or polished characteristics of the elements start to lose their innate sense of precision and inanimate nature. It would seem that the randomness itself speaks to us of nature. Then I found this piece by Katy Schmitt that is shiny, polished and bright, but the crowded design actually has some order to it. Yet, it still has a subtle, but definite organic nature to it. Why is that?
Well, there are a couple glaring things here. One, the overlapping application is reminiscent of natural things like scales and pine cones. And the colors and circling design of the canes are basically peacock feather eyes. Nature, of course, has it’s own orderly design that we also gravitate to. Repeated, crowded and yet, orderly; however, not perfect as in machined, but perfectly natural.
Orderly and natural combined elements dominant Katy’s work. Enjoy more of her work on her Flickr photostream and her own 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.
Masses of Flowers
August 12, 2014
Inspirational Art
In all of the comments and emails that I received regarding yesterday’s post, it seems as if we find nature’s masses of similar items most alluring.
Flowers are, of course, an obvious example. Nature packs them in bunches on bushes, in small explosions of colors in meadows and amassed across the canopy of trees in the spring.
So, I went looking for a polymer example, and there are plenty of them, but I particularly like this bracelet due to the likeness of the flowers in shape and size, with just a little change in color. I think this is more nature’s type of design versus the lovely, but very varied designs of the more ornate floral pieces we have seen so much of the last few years.
This was created by a Russian artist who lists her name as Valeria-Maslova in her Livemaster shop. She has a lot of lovely items in her shop, which include more masses of flowers, circles and colonies of shapes that will intrigue you. I am off to keep working on polishing up the next issue, and as you all suggest, I will head off in search of more of these designs to share with you.
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 Attraction of Many
August 11, 2014
Inspirational Art
There has been an aesthetic concept I have been thinking about ever since I posted Dorothy Siemen’s wall piece, Colony two weeks ago. Why is it that we find beauty, comfort or some kind of attraction to items that have repeated and crowded patterns? They make wonderful, energy-filled compositions, and they are filled with texture and richness by the way they thoroughly fill the space. Let’s contemplate this thoroughness as we enjoy some gorgeous art this week.
This piece, by Greece’s Helen P. of Eleins Kingdom on Etsy, is pretty typical of the look I am talking about. Such an approach can carry a piece with little or no color. It does not need any particular order or structure, and there is no pattern or set of lines to follow. Just the same kind of shapes repeated over and over. Why do we like this?
My initial theory is that it harkens back to very common natural formations like lichen, fungus, barnacles, etc. We recognize something organic and inherently beautiful in the abundance and growth of such formations. Or do we?
Let’s start this week by you telling me what you think. Do you find you have an especially strong attraction to this kind of artwork and/or this kind of thing in the natural world and maybe that is why we are attracted to it? Or do you have another theory? Put your thoughts in the comments at the end of the blog post (if you are getting this by email, click on the header of this post to get to the post page), and I’ll aim to use those thoughts to steer the discussion this week.
See more of this crowded, repeated type of work in Helen’s Etsy shop. This type of approach is her primary thing, so you’ll have a chance to ponder it in quite a few more iterations.
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 Fall 2014 cover of The Polymer Arts & 2015 Themes!
August 9, 2014
Inspirational Art
A lot of great news over here this week. First …
The cover for Fall 2014 is ready for viewing! Yay! Here you see the newest cover for the Fall 2014 issue themed “Time to Play” with a beautiful wall piece by the talented Tammy Durham. Subscribe, Renew, or Pre-order single issues today to be sure you are in the first mailing that goes out. The files and mailing list go to the printer on the 19th, so purchase before then!
The second set of very exciting news is … The Polymer Arts 2015 Themes have been decided!
–Spring 2015: Diversity – We chose this word to encompass all the many mixed media and contrast suggestions. Certificate Winner: Danette Kazala
–Summer 2015: Connecting – Connecting, connected and connections were all direct suggestions from readers and can encompass so much; from visually cohesive design to adhesives, to cold connections to networking and community, etc. Certificate Winner: Beth Petricoin
–Fall 2015: Elements – This was not a suggested theme, but one we devised to include the many suggestions for mosaics (as in the many pieces/elements in one), organic/natural elements as well as ancient and found inspiration (elemental and/or worn by the elements). Certificate Winner: Claire Fairweather
–Winter 2015: Hidden – This was also a way to includes great suggestions like boxes, etching/carving into clay techniques, translucents and business secrets (as in hidden opportunities). Certificate Winner: Sue Hammer
Thank you to everyone who sent in suggestions. Nearly every suggestion brought up some good idea that fed into the creation of these themes or article ideas we have set aside for further exploration.
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: Extruded Fall
August 8, 2014
Inspirational Art
This is the look of fall I think of as the season approaches.
The burning colors of orange-reds with yellows against ashy whites. But then, I live in Colorado where the aspen trees light the Rocky Mountains on fire as they change from lush to stark. These pieces are extruded wall vases. That is extruded ceramic clay. I really want to see that extruder. It must be amazing! I hope it has a motor.
Luckily, artist Michael Macone, is aided by his two sons, Miles and Clayton, (does anyone else find it funny that he named one of his kids Clay-ton?), so whatever extruding they do, it’s not one set of hands and arms on that. Michael looks to be best known for a unique engraving technique he developed that allows him to etch his designs right into the clay, rather than placing them only on the surface. This looks to be the technique on the top-end tiles of these vases. But, I just really like that simple twist to them. It allows more than one side to show from any view and gives it a bit of movement.
As in polymer, classic fall colors are fairly popular in ceramics, probably more so since earthen clay in these earthy warm-colored glazes go so well together. If you are looking for natural fall palettes, perusing through ceramic arts on Pinterest, Flickr or Google images will bring you many wonderful and inspiring combinations.
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.
All Autumnal
August 7, 2014
Inspirational Art
Searching for brighter fall colors in the suggested colors from Pantone’s 2014 fall collection has been a fruitless effort. It doesn’t seem that this year’s collection of colors is really the in-thing with the crafters. I rather agree. Individually there are some great colors in there, but these are not the color combinations that craft people from any medium seem to be geared towards. So, I’m rebelling, and instead, I am going to show you a very classic autumn palette and imagery. Because aren’t these what we love about the fall?
This set is by a Ukrainian artist who lists herself only as Aleksanta. The organic is definitely her thing and in particular, faux looks; leaves, flowers, stone, wood and especially, patinaed metal. The antiqued texture and the richness of those orange petals combined with the blue-green of the patina-look is just lovely. This is classic autumn beauty. I say, we have to have those oranges! All that Pantone suggested this fall was a neutral looking brown; nothing even close to orange. Nope. Give me those copper and rust colors; that eggplant and Bordeaux! Okay, Pantone did suggest a decent Sangria red, and the Cypress green is really nice. But, yes, I think I’ll create from my own fall palette this year. But, that’s just me.
I do like exploring the forecasted colors that Pantone puts out, but I also reserve the right to ignore them. In the end, your work is your expression, and if you have a color combination you prefer for the season, go for it! Your enthusiasm and excitement over personally satisfying color combinations will shine through and make the work far more appealing to your potential customer than a palette you were lukewarm about in the beginning. Create what pleases you, and the customers will follow.
If you would like to investigate more work by Aleksanta, she has plenty of pages to choose from, including her LiveJournal pages, her LiveMaster shop and her VK social network page.
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.
Carded Fall
August 6, 2014
Inspirational Art
Have you ever tried your hand at art trading cards (ATC)? I am rather partial to them; although, I haven’t had the chance to do one in a while. They are such stress-free types of creations because you know you are trading them with other artists who will appreciate your time and your creativity regardless of trends. You are not making them to sell, so you don’t worry about whether buyers will like them. There is no engineering of them like jewelry and no durability concerns as you would have with functional items. They are purely art and you doing whatever you like.
This whole idea of working without constraints or judgement is part of what the article in the next issue of The Polymer Arts, “Time to Play” will discuss. Allowing yourself the freedom to be creative without restriction or demands. Such playful creation is necessary to keep your creativity fresh and keep the childlike curiosity in you that pushes you to grow and discover, alive and well.
So, if you have a fall palette chosen, why not create a card or ten? That way, you can play with the combinations, the imagery and the textures that you are considering for use in the upcoming autumn season.
Daniela D’Uva of Alkhymeia is the creator of this very fall-esque ATC. All those swirls and the lines of dots running alongside them actually convey movement and a sense of growth in a classic autumn copper and moss green palette. And why not? More than a farewell to summer, fall is about the last push from nature to ripen its bounty while it the hails the impending Winter.
I am a huge fan of Daniela’s polymer and wire combinations, as well as her full consideration regarding the back sides of her pieces. Her wonderful jewelry and other work can be found on Flickr and her own 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.
