Wall art « Polymer Clay Etc.

27 videos, step by step, beginner cane workshop

What people are saying about this tutorial. jennifer rose Just finished this first workshop on how to make canes, and I must say I learned so much. This is exactly what I have been looking for, someone who could explain cane making in a step by step that process that I could replicate. I watched the videos, went into my studio and began to create all of the canes Alice showed. I finally have results I can be proud of, and I say thank you so much for doing this workshop. My only question now is when do we get more workshops. If you are only going to take one online class let it be this workshop. Thank you Alice for your hard work, and your dedication to helping others learn the joys of polymer clay.

Catching Up or What I’ve Been Up To

It’s been over a month since I’ve posted here on Polymer Clay Etc. and so much has happened. All good, exciting and fun. You might have seen these images and heard all this before on Facebook etc. but this is for my friends who aren’t on those other social media sites.

First of all I had a private Pen and Ink workshop with Mary Jane Reinhart and she created a great bracelet that day. You should see the work she’s doing now, fabulous! Plus she’s so much fun, I love having her in the Studio.

I was over the moon when I received the newest addition of Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine, just before I left town for a retreat.

Laurie Prophater wrote a wonderful article about a challenge she proposed to Meisha Barbee, Julie Eakes and me when they were all staying at my house and playing at Studio 215 while Meisha was teaching. (Read about the fun we had here.) I’m thrilled to be published along with these talented women. Thank you Laurie for thinking of such a enjoyable project.

Next I met up with several claying friends in Denver, Syndee Holt, Julie Eakes, Meisha Barbee, Libby Mills, and Emily Levine, we had a great time. Crazy but oh so much fun!

Then it was on to the retreat where we exchanged bowls. 25 incredible bowls came home with me and this exchange started me on my bird obsession. I posted about my bird bowls and my larger bird wall piece here.

I came home with many wonderful things from an auction we have every year and I purchased some lovely pieces from my friends to sell at Studio 215 with more to come. I can wait to share some of them with you. I’ll be posting them on my Studio 215 blog and on my Studio 215 Facebook page. If you’d like to see what I’m up to at the Studio, sign up to receive a notice each time I post, my newsletter, and like my Facebook page.

I can be found on Instagram , Twitter, and Tumbr too. Whew.

Last week I was featured by Cynthia Tinapple on Polymer Clay Daily and that is always treat and a compliment. Thank you Cynthia.

I was featured with my newest face that I created for the auction at the retreat. I was flattered that there was many bids on it.

I made this cool graphic using an app called Canva. My friend Meredith Arnold shared this with me and I can’t stop using it. Very cool, thanks Meredith.

Here’s another graphic made with Canva showing off my newest bird weed pot prototypes that I worked on while on retreat. I hope to get more of these done showcasing different critters and characters. I’m smiling and that is always my goal, to create things that make me smile.

The beginning of September brought more laughter and fun at Studio 215 when several of my favorite people came to take a Profile Face cane class with me. We had a great time for sure.

Dottie, Kathryn, Barbara, AnnaMarie, Majel, and Mary Jane are new converts to polymer and I believe they aren’t getting away without clay sticking in they brains. They’re having as much fun as I did with I first started, but they’re lucky to have others to share the experience. Thanks, ya’ll are making me so happy to see you having so much fun and making such cool things.

Then to top it all off, Kathryn Obidzinski has been my apprentice for several months now and before I went on retreat she started a palette knife polymer clay self portrait. I think she created a wonderful piece. I know she had fun, learned a lot and I hope I can reel her in to explore polymer clay a bit more.

I’m spending the rest of the day prepping for the Houston Polymer Clay Guild’s Lone Star Retreat. I’ll be teaching along with Randee Ketzel and Sarah Shriver. Next month it’s Sandy Camp in San Diego. Just too much fun!!!

Thanks for stopping in, Alice

Into the Garden

My newest wall piece, Into the Garden, 21″ x 29″. It’s funny, I had this almost finished month’s ago, before I bought my new Studio. I sat down with it again and decided to double the size. I worked on it feverishly for days, took pictures to share on Facebook and realized by looking at the photos that I had actually done two completely different pieces.

I shouldn’t share them with you, but hey, we all make mistakes right? I was lucky that I could save this one and I almost have the second one finished. So I still don’t have my larger one, but I will have two smaller ones instead. Both will be for sale at Studio 215.

Here’s the photo of the larger one almost finished. Can you see the two different styles? Just goes to show you that switching in the middle requires a bit of planning,

The bottom part, the part I did months ago is very tight, with flowers touching flowers. the top part has more background, more loose flowers. You can almost see how much I wanted to get this one finished and up on the wall.

Lesson learned. I always take pictures and take a good look at my projects that way, sometimes we are just too close.

I’ve been posting to my new blog for Studio 215, head on over there and sign up for updates when I post and for my newsletter letting you know what’s going on at Studio 215. I shared snydee holt’s visit and our encounters with alligators there the other day.

I also have a new page on Facebook, Alice Stroppel’s Studio 215 what else? I’d love for you to like it and share it with your friends.

Here’s a list of all the workshops I have coming up at Studio 215. I’m having lots of workshops for beginners but I have will be adding more classes all the time. I sure hope you can join me some day.

Sandy Camp and a New Scrap Technique

I have a lot to do this week. I’m very excited to tell you that I am going to Sandy Camp in California next month. I’m going to be doing a demo. Thanks so much to the San Diego Polymer Clay guild and Nancy Ulrich for letting me join everyone this year.

I’m very excited to get to spend some time with my buddy Meisha Barbee. After all she’s kind of responsible for me deciding that the Stroppel Cane was worth sharing. Remember our collaboration featured on Polymer Clay Daily? Fun!

I’m spending some time making girlfriend bracelets to take along with me plus some other goodies.

But in-between I’m using scrap to create some fun pieces. Jainnie Jenkins named them Scappy girls. Love that, thanks Jainne.

The hair and clothes are mostly from scraps. I textured them, cured them, then stained the whole piece. Mounted it on mat board and then framed them.

So many ideas too little time.

I have a big silver project I’m working on too this month and it doesn’t even include this pile of silver I brought home after a thrift shop adventure that put me into overload. *g*.

Wish me luck!

If you’re going to be at Sandy Camp, see you there.

Butterflies

Once again, having fun with my cane stash and cane mapping.

Blowing in the Wind – A Polymer Clay Painting – How Photos Can Help with Corrections

I been having fun with these polymer painted faces. This one I stopped working on late one night. I was happy with it and took a picture before stopping for the night. I had already cured it in the oven and attached it to a peace of heavy water color paper. the bits of color in the background are bits of pc not watercolor.

The first photo shows this first edition. When I saw it the next morning, I laughed because I could see right away that she was missing the top of her head. Not enough height to her hair. I was tired the night before and didn’t want to make any more hair I guess. Another reason why stepping away from a project and coming back to it or even taking a photo of it is very helpful.

I often see things in photos of a piece that I just couldn’t see when I was working on it up close. It helps to step back from the work, but sometimes taking a photo is even better.

The second photo is where I noticed that her shirt was just wrong, not enough shoulder. I guess I was too focused on the hair to notice the shirt first time around.

This is also another vote for sketching before hand, I did sketch the face, but didn’t know I wanted the shirt until I was in the middle of it all. So I work both ways, planning and as I go.

The third photo is my final try. Quite a difference I think!

I figure I’m a work in progress more than than work. As always, thanks for stopping by.

Abstract Faces

I’ve been working on a series of abstract faces using just polymer clay. It’s fun and kind of exciting to be venturing out into a different but same direction.

Another face, this time using polymer as if it were very thick paint.

Work in Progress – Flowers

I’m working on another large flower polymer clay cane mapped painting. 21″ x 27″! Having fun as always.

Stroppel #2 and Polymer Clay Cane Mapped Fish

Yesterday a friend of mine who is fish crazy, in a good way, asked me a couple of questions about my fish and if I had any for sale. Not for her, but for something else. The truth is I really don’t. the ones I have I use as demos in my cane mapping class, I have hanging on my walls or have given away.

I started this fish with just part of the tail when my friend Chrissie Baker was here in my studio. I wanted to show her how I did my big wall pieces.

So when I came to the studio this morning and was beginning to clean up my work table after my Stroppel Cane #2 video. I actually started cleaning the day before but got side tracked making hearts plant stakes out of the Stroppel #2’s that may for the film. Can’t throw them away of course…see.

Sorry, back to the fish. before I put all my canes away, I decided to use some of them to finish the fish. What fun it was, really lost myself in it. But what I wanted to show you was how thin these designs are and how easy they are to frame. So now I can say I have one for sale at least.

Oh and you can see how I used some more of my Stroppel cane #2 across the back of the fish. (first photo)

I call this technique cane mapping and it’s how I’ve done my large wall piece and this table.

If you are near Palmetto, I’m teaching a one day cane mapping workshop on June 7th. You must have lots of pre-made canes to bring with you. We won’t have time in class to make many if any. Skinner blends work best for me. Message me on Facebook, or leave a comment here.

Circles – Polymer Clay Painting

Frame 20″ x 20″, design mounted on white mat board. It’s an interesting piece in that the metal leaf makes it pop and shine differently from every angle.

Still having fun just doing.

Swimming – Polymer Clay Cane Mapped Painting

I’ve finished another polymer clay cane mapped painting. Now that’s a mouth full…

I usually spend a bit of time looking at the painting before I bake it. wondering if I should make any adjustments. But when things really pop out is when I photograph the finished piece and look at it on my computer screen.

Do you see the fish? Seems like I can’t get away from the fantasy fish even when they aren’t in the plan. Pretty funny if you as me, wonder what a psychoanalyst would have to say.

I think I need to take a photo before baking from now on. On the other hand, it’s certainly interesting to just let things happen.

Polymer Clay Etc.

Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners

Online Workshops with Alice Stroppel

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Catching Up or What I’ve Been Up To

Into the Garden

Sandy Camp and a New Scrap Technique

Butterflies

Blowing in the Wind – A Polymer Clay Painting – How Photos Can Help with Corrections

Abstract Faces

Work in Progress – Flowers

Stroppel #2 and Polymer Clay Cane Mapped Fish

Circles – Polymer Clay Painting

Swimming – Polymer Clay Cane Mapped Painting

Archives

The Stroppel Cane

What is a Cane?

Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners

Online Workshops with Alice Stroppel

Catagories

Comments

Blogroll

My Other Blogs

Recent Posts

Meta

Related articles across the web

Related articles across the web

Related articles across the web

Related articles across the web

Archives

The Stroppel Cane

What is a Cane?