Friday, December 21, 2012

Poly Poly Polymer! Part 3


Polymer enthusiasts living in Pittsburgh are lucky to have a guild right here. The Pittsburgh Polymer Clay Guild is a group of polymer clay enthusiasts who share a love for this medium. The members meet once a month to share ideas and techniques. They welcome everyone from tentative beginners to professionals.

This post features what some Polymer artists living in Pittsburgh are doing.

Denise Graham

Denise Graham

Marcy Morton

Lesley Polinko

Lesley Polinko

Deanna Miller

Deanna Miller

Rebecca Watkins

Rebecca Watkins

Selma Andrews

Selma Andrews

Laura Tabakman

Laura Tabakman

Bonnie Hagyari

Bonnie Hagyari

Irene Hill



If you’d like to try your hand at Polymer clay Laura Tabakman will be teaching two workshops at SCC:


Try it: Polymer Clay T013012 Wednesday, January 30th  @ 6-9
Polymer Necklace MM020913b on Saturday February 9 @ 10-4 

For more information or to register, call Sherrard Bostwick at 412.261.7003 x25, email thestudio@contemporarycraft.org or use our new online registration by clicking here.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Poly Poly Polymer! Part 2


On the previous post we had a look at the jewelry Polymer artists are creating. This post will concentrate on other artistic uses of the material; as a laminate for furniture, boxes and vessels; in sculptures, mixed media, paintings, mosaics and installations.  

If you’d like to try your hand at Polymer clay Laura Tabakman will be teaching two workshops at SCC:
Try it: Polymer Clay T013012 Wednesday, January 30th  @ 6-9
Polymer Necklace MM020913b on Saturday February 9 @ 10-4 


For more information or to register, call Sherrard Bostwick at 412.261.7003 x25, email thestudio@contemporarycraft.org or use our new online registration by clicking here.
Bonnie Boshoff and J.M. Syron

Rachel Gourley

Laura Tabakman

Laura Tabakman

Jeffery Lloyd Dever

Jeffery Lloyd Dever

Pier Voulkos

Kathleen Dustin

Kathleen Dustin

Lindly Haunani

Anne Klocko

Jill Penney

Edgar Hernandez

Julie Eaks

Laurie Mika



Monday, December 17, 2012

Poly Poly Polymer!


In January and February SCC is offering a couple of Polymer clay classes. This is a first on a series of posts to show the variety of work created with the material.

Polymer clay is an incredibly versatile material. It is a synthetic modeling compound that comes in a variety of colors and ranges from translucent to opaque to metallic and liquid. It hardens at a low temperature (between 250°F and 300°F) allowing it to be cured in a regular oven. During this process the material doesn’t shift colors or size. Once cured it is strong, durable, flexible and lightweight.

Using accessible tools It can be rolled, sheeted, molded, sculpted, textured, stamped, extruded, it accepts inclusions, holds inks and paints, is conducive to image transfers and silkscreen; once cured it can be carved, sanded and polished. It also lends itself to imitative techniques: glass (millefiori), jade, coral, turquoise, ivory, wood, opal, and really anything people can imagine.

Polymer began being used by artists in the 1970s. Now a day it is used in jewelry, sculpture, wall art, furniture, installations, mosaic art, books, just to name a few of its uses.

But there is nothing like images to show the possibilities…

Elsie Winters

Maggie Maggio

Loretta Lam

Janna Lehman

Donna Kato

Celine Charuau/Grisbleu

Ronna Sarvas Witman

Tory Hughes

Wendy Malinow

Ford/Forlano

Cynthia Toops

Julie Eaks

Sarah Shriver

Carol Simmons

Melanie West

Rachel Carren

Dan Cormier

Kathleen Dustin

Katrin Neumaier



If you’d like to try your hand at Polymer clay Laura Tabakman will be teaching two workshops at SCC:

Try it: Polymer Clay T013012 Wednesday, January 30th  @ 6-9
Polymer Necklace MM020913b on Saturday February 9 @ 10-4 

Laura Tabakman



For more information or to register, call Sherrard Bostwick at 412.261.7003 x25, email thestudio@contemporarycraft.org or use our new online registration by clicking here.