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.

Collaborative opportunity

This year I have decided it would be good to take part in the New Zealand Art Guild's annual collaborative artwork. I have submitted my 'expression of interest' and hope I will be selected to be one of the 49 artists taking part in this years project.

Just for a bit of fun...and using Du-Kit polymer clay

Framed

Un-framed

To humour my husband, Colin, I agreed to his suggestion to make some 'Round Tuits' from polymer clay. Some are stuck into a frame and some are just stuck on a card with the following explanation on the back:

round tuit (plural round tuits)
1. (humorous) A circular object giving its owner the ability to get done everything that would have otherwise been put off to a later date

Source: Wiktionary

Guard this Tuit with your life as they are very hard to come by, especially the round ones. This is an indispensible item as it will help you to become a more efficient worker. For years we have heard people say: “I’ll do it as soon as I get a round tuit.” Now that you have one, you can accomplish all those things you put aside until you got a ROUND TUIT.

I decided to use my left over scraps of polymer clay for making these novelty items but I wanted to make some in white. To conserve my treasured Premo polymer clay, I bought a packet of Du-Kit, the New Zealand made brand. I was not impressed - it kept sticking to the rollers of the pasta machine (which took me ages clean before I could use it again) and I did not like the fact that after baking, it had a glossy finish. Although this might be useful in some instances, I could see me having to sand it off most of the time, as I really like the matt finish that Premo gives. It would have been nice to use NZ polymer clay but it really does not measure up to Premo  Sculpey.

Sand patterns

Just thought I would include this photo of some beautiful patterns in the sand on our local beach - it could be the inspiration for some artwork at a later date.

The Christchurch Earthquake

The last few days have just been full of the tragic news about the devastating earthquake in Christchurch. I have no idea how this will have affected ZigZag Polymer Clay Supplies - the company I buy my Premo Sculpey polymer clay from, as it is located in Christchurch.

Everything is so raw at the moment and saving lives it the top most priority, I need to let thing settle down a bit before I enquire. In the meantime, I will have to conserve my supplies, as after my recent trials with FIMO Soft, Kato and Du-Kit (New Zealand brand), I definitely prefer Premo sculpey and ZigZag seems to be the only place I can get it from in New Zealand.

Experimenting with Kato Polyclay

After some unsuccessful experiments with Kato Polyclay, I ended

up turning it all into mosaic tiles

This weekend I finally got to try using the little sample packs of Kato Polyclay I ordered a while ago. I knew that it was the old, hard to condition formula - and it certainly was! After everything I have read about Kato being the best polymer clay for professionals to use, I was seriously thinking about switching to it. I am so glad I got these trials packs first, because even if the latest formula is easier to condition, I just could not work with it due to the smell. I have a very acute sense of smell and just did not like the very 'plasticy' smell it had, which got even stronger when it was baking. I really found it unpleasant and could not wait to stop working with it. It looks like I am sticking with Premo Sculpey.

Changes to my working week

I have not posted for a while as I have been busy trying to secure a part-time job, as the 'temping' arrangement was not really working out - it was either all or nothing. Without the security of some regular income, I was finding it hard to be creative as my focus on the need to earn money was detracting from my ultimate goals.

After a lengthy interview process, I have been so lucky to get a really interesting part-time job (three days a week), not far from where I live. I start on 21 February and the best thing is that it will give me two whole days (excluding the weekend) that will be my 'creative days'. I can now spend some time working on a few prime pieces of artwork and also produce examples and visuals for future teaching workshops.