Alice Stroppel « 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.

A Visit to My Studio – SEFPCG

Mary, Andree, Sue, Lori, Earnestine, Alice, Niki, not shown, Ruby and Audrey

I was so excited to welcome some of the members from the South East Florida Polymer Clay Guild to my studio. We spent two days playing with clay and enjoying each other’s company. Thank you all for coming……

I’m sorry to say that I did not take any pictures on the first day and Ruby and Audrey had already left by the time I remembered my camera. This time I was lucky to get in the picture because my husband happened to drift through the studio and I enlisted his help, a bit blurry, but hey!

Oh and our wonder dog Ceasar is shown at the bottom of the picture, okay, “kind of ” shown, really blurry…but he was so happy for the company.

We made face canes and then we made Flamingos. Not everyone wanted to make bracelets, so we have Lori’s punk candle ring and Andree’s sculpt to go on a mirror frame. Lori’s needs some feathers and Andree’s needs some skinny legs, they’ll finish up at home. Everyone else is going to be sporting a funky new bracelet. I think everyone did a fabulous job and enjoyed working with Ultralight.

Thanks so much to Mary Marzano for all the time she put into organizing the weekend. I’m not sure who had more fun, me or everyone else, I think maybe me!

To find out more about this guild, when they meet and where, visit the SEGPCG website or join them on Facebook.

The group came on a great weekend. It was downtown Sebring’s second Friday event and my good friend Janet King was the featured artist at Highlands Art League’s Yellow House reception. So we all met at the hotel and went to Janet’s reception then back to the hotel for dinner. There was Jazz on the circle and all the shops were open downtown. The next day was the Roaring 20’s craft show downtown, but we were busy in my studio with clay.

Janet F. King

Janet’s work is incredibly beautiful and I’m lucky to own a piece or two. Once you see her work, you’ll want to own a painting of her’s too.

If you’re in Sebring, be sure to take the time to visit the Yellow House, if not, visit Janet on her website at Janet King Watercolors. com

The Polymer Arts – Spring 2013 – Stories in Wall Art

Spring 2003 The Polymer Arts

Way over a year ago, Suzanne Ivester and I met for the first time at Fandango, the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild’s yearly retreat. I had an idea for an online polymer clay magazine and Suzanne has excellent writing and editing skills. A plan was created and we began gathering artists for our first issue titled Polymer Portfolio – Wall Art.

We received such a fabulous response from a large group of wonderfully talented artist, sharing photos and informative answers to our questionnaire. It was a great deal of fun and we were looking forward to a series of themed additions of Polymer Portfolio. We saw it as an informative reference publication rather than a project oriented magazine.

After a year and a half , much thought and a lot of soul searching, Suzanne and I decided that the time and commitment involved were more than either of us wanted to continue to contribute. But most of all, I decided that the technology was moving way too fast for me and that the material that we’ve gathered would be better off in the hands of a specialist.

So we asked The Polymer Arts Publishing Director and Editor-in-Chief Sage Bray if she would be interested in publishing the material that we’ve gathered. I mean come on…look at what she’s accomplished with her dream magazine. Both Suzanne and I were determined to share the wealth of information and highlight the artists that shared it with us and are so pleased that Sage agreed and we can rest easy that everything is in good hands.

We begin with the first article Stories in Wall Art. Each of artists that Suzanne and I chose have stories to share with their polymer clay wall art and are a perfect fit for this themed issue of TPA, Stories & Symbolism. I can’t wait for you to see the lovely art and the wonderful article that Suzanne penned.

Thank you Sage, and thank you to the artists featured in this issue, Maureen Carlson, Gera Scott Chandler, Edgar Hernandez, Layl McDill, (cover art) and Marisol Ross for their time and for sharing their talent with us. By the way, I’m thrilled that Layl’s fabulous “Think How Books are Like Birdhouses” made the cover.

A special thank you to my partner in this adventure, Suzanne Ivester.

Now go order the issue…you’ll love it.

Fandango! Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild

I’m glowing (no pun intended ) to be teaching at OAPCG’s Fandango this year, May 2 – 6th. I’ve so enjoyed attending and demonstrating at this event in past years, so being able to teach is just delightful.

I’m going to be combining a little bit of fun to make canes, adding a bit of sculpting and then throwing in a cool closure technique. I’ll also be showing you how I contour the design to finish the edges nicely, it’s a technique I use in many of my pieces. So bring your favorite canes and your smile, we’re going to have some fun.

I’ve been holding this closure technique since last year. This project was designed for Fandango and I haven’t shared it anywhere else. You can use this closure in so many other ways, I made this cat using the closure to create an articulated head and tail. It’s simple and easy to do.

My fellow instructors are Suzanne Ivester and Syndee Holt. Plus this year they’ve added pre-classes on Thursday with Penni Jo Couch and Linda Hess, so I hope you come on down to beautiful Lake Yale and join us for a fun filled four days.

Helen Breil – Shapes – 25 Inspirational Jewellery Designs in Polymer Clay

I was asked by Helen Breil to contribute to her new book Shapes and I knew it was something that I wanted very much to do for several reasons. Most importantly was that I knew it would be a well thought out and beautifully executed publication. I was so right.

Helen’s work is always beautiful and in this book she leaves nothing out. You’ll learn 5 surface designs techniques and 25 shapes to lend your voice to. Plus there are samples of each shape and surface design from Helen herself and over 29 artist from around the world.

Needless to say I’m honored to have been asked. Thank you Helen.

In her introduction, Helen writes about how she “stumbled” across the idea for Shapes. She was working on 22 pendants for a swap to be held at a retreat. It is the same retreat that I attended and came away from deciding to share my Stroppel Cane. Her “shapes” for the pendant swap came from scraps, but the results can hardly be called that. Here’s Helen’s swap pendant that I was lucky enough to come home with. Simple, elegant, brillant.

Helen Breil - 2011 swap

Here are the two pieces of mine that were included in Shapes. Fish……go figure.

Needless to say I’m honored to have been asked. Thank you Helen.

Alice Stroppel gallery item Helen Breil's Shapes

You can order your online issue of Shapes today on Helen’s website. And if you haven’t already, you should really check out her fabulous texture sheets too. You’ll want some when you make your first “shape” pendant.

PolymerCAFÉ Feb. 2013

I’m thrilled to be the featured artist and on the cover of PolymerCAFÉ for February 2013. The Stroppel Cane has truly been an amazing adventure for me and an exciting highlight in my life.

Many thanks to Trina Williams for choosing me to interview for this issue and to the editor of PolymerCAFÉ, Anne Huizenga.

Pretty in Peacock

A grand peacock came to live in my studio today. I’m telling you I really like the way this process is working for me. Making bracelets this way is a blast.

This peacock is quite big and showy. I haven’t wore him out yet, he wasn’t finished when I went to dinner last night. I did wear the toucan though and everyone noticed it. It makes me happy to be able to share my polymer clay creations with people. They are always so amazed at what polymer clay can do, if they even know what it is to begin with. I feel like an ambassador for PC.

It allows for so many interesting shapes and spur of the moment design decisions that result in some pretty amazing results.The peacock just asked to be wrapped around onto itself. It is an interesting design that doesn’t really have an uninteresting side. I took many more pictures of it just because you can’t fully see it from just a couple of shots.

On this side, you can’t really tell what it might be, just a colorful something.

Still having fun here! Today, I think I’ll try a fish using this method. Just can’t stay away from them.

“Curiouser and Curiouser” Said Alice. Bangles – A Flamingo and A Toucan

I’ve been working with Ultralight a lot lately, using it as a core for many of my larger bracelets and beads. I used it as a core for my Woman in the Moon and she’s easy to wear.

I didn’t use it as a core for this flamingo, I was experimenting with Super Sculpey as the core as it’s a bit easier to sculpt with than the very soft Ultralight. It’s heavier for sure and I won’t use it again as the core for bracelets this thick.

I’ve started a series of bangles using this method and I’m really jazzed about them. Right now I’m working on streamlining the process and learning the tricks of working successfully with the softer clay. It’s so much fun and I want to be able to teach others how to create their own characters. There is no limit to what we can come up with, here’s a toucan.

The Woman in the Moon, and why not I ask you.

I’ve been working on so many different things and I’ll have more to share another day. For now I wanted to show you my Woman in the Moon. I was so happy to see so many woman heading towards the United State Congress and wanted to honor that in a small way.

So why not a woman in the moon, why does it have to be a man? Or better yet, why not both? Here is my woman in the moon, she’s a framed piece and a bracelet at the same time.

Here she is as a bracelet. I’ve made her out of Ultralight so she’s not so heavy. But she another example of my “out there” brain.

The Cheshire Cat’s Cousin in Polymer Clay

“We’re all mad here.”
― Lewis Carroll (The Cheshire Cat), Alice in Wonderland

I feel like I followed the White Rabbit into a hole and don’t know when I’ll get out again. I began the long put off task of cleaning out my spare room. I won’t go into details, it’s just too scary. I didn’t need halloween, I had my own frightening adventure in my house.

But I’ve taken a day to play with clay and get something out of my head and into a design. It’s my contour cat bracelet. I think he is related to the other Alice’s Cheshire Cat, don’t you?

Here’s the other side.

And here it is on my wrist. I can tell you from experience that I always get compliments and comments when I wear my boldest contour bracelets, mainly because they’re so crazy.

I have lots more work to do on “the room” but I can’t stay away from clay for long. I agree with the Cheshire Cat, I am a bit crazy when it comes to clay. See you next time.

Great Fun at Maureen Carlson’s Center for Creative Arts

This picture shows you just how happy I was to be asked to teach for three days at Maureen Carlson’s Center for Creative Arts. I was in Jordan MN at Maureen’s Center over a week and a half ago and I wish I were still there or at least lived close enough that I could visit, spend the night and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow seekers of artist expression or just plain good company.

Last night I was at Highlands Art League in Sebring, FL giving a polymer clay demo and Chuck and Vada Thomas were there. Like me, they saw Maureen on the Carol Duvall show in the late 1990’s and heard her mention that she had a center in Jordan where you could take a class and spend the night in the dorm rooms upstairs. They called Maureen and were shortly on their way to Minnesota. Maureen remembers them and says that Chuck’s sweet potato carving and wooden gnome carving still grace her shelves. It’s a small world, even here in this little county in Florida Maureen has touched many people.

These are a few of the polymer clayers that were at Maureen’s. Kit is pictured below, but sorry to say we never did get a picture of Ann Poulson and Kit Wojcik on the day they were there, Maureen took this of Kit on another day. Sorry Ann.

Linda Garbe, Maureen Carlson, Beth Wegener, Karen Nelson, Renee Carlson, Anne Brown

Kit Wojcik

We did face canes and pen and ink and cane mapping, and as usual, there were some wonderful pieces that were created. We all enjoyed each other and everyone finished pieces that they really liked. In fact Kit went back to Maureen’s another day and she, Maureen, Renee kept working and creating more projects. they said they had a ball with the Stroppel Cane.

Anne ‘s face cane was it was really good. She made this bracelet with a slice. Wish you could see it on her, taking pictures of a face on the curvature of a bracelet doesn’t do it justice.

Karen created this fabulous, funky, colorful cane mapped cat. I’d say she likes purple. She kept saying, “I’ll never be able to do this, I don’t like intricate work”. But oh how wrong she was, I think she had a good time too.

Renee hasn’t finished this butterfly, but I hope to have pictures when she does. Just so fabulous I can’t wait to see the finished piece.

Linda had fun with her faces and made a beautiful bracelet and cane mapped design. Wonder what she’s going to do with them?

Beth was in a avian mood and made several stunning birds. Wish I’d gotten a better photo of her work. Try and zoom in on this bird, it’s beautiful. Beth if you read this, send pictures, pretty please.

A shot of the classroom. It’s the best place to be, seriously just like home, full of touches of Maureen’s art and others all around the room.

Anne Brown created this beauty that holds special meaning to her. It really made me happy to see the smile on her face when she finished it.

Maureen combined her cane mapped piece with a pen and ink face and accents to create this enchanting pendant. I love this piece.

Now really, who would have ever believed that Maureen would be sitting in classes taught by me? Not this girl! She was pretty well behaved and as expected, a model student, accept when she and Renee were cutting up and laughing too hard.

Renee made these when Kit came back another day to play.

And Kit made these excellent bracelets on that day. Two are from Stroppel Canes and the last features her pen and ink face.

More after class fun and co-ordinated “homework” by Renee. Love them both.

Just to show you how much fun we had and what a crazy bunch of woman were in attendance, Linda made these outrageously fabulous earrings that she and Karen are modeling. (she didn’t make them in my class, she just brought them to share.) They’re titled, Ears to You Mr. Spock. How Funny! You should take a look at some of Linda’s videos, her work and stories are wonderful and you’ll learn something, I promise you.

There are picture on Maureen’s website, showing the outside of the center and the dorms. Here’s the charming room I stayed in. Complete with WiFi and all.

When you first walk through the front door you’re charmed and know you are at Maureen’s. Wee Folk, Maureen and her husband Dan’s creations, are everywhere, smiling at you from all directions. Look to your right and you see the stairs leading up to the dorm rooms upstairs.

Look to your left and be lead through Maureen’s workspace into the classroom.

Peaking into Maureen’s office you are greeted by this jolly life size Santa and Maureen freely admits that it’s a museum of sorts, housing many pieces of her’s and other artists. Love the positive words dancing across the walls.

Here’s Renee’s sweet dog, Poochie, keeping great company among some of Maureen’s favorites surrounding her work space.

Maureen sells finished items but also all the supplies you might need for any of her class. See…. once you get there, you never have to leave. Unless of course you’re tempted by charming antique shops and delightful cafes, then you might want to stretch your legs with a walk up the street. Or maybe sit by the sweet babbling creek out the back door.

So there you have it, a very full, fun filled 5 days at Maureen’s, a dream come true. Now to start planning my trip back, maybe as a student taking a class with Maureen or one of her guest artists.

Here’s Maureen, Anne and me on the last morning, I hated to leave. Anne was driving right by the airport on her way home and graciously offered me a ride. Thanks so much Anne.

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