Buried Treasure - post #1
This Post, entitled, Polymer Clay Not my Forte, originally aired in September 09; I think it's one of my favorites because I had such a great time - close friends, art community, creating using a new process... hope to read your buried treasure soon! Click on the Buried Treasure icon in the right-hand column for more details!
(Sorry, no intent to dis myself, the title just rhymed:)
Still drenched in the flavors and sights at Hotel 21C, we ventured across the street to the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft for our afternoon with Polymer Clay. Our wonderfully talented and gregarious instructor, Lisa Simon, began by talking about the basics and showing us a few of her wonderful creations. Yes. She's the kind of teacher that makes you feel like any and everything is possible, if not in a four-hour window! Looking at the variety and complexity of her dolls was quite daunting for me though, a newcomer to clay, as well as Cassie, who is enormously creative but says she doesn't 'make art.'
We started unwrapping colorful blocks of clay without a clue about the shape, appearance, personality of our creations. Rolling shapes, making beaks, bulging eyes, crazy appendages, the time passed all too quickly. Especially for Debbie (on the right, glasses on her head) who creates and exhibits Raku sculpture women that are to die for (her finest to date graces my living room mantel:)
I'm not sure about the expression on instructor-Lisa's face, we thought we were off to a fine start; the head for mine, cut off below the eyes, is at the very bottom of the frame. Wasn't what I'd hoped for but there's no perfection, second chances even, in a four-hour class.
The class description said that all materials would be provided, and they were. Some of the more experienced gals arrived with a plan - and gorgeous embellishments like felt pieces and jewels, designs sketched out in detail - and finishing their pieces while ours came home in body bags.
Like Clarissa, a fellow Lexingtonian, the only one to create a round doll - quite fabulous!
And Ellen Yunker, who was wearing a doll-pin that she'd made in an earlier class (gee, I really wanted that pin!!). I didn't get a photo of her doll - it was fabulous!
But we hung in there, cut out little bodies and sewed cloth pieces together on machines with tension 'issues' and a bit of our own:) I'm ashamed to say that I haven't used a machine since senior-year home ec class when I made a skirt big enough for the school's quarterback.
Debbie made great progress, her creativity and talent shining through; Cassie and I are learning to love our little clowns... the class was finished before we were so we grabbed bits of embroidery floss, extra clay and fabric, bagged up and drove back home, with plans to gather at Deb's studio on the 30th and finish. I can't wait!
(Sorry, no intent to dis myself, the title just rhymed:)
Still drenched in the flavors and sights at Hotel 21C, we ventured across the street to the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft for our afternoon with Polymer Clay. Our wonderfully talented and gregarious instructor, Lisa Simon, began by talking about the basics and showing us a few of her wonderful creations. Yes. She's the kind of teacher that makes you feel like any and everything is possible, if not in a four-hour window! Looking at the variety and complexity of her dolls was quite daunting for me though, a newcomer to clay, as well as Cassie, who is enormously creative but says she doesn't 'make art.'
We started unwrapping colorful blocks of clay without a clue about the shape, appearance, personality of our creations. Rolling shapes, making beaks, bulging eyes, crazy appendages, the time passed all too quickly. Especially for Debbie (on the right, glasses on her head) who creates and exhibits Raku sculpture women that are to die for (her finest to date graces my living room mantel:)
I'm not sure about the expression on instructor-Lisa's face, we thought we were off to a fine start; the head for mine, cut off below the eyes, is at the very bottom of the frame. Wasn't what I'd hoped for but there's no perfection, second chances even, in a four-hour class.
The class description said that all materials would be provided, and they were. Some of the more experienced gals arrived with a plan - and gorgeous embellishments like felt pieces and jewels, designs sketched out in detail - and finishing their pieces while ours came home in body bags.
Like Clarissa, a fellow Lexingtonian, the only one to create a round doll - quite fabulous!
And Ellen Yunker, who was wearing a doll-pin that she'd made in an earlier class (gee, I really wanted that pin!!). I didn't get a photo of her doll - it was fabulous!
But we hung in there, cut out little bodies and sewed cloth pieces together on machines with tension 'issues' and a bit of our own:) I'm ashamed to say that I haven't used a machine since senior-year home ec class when I made a skirt big enough for the school's quarterback.
Debbie made great progress, her creativity and talent shining through; Cassie and I are learning to love our little clowns... the class was finished before we were so we grabbed bits of embroidery floss, extra clay and fabric, bagged up and drove back home, with plans to gather at Deb's studio on the 30th and finish. I can't wait!
Comments
They loved it and I kept one for myself too!
I am giving you a "Circle of Friends" award. Come to my blog to get it!
love,
ERika
bravo