A Polymer Clay Class

A college level studio class introducing basic and intermediate techniques in polymer clay. Students learn color theory, create a repertoire of textures and patterns and develop compositional strategies to make a variety of polymer & mixed media objects. This course is taught by Diane Levesque, Associate Professor of Art at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

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Final Project Week: Students selected from eight categories for their Final Project. Necklace, Vessel, Covered Box, Sculptural Figure, Wall Art ( bas relief), Table Totem Sculpture, or Complete Dinner of Miniature Food .  Above are a few students working on their projects with the final results:

From Top: 

Katie Schram working on miniature cake

Katie Schram: “All American Diner Food” ( photo looks like a Wayne Thiebaud painting! )

Jacylin Damon working on her covered vase in a Greek terracotta style

Jacylin Damon: “Greek Black Figure Vase”

Lauren Druwe: “Pastel and Gold -Leaf Big Bead Necklace”

These are just a few examples of the wonderful work that the students created in the last five days of class. Bravo!

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4th Blog Response: As we begin the Final Project this week, consider these three artists who use polymer in a sculptural format that is either free standing or installed on a wall. Creating a complex work, regardless of size, involves planning and finalizing a design with specific notes on details and finishing.On all three of these examples, “every inch counts”.

At the top is Junmin Bae’s “Brooch: An Extinct Species”, 2019, Polymer, film, and sterling silver”. 5.5″ x 5.5″ x 3″. You can read about her practice and see more of her work at:

https://juunmin.blogspot.com/

In the middle is Meredith Dittmar’s  “Human and Technology”, 2014, Polymer on painted wood. Here is a link about Dittmar’s work:

https://neverborn.org/

At the bottom is Donna Greenberg’s  “Migration”, Polymer and oil glazes. You can read about Greenberg’s process at: 

https://www.donnagreenbergarts.com/

After visiting their websites, write a comparison on how technique, craftsmanship and overall design are used to create three very different results. Lastly, how does layering come into play? 

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Last week, students finished their Pivot Tiles and Pivot Bead projects as seen here with Lauren Druwe (top), Max Schwartz ( middle) and Selina Constable (bottom) with Miranda Paikowski just to the left. Fascinating to see the varying  approaches on the Pivot Bead project. 

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3rd Blog Response: Stripes are a universal and timeless design element. As we begin creating projects using the striped skinner blend technique, carefully study the works of Carol Blackburn “Jazzy Necklace”, polymer, 2018 ( top) and Cynthia Tinapple’s “Maple Bowl with Polymer Clay Inlay” (bottom).

Visit Carol and Cynthia’s website to read more about their process.

http://carolblackburn.co.uk/products.htm

http://tinapple.com/cynthia/

 Then write about the challenges each artist faced in the design of a piece of jewelry or the inlay work on imbedded in a maple bowl. What strategy does each artist use in terms of color, contrast, texture, color palette, shape, and craftsmanship?

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2nd Blog Response: The cross pollination of influences for artists crosses genres, media and time to inspire new approaches. At the top is Kathleen Dustin’s “Stella Brooch #12″; polymer, oxidized sterling silver, and 22 K gold leaf, 2016. It’s diminutive size of 5″ x 4″ x 1″ belies the depth of detail and laying of color. The title of Dustin’s brooch, one of a series, is a reference to the American artist Frank Stella’s “Indian Bird Series” as seen in the bottom image, “Shoubeegi”, 1978, enamel paint and glitter on metal, 95″ x 130″ x 32″.

First read Kathleen’s statement on her website: https://www.kathleendustin.com/artist/artists-statement/

Then describe the similarities in form, color, texture and overall design between Dustin’s mixed media polymer brooch and Stella’s painting on metal. Keep in mind that Dustin began her artistic career with a M.F.A. in ceramics.

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1st Blog Response: Many of the great innovators of polymer art often find inspiration for new techniques by studying nature. Lindly Haunani’s “Pinch-Petal Necklace”, 2011 ( top) is based on delicate petals of flowers. As we prepare to make the pinch-petal necklace from Lindly Haunani and Maggie Maggio’s  book “Polymer Clay Color Inspirations: Techniques and Jewelry Projects for Creating Successful Palettes”, take note of the variations of this technique by Laurel Swetnam ( middle) and Gloria Danvers (bottom). 

In your sketchbooks, describe in 150- 200 words how Swetnam and Danvers have utilized Haunani’s technique in terms of color, variation on cane-work, and necklace design.

http://www.lindlyhaunani.com/

https://laurelswetnam.com/

https://www.gloriadanvers.com/art-to-wear

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Welcome to the 2020 Polymer Clay Course at Carthage College. By way of introduction, I am Diane Levesque, artist and professor of art. At the top I have included a detail from one of my abstract paintings titled “Full-Fed Frisk in Their Merry Play”, 2019. It includes polymer clay elements as part of the series of works for The Lucretius II Project. The visual inspiration for this series were images found on the internet of bacteria and viruses. In this case, the detail at the bottom of the candida auris fungus was one of the sources I used for the painting. Depending on your major and interests, you will all have an untapped artistic resource at hand.Think of this example as an invitation to search your own unique backgrounds for project sources. 

For more examples of Diane Levesque’s work: www.dianelevesque.net

#polymerclayprojects  #abstractpainting #artclass #carthagecollege #polymerart #lucretius #artdetails #polymerclayclass 

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# 4 Blog Response: As we finish the Faux Fun Assignment and get ready to start the Final Project, consider how these three artists use various faux techniques to create their pieces. How does color and texture come into play? What is distinctive about each artist’s technique? Describe the compositional strategy that is employed in each work.

Top: Staci Louise Smith, “Frida”

Middle: Wendy Wallin Malinow,  “Calcified Corazon”

Bottom;  Kim Cavendar, “Forest Floor Necklace”.

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Students Andrea Archer (top ) and Rachel Walecki with Erin Otto towards the background ( bottom) work on Project # 5: Muted Color & Texture Big Beads.  

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Top: Maggie Maggio, “Rose Necklace”, polymer 

Bottom: Ford & Forlano, Pin, Polymer & metal

# 3 Blog Response:  As we begin to explore texture in class, study the techniques utilized in these two works by Maggie Maggio and Ford & Forlano.  Describe how layers are used, as well as the role that color plays in creating the illusion of depth. Can you guess how each artist achieved their unique effect? What role does chance in the handling of materials have, if any in these pieces?

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1st Project: Black to White Decorated Tin Box  

Students used black and white polymer to decorate an Altoid tin box. For the project they had to make a B & W Bulls Eye cane, B & W Jelly Roll Cane, Black to White skinner blend roll with black wrap, a B & W Stripe stack and a checkerboard stack. They came up with some very creative solutions for the project. Bravo class!

Top: Zach Scheunemann works on his design: a combination of geometric forms with curvilinear ornamentation. 

Bottom: The finished boxes. 

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Top: Lindly Haunani  “Asparagus Crown Bracelet, Polymer, 2009

Bottom: Melanie West  “The Maw”, Polymer cane, laminated polymer & epoxy

#2 Blog Response:  Many artists are inspired by nature when creating their work. Polymer is a great medium to mimic the effects seen in the natural world. Describe the polymer techniques that Lindly Haunani and Melanie West have used in these works. Also describe how color and the forms used help to achieve an almost trompe l’oeil effect ( fool the eye).  

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Top: Dan Cormier, White Brooch, Polymer

Bottom: Lee Bontecou, Untitled,  Welded steel, canvas, copper wire

1st Blog Response: In these two very different art works ( one a small brooch made from polymer clay and designed as body adornment and the other a large wall sculpture that hangs on a museum wall) share a number of design elements. In your response describe how each artist uses a monochromatic ( one- color) color scheme while achieving visual complexity. Compare the way that the shapes are similar and/or different. How is texture used by each artist and how does the use of shape help to create the illusion of depth? 

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Welcome students to the Carthage College 2018 J-Term Polymer Clay Course.  Take a look at the archives here to get a sneak peek on some of the projects we’ll be creating in class.

Shown here: “Wacky Face Pendants” by Diane Levesque 2017

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New This Year at Carthage College: Independent Study in Polymer Art Techniques

This J-term Sonia Vazquez is undertaking an Independent Study with Assistant Professor Diane Levesque in Polymer Art Techniques. As in the Spring 2014 Polymer Clay course taught be Professor Levesque, this is the first time that polymer art is being offered  as an Independent Study College level course.

Sonia Vazquez is a senior Studio Art major at Carthage College where she hopes to complete her Senior Thesis Exhibition predominately, if not exclusively in polymer. Her Senior Thesis exhibition takes place at the H.F.Johnson Gallery of Art from May 2- May 14, 2016.

Check back for more posts of Sonia’s work this January.

Thanks!

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Great News!  The Polymer Class from Spring 2014 is featured in a wonderful article in the March 2015 issue of ARTJewelry magazine.

http://art.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/issues/2015/march-2015

Available at most Barnes and Nobles bookstores.

Thanks to Annie Pennington and the crew at ART Jewelry for the great article ! 

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The Opening Reception for "A Re-Visioning: New Works in Polymer Art" was a big hit at the H.F.Johnson Gallery of Art at Carthage College. Many students enjoyed viewing the works of such master artists as Jeffrey Lloyd Dever, Kathleen Dustin, Lindly Haunani, Maggie Maggio, Dan Cormier, Wendy Wallin Malinow, Leslie Blackford and many others.

 Sean Mitchell, a student from the Spring 2014 Polymer Clay Course at Carthage enjoyed a close up view of Leslie Blackford's "Carnival Train". His little sister Clare loved this piece.