Polymer Clay

Fimo and clay tips and tutorials

Art Nouveau Inspiration

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The best polymer clay designs come from being inspired and influenced beyond a technique.  Techniques are the language, the words and sentence structure that we speak as polymer clay artists.  True poetry comes from expressing something beyond a jumble of words. 

I encourage you to find something you love, whether it’s a painter, a movement in art history, a design period, something in nature or science and translate that passion in your life into polymer clay.  Don’t merely copy a technique this weekend, but use a technique to create an object, a bead, a piece of jewelry, that tells the world a little something about yourself. 

Art is not magical, anyone can create something that is unqiuely theirs.  I believe in your artistic vision and I hope you spend some time exploring it this weekend.  You are an artist, everyone is an artist.

My current inspiration is Art Nouveau.  I love the linear, asymmetrical designs of flowers and plants.  I appreciate that the artists of the day were tired of industry and the mass production of the turn of the century.  They found beauty in nature rather than machine.  In today’s world I think designers and artists long for the same connection to the natural world.  This is why I’m currently influenced by this time period. 

(Click on the photo to see the images up close and for the photo credits.)

[tags]polymer clay, art, inspiration, expression, design, art nouveau, art history, artists[/tags]

Comments

  1. I have really been enjoying the last few days of postings. Very insightful, even for me who is not a clay artist. Color and design, and texture too is important in my beading projects. Keep up the great work!!

    Rosanne

Have you read?

POP! – Perspectives on Polymer

POP! – Perspectives on Polymer

Contemporary Craft is thrilled to be hosting POP! – Perspectives on Polymer June 25-29, 2022.  A five-day celebration of contemporary work in polymer, the event will have something for everyone who loves polymer clay.  POP! will feature four workshops along with virtual talks by some of the best polymer artists in the country, an exhibition of small works in polymer, and a curated feature in the Store. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, June 25, 6-8 PM, and will be free and open to the public.

POP!’s focus on workshops and the materiality of polymer makes this boutique event more than just a conference. Each participating artist was selected for their unique perspectives on polymer and the exciting ways they are moving the medium forward. The featured instructor for the event is Jeffrey Lloyd Dever, whose pioneering techniques in polymer have made him one of the most respected artists in the field. His jewelry and sculptural objects have been shown in many national invitational exhibitions, and his works are represented in numerous private collections, galleries and museums.

Read more here