Sketch for trial mosaic style

This is a sketch for one of the trial mosaic styles I am working on, in the exercise referred to in the previous post. However, I have had to suspend work on this while I concentrate on my piece for the NZ Art Guild collaborative project. I want to get this done and posted back before I go on my trip back to the UK at Easter.

I have been busy...

I have not posted for a while but I have been busy. This month, I have been making my own polymer clay mosaic tiles and carrying out a learning exercise. I have used small 4" (10 cm) square canvases as a base for creating a series of small mosaic pieces based on the Pohutukawa flower. There will be six in total, when I have completed this exercise, using different styles of mosaic. I will post some photos when they are all complete.

I am doing this to decide which style of mosaic work to use before I attempt a larger size of mosaic artwork. I have a couple of 12" (30 cm) square canvases that I am intending to work on next - but I am still undecided as to whether to work on board or canvas. The canvas is good because it is all ready made and can be hung straight on the wall, but I am not sure as the size gets larger, if the canvas will start to sag with the weight of the tiles - I will find out when I start one of these larger pieces.

I am also experimenting with different acylic mixtures to grout the tiles as I fear that if I use normal tile grout, it might eat away at the canvas (?). If I stick the tiles on to a wood or MDF base, then I could just use ordinary tile grout. I need to make a decision about which type of base to use soon, before I start to spend time creating larger pieces of artwork.

NZ Art Guild 2011 Collaborative Project – Light of My Life

Last week I received all the instructions and my piece of board for taking part in this project. I am looking for inspiration on the theme ‘Light of My Life’ and still thinking about how my little piece will take shape. One thing that I have decided is that I will make my design out of polymer clay mosaic tiles and stick these to my piece of board. I do not expect any one else will be using polymer clay, so it will stand out as being different – I just want it to look really good, as this is an opportunity for polymer clay to get some publicity and, hopefully, some good press.  

Polymer Clay - one year on

It has now been a year since I first started with polymer clay. I have had a great time experimenting and am in total 'awe' of this versatile creative medium. I still feel overwhelmed at the vast array of techniques and ways of using it - I do not think that a whole lifetime would be long enough to try out and master everything.

Last week I started my new part-time job, three days a week, which means I can now review how I spend my two creative days. I have decided to stop doing Coatesville Market after returning from our trip back to the UK, at the beginning of May. Instead, I want to focus on producing some bigger polymer clay mosaic artworks - making mosaic tiles from polymer clay was my original reason for turning to this new medium. I will look more to exhibitions and galleries to promote my work, with a view to establishing my name as a polymer clay artist, and gaining credability so I can go on to teach polymer clay workshops.

I will continue to sell my HANGAs and other small items like the Art-Brooches at a few selected events but concentrate more on selling these online. After our return from the UK in May, I intend to set up an online shop through Etsy and will also look into the New Zealand version, Felt.