365 Days of Lip Service

Mokume Gane

 

This wonderful technique is adapted from metal to polymer clay and literally can be done dozens of ways to achieve wonderful random and pattern-specific designs. First developed in Japan in the 17th Century by sword maker, Denbei Shoami. This art form is still popular with modern silver and goldsmiths in the making of high-end jewelry. The metal process is incredibly labor intensive. Fortunately with polymer clay, the various methods are much simpler and faster to achieve. I love working with metallic and deep colors, especially when creating gifts and accessories for men. The top was finished with a layer of Magic Glos resin to create the look of glass. I devote an entire chapter to some of the methods for creating Mokume Gane in my last book - "The Complete Book of Polymer Clay."  Friend, polymer clay artist and Mokume Gane innovator, Julie Picarello, will be teaching one of her techniques on the upcoming "Clayditarod Cruise" to Alaska. She will be joining Katie Baum (President of the Art Clay Society), Christi Friesen (all around clay phenom), Jackie Truty (President of Art Clay World), and myself aboard a 7 day Mixed Clay cruise to Alaska, August 14 - 21, 2012. Visit: www.artacrosstheoceans.com for more information.  

All Aflutter

     

This lid watered with a sassy red, white and purple millefiori cane. I was playing with the end of a purple and white bull's eye cane and smooshed it into a strip. I then rolled this into a "ribbon" rose and glued it to the center. I added fuchsia clay for the rim and decided to give the edge around the lid's cane slice a textured, purple border. Just before trimming off the excess clay, I noticed one edge was delicately ruffled. It was then I decided to bend the rest of the edges to see what it would look like. I was so pleased with the effect, that I left it intact. Let this be a lesson to all the budding artists out there or those who recognize your inner artist, but suffer from pangs of doubt about your work. As much as I'd like to say that everything I do is the result of a vision followed by careful execution, that is seldom the case when I sit to create. While there are occasionally pieces that fall under this concept, much of what I do starts out with a color, shape, or texture in mind. I let the work take me where it will. As an artist, it's not uncommon to dislike or even loath something I made. However, I find the pieces I am most pleased with upon their completion are the unexpected ones. The works that didn't come out like I had envisioned or the projects that I started with no preconceived expectations, but tackled with an attitude of playfulness. Know that's it's okay to veer from a path and even make mistakes. Sometimes those become the pieces you love the most! 

How Big???

I've heard from several people following the blog that they wanted to know more about February 14th's chocolate box including a better perspective of it's size. We'll due to popular demand, here are more details. The open box of chocolates measures 7/8" inches high (23 mm) and 3/4" inches wide (19mm). All the chocolates were made with polymer clay including the foil covered one. I've taken this picture with real chocolate truffles to give a sense of scale. If only all chocolates were guilt free!

Renaissance Rapture

This collage was made using my pre-printed Waterslide Transfers (from the Fine Arts and Tiny Tats collection). White polymer clay was used as the background along with the addition of millefiori flower and leaf slices for a dimensional quality. The "Tiny Tats" butterfly was hand-tinted with permanent markers before being applied.Two, thin  layers of Magic Glos UV resin were applied (curing between each layer) for a glass-like finish with a cabochon effect. The rim is textured, black clay.   

 

 

So Bright, I Have to Wear Shades!

     

 

This was a cane I made by combining other cane odds and ends. I love the vibrancy that the yellow adds to the orange and pink tones. I feel that yellow is probably the most under-appreciated and under-utilzed color in creativity. Yellow does wonders for making light and bright colors pop, while softening darker tones. The center is accented with a SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Hotfix flatback in Crystal Volcano (#001 VOL). Atomic Orange strips of lined clay were trimmed with a deckled edge and place along the top and bottom of the rim after lining it with fucshia clay for an edgy effect (pun not intended!). 

 

 

 

Crystal Pyramids

 

A few days back, when digging in my SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS treasure trove, I also found another type of triangular component, the Pyramid Fancy Stone #4842. These complimented a triangular millefiori cane design I had in my clay drawers. Separating the simple, lined black clay border is a single strand of SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS single row #50 002 plastic banding in Topaz (#203). Polymer clay bakes at a low enough temperature that the banding won't melt in the oven! The pyramid stones were removed after baking and reattached with two-part epoxy.      

 

Hail to the Chief!

     

Happy President's Day, especially for you lucky ducks who get the day off from work. U.S. presidents were of course my inspiration for this lid. I've also been ruminating lately about how much I like charcoal rubbings. If you're not familiar with the concept, it's the art of placing paper over textured objects, typically old architectural elements or tombstones. Charcoal is rubbed over the paper to get a ghosted duplicate impression of the design. I wanted to see if I could create this effect with clay. This was done by putting a very thin layer of black clay over a quarter, burnishing with my finger and then applying a light coating of mica powder on the raised surface.I have to say that I was more than happy with the results. In keeping with a patriotic theme, I used red, white, and blue stripping over my Stars and Stripes foil. It's not news how sad the economy is. We all know the dollar continues to shrink, but I bet you didn't know it was getting smaller in value and now in size! I glued miniature, replica coins to the rim. These miniature and micro miniatures versions of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters are a part of my Micro Inclusion line and coming soon to www.lisapavelka.com

     

Good Vibrations

     

In going through my crystal treasure trove I came across this lovely SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Topaz (10mm) triangle cut stone (#4722). I made today's lid with no idea of what it would look like when I started out. Sometimes, my favorite creations are those that begin this way. After placing a stripped clay border around the stone and baking it, I decided that I'm still not over my Spring Fever and am longing for green. Onto a green base of clay it went. Then i noticed some wavy clay strip scraps sticking out of my scrap clay jar from a previous project. Voila! i decided to build an abstract sun concept with the crystal as the focal point, thus the rays of black and light green clay emanating out from the center. To highlight the strip border of the stone, I decided to add a striped border around the rim. Even though I was inspired by the thought of sunlight on grass, I now also see the design as vibratory currents coming out of the stone. Whatever way you look at this, I hope it inspires you to do something creative today.    

Spring is in the Air?

     

 

...okay, well maybe not yet, but you can't blame a girl for dreaming. Keeping on the track of yesterday's blog creation, I feel the need for color that brightens my spirits! What better way to do that than with a confetti millefiori cane accented with bull's eye cane slices and a fabulous SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystal rivoli. A simple, textured blue clay rim causes the blue color in the cane to pop! 

 

Leaving on a Jet Plane

 

The biggest blessing of being a working artist is connecting with others through my classes and workshops. Another wonderful perk is the chance to see the world through my work. I'm incredibly fortunate to have the support of my husband and kids. Once in a while they get to travel with me too. Not every venue is exotic or exciting, but the point is sharing the love of creativity far and wide. Oftentimes a trip means breezing in and out of a town without time to site-see or relax. When I do get the chance to do this, I consider it a bonus, but the biggest payoff is creating with new and old friends. So far this year, I'll be traveling to locations including Slovenia, Austria, Alaska, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Canada, and other locations throughout the U.S. I made today's lid as a tribute to the joys of travel. This mixed media collage is made using polymer clay, micro components and products from my line (including Magic Glos resin and texture stamps). A striped border finishes the piece. For more information about where I'll be teaching along with links for class offerings visit www.lisapavelka.com