Introduction to Polymer Clay Workshops at the Lake House

Contact the Lake House Arts Centre on 09 486 4877 or info@lakehousearts.org.nz
See www.lakehousearts.org.nz for more information on their Arts Programme for January - July 2013.

Lake House Tutors Evening

Tonight was the 'Meet the Tutors' evening at the Lake House. It was a great opportunity for me to meet the other tutors there and hopefully some potential new students for my workshops.

CLIPT at Mission Bay - 'Kiwiana' clips launched

The weather was perfect for the Auckland Anniversary Art and Craft Market at Mission Bay. There were lots visitors and some very positive feed back on my fashion clips. Several people commented on the display of sketches, saying they illustrated well the different ways to wear and use the clips and that they were easy to understand.

Below are some of my first 'Kiwiana' clips I took to the market. The rubber stamps I had made from my designs have been impressed into black polymer clay and then coated with mica powders.



Koru, Pohutukawa, Kiwi & Fern designs

Devonport Craft Market - Sunday 3 February 2013

Next Sunday, 3 February, I will be trying the Devonport Craft Market for the first time, with  a selection of my Fashion Clips.

It is held on the first Sunday of the month at 32 Clarence Street, Devonport from 10am - 3pm.

Don't miss ...

AUCKLAND ANNIVERARY ART & CRAFT MARKET

 

Monday 28 Janaury 2013 for 10am - 4pm

 

on the Selwyn Reserve, Mission Bay

A new prop for CLIPT in 2013

This has been a little project I started at the end of last year, which will form part of my new display for CLIPT in 2013. It started life as a white polystyrene wig stand. I covered it with several layers of papier mache, then used acrylic modelling paste to create the textured surface and painted it with black acrylic paint. It will be used as a prop for hats and scarves, to display the fashion clips in use.

 

I have also purchased a digital photo frame, so I can show the 'How to Wear' CLIPT slideshow at venues where there will be an electricity supply. I am particularly thinking for the Dunkleys Craft Show I plan to do this year, when it comes to the North Shore in October.

Special project for 2013

As 2013 is a signifcant year for me (I will be 50 in April), I wanted to have a special project to mark this milestone.

 

My original idea for this project was to do it with brooches but now that I am currently creating fashion clips, it will be 50 Clips for 50 Years. The idea is to create 50 clips (that is roughly one a week throughout the year) showing examples of different techniques for the surface decoration of polymer clay.

 

After photographing the clips and writing a short explanatory decription for each one, I hope to publish the project as a small book. In addition to using it as a teaching aid for my polymer clay workshops, the book can also be used for the promotion of CLIPT.

 

The hardest thing will be limiting myself to 50 clips, to try and show the whole range of techniques that can be used with polymer clay.

Review of 2012 and plans for 2013

When I looked back at my first post of the year, I realised that I had not set any measurable goals for this year.

 

In review, I have spent most of the year preparing material for workshops, including samples, and promotion (slide shows). I have run some workshops but the way things have turned out, it has more been for staff training (for Gordon Harris Art Stores) than for artist/crafters. Due to my limited time for promotion, I have decided next year to offer more workshops through established art centres, starting with the Lake House, Takapuna.

 

I have exhibited and sold work at a couple of exhibitions and won the ‘Peoples Choice’ award at the Lake House for ‘Spring Trio’, my first major sculptural work in polymer clay. However, I have really missed the lack of interface with the public, from not doing any regular markets/events. Unfortunately there was no Labour Day Art and Craft Market at Mission Bay this year (due to an international triathlon), so I only had a couple of low key markets booked at the last minute for Christmas. Due to unforeseen/uncontrollable circumstances (including a tornado), they did not generate the volume of visitors I was hoping for, to gauge reaction to the fashion clips I have started to make and market under the name CLIPT. I will have to be patient and wait for the Anniversary Art and Craft Market at Mission Bay in January.

 

My main plans for 2013 are to:

1.    Re-establish a monthly market spot – maybe the Devonport Craft Market or back to Coatesville Market.

2.    Exhibit at the Dunkleys Craft Show (North Shore) in October 2013.

3.    Promote polymer clay through slide shows and demonstrations to encourage people to sign up for my workshops.

4.    Expand my range of workshops to include some half day technique focussed sessions e.g. extruding with polymer clay and making canes.

5.    Complete my “50 clips for 50 years” project to promote CLIPT.

 

Donation made to the Hobsonville Tornado fund

Hobsonville Point Vintage & Craft Market - 9 December 2012

This was my last planned event for the year, which I thought was going to be cancelled due to the tornado that devastated the area earlier in the week. However, the organisers decided to still go ahead with the market.  I had decided to donate $1 from every sale to the fund that had been set up for the families of those that were killed by the tornado. Unfortunately, the market was not very busy (I think many people will have just stayed away from the area) but I still made my donation.

Tattoo transfers

This is my first trial with tattoo transfers on polymer clay. After following the instructions for applying the tattoo transfer to the skin but instead applying it to some rolled out Premo polymer clay, I cut out the disc shapes and baked them for the required temperature. I then applied liquid polymer clay over the transfer part and baked again for 20 minutes, followed by a layer of liquid polymer clay over the whole surface and another baking for 20 minutes.

 

The surface of the transfer has cracked/wrinkled slightly in places but I think that is because I baked the discs on a curve (to make into fashion clips). I will have to try it again, just baking the clay flat.

 

As Christmas is approaching fast, this is likely to be my last chance to experiment this year.