Lady Aotearoa

I started this sculptural piece while we were waiting for our New Zealand Citizenship applications to be approved (November last year) and I have incorporated some NZ icons (two Kiwi, the Pohutukawa flower, a fern leaf and Koru/fronds which are repeated as curls in her hair) into the design, so it seemed appropriate to call her 'Lady Aotearoa'. Now she is finally finished, here are four different views.

The core of this sculpture is a polystyrene head, which I used a few years ago as display prop, covered in several layers of papier mache and modelling paste and then sealed with acrylic paint and PVA glue. Onto this base I glued round mosaic tiles, made and baked from polymer clay, and then filled the joints with white tile grout.

Lady Aotearoa will be one of my three entries in the forthcoming Members Merit Awards Exhibition at the Estuary Arts Centre at Orewa (north of Auckland, NZ).

'Polymer Journeys' - arrived in the post

The hard copy of this fabulous book arrived in the post today. It showcases the most innovative use of polymer clay over the last two years. I am so proud to be included on page 117. To order your copy, go to http://www.polymerjourneys.com/

New Beginnings - taking shape

For the last few days, I have been working on my ideas for a range of jewellery and accessories called 'New Beginnings'. This is a little project to satisfy my creative desire to make some tasteful souvenirs for tourists to our country, and to get back into the market/craft fair scene, which I have missed. My long term plan is to use images of my original dot mosaics, but until I have actually made them, I will focus on using one design, based on the Koru.

New Beginnings – hand painted jewellery and accessories by Claire Fairweather

The ‘Koru’ symbol, widely used in Maori art, carving and tattoos, has also come to represent New Zealand (Aotearoa). Derived from an unfurling silver fern frond, it represents new beginnings, growth and harmony. New beginnings both literally, in terms of new life and growth, and also a new start or new phase of life involving personal growth. To be in harmony with life is to understand, grow and change.

The circular balanced shape of the Koru design is attractive to the eye and is a very positive symbol, to be worn with pride. It makes a wonderful gift, especially for a new parent or child, newlyweds, for a new home or anyone starting on a new phase of their life.

New Beginnings seems a very appropriate name for this project, as it has meanings on many levels. Apart from the symbolic meaning of the Koru, this will be my first serious attempt at turning my creativity into a small business, it will also be my first project in my new studio, in my new home. I am hoping that this will be a new phase in my own life, the beginning of a successful venture into a new creative career.

'Polymer Journeys' book has just been released

The long awaited Polymer Journeys book has just been released. It is a fabulous book showcasing the best polymer art and craft, and I am so proud to be included on page 117. To order your copy, go to http://www.polymerjourneys.com/

Plans taking shape

Part of my indecision about what to do is because although I really enjoy creating artwork with my ‘dot mosaic’ technique, it is very time consuming (making all the tiles as well as placing them to create the design/picture). I do not think I will be able to sell the pieces at a price that will justify the time I have spent creating them, when I could be doing more paid work. I have also missed not taking part in the markets/events, where I get to meet people and gauge their reaction to my work. For this reason, I came to the conclusion that the ‘dot mosaics’ should be my hobby and that I should try and find something else to develop as a small business.

I still keep coming back to the idea that I want to make small souvenirs for visitors to our country that are actually made in New Zealand. I have dabbled at various ideas (some not even with polymer clay) but have not really come up with anything different that I think I could make profitable. It is very hard to compete with souvenir items made in China.

Then this morning I had the idea of creating original ‘dot mosaic’ designs, which could be photographed and the images used for greetings cards, prints, jewellery and possibly other items like t-shirts, bags, mugs, etc. I might be getting a bit carried away here but I think it is worth trying out on a small scale to start with, to see how it works out. The images will be mine, and totally original, from my own mosaic artwork created in New Zealand. Being able to reproduce the images on various different items may mean that I can gain some ongoing income from my original dot mosaic artwork, which I so enjoy doing.

For the first time, since we have moved, I feel inspired and with a plan to put into action. I just need to come up with some good designs!

This is not an April Fool

As I keep chopping and changing my mind about what I am going to do next, I have purchased the domain name www.cfdesignz.co.nz. As this is very general, it could cover any designs or pieces that I create. By using a 'z' rather than an 's', for the spelling of designs, it reinforces that it is New Zealand made.

Creative Block

Now that we are settled in our new home, and most of my studio stuff is unpacked, I thought it would be easy to get back into the creative flow – but it is not. I keep chopping and changing my mind about what I am going to do next, even though I have several half started projects waiting to be finished. I am finding it really hard to get started on anything serious.

I just cannot understand this creative block. For months I could not do anything because all my gear was packed up waiting to move and I was getting frustrated that I could not put my ideas into action. Now that is past, and I have some time, I cannot decide what to do. Or am I just too scared that I have lost my creative Mojo?

Proud to be a Contributing Artist

Go to http://www.polymerjourneys.com/ for more information or to order your copy.

My entries for the 2015 International Polymer Clay Awards

Now that all judging of this competition has finished, I can reveal my three entries. The theme for this years competition was 'In the Round'. (I have given a description of each piece after the photos).

Entry 1 - Flowers in the Round

Dot mosaic picture

Close up

Entry 2 - Light Sphere 

Dot mosaic candle bowl - unlit

Shots showing six different colours

Entry 3 - Sherbet Fizz

Dot mosaic mirror frame

Close up

Description - Flowers in the Round

Continuing with my recent interest in creating polymer mosaics with round tiles, for this picture I have also chosen to work to a round frame, to fit with the ‘in the round’ theme. The mosaic is approximately 10.5 inches (27 cm) in diameter, set in the frame which measures 16 inches (41 cm) in diameter overall.

All my mosaic tiles are hand made from polymer, cut with round Kemper cutters from colour blended sheets of polymer (Premo) about ¹/₁₂ inch (2 mm) thick. The baked tiles are glued to the MDF base with Weldbond glue and then grouted with a dark grey tile grout. I chose pink for the flowers, as this is the traditional colour associated with love. Maybe someone will buy this picture to give to a loved one, as the flowers will last forever, unlike a bunch of cut flowers.

Description - Light Sphere 

Not only is this candle bowl spherical (as it uses a glass bowl as the form), it is made from round cane slices, in keeping with the ‘in the round’ theme. It measures just over 6 inches (15cm) in diameter and contains a colour changing LED (battery) candle.

A number of canes, of various sizes, were made by rolling up long sheets of Skinner Blend. I used translucent (Pardo) in the centre of the cane grading to a 50:50 mix of pearl and white (Premo) at the outer edge. The whole surface of the glass bowl has been covered with cane slices, approximately 1/12 inch (2mm) thich, which have been placed to touch each other as much as possible, and then baked. When switched on, the gentle colour-changing LED candle creates lovely mood lighting as well as enhancing the white/neutral colour of the candle bowl.

Description - Sherbet Fizz

This round mirror frame has been decorated with round mosaic tiles, made from polymer in shades of pink, yellow and turquoise. After baking the tiles, I stuck them to the frame and used white tile grout to fill the spaces. The tiles are about ³/₈ inch (1cm) diameter and the whole piece measures 16 inches (41cm) in diameter.

Although I laid the tiles on the frame in horizontal rows, the repeated pattern of the graded colours creates an optical effect (from a distance) almost like waves. The small coloured tiles remind me of ‘Refreshers’, a sherbet candy that I remember from my childhood in England. This, along with the optical wave effect similar to the wave of sensation you get when eating sherbet, is why I gave it the name ‘Sherbet Fizz’.

The March issue of the local Millwater Magazine (for the area where I now live) has just been issued. Each month it has a feature interview with a local resident – and this month it is me J