Polymer Clay Vesuvius BeachStone Bracelets

I put together some of the first Vesuvius Bay BeachStone Bracelets. I'm really happy with the distinctive squared-off chunky look. I re-opened my Etsy Shop to offer one for sale!

Squared Beachstones from Vesuvius Bay...

I've begun what will be a long process of mixing clay to match the photos I'm using for a large mixed media canvas. When I'm in the mixing phase I like to make selections of BeachStones from the different coloured clays I come up with. I'm going to do a series of Vesuvius Bay BeachStone Bracelets and necklaces with this wonderful chunky squared effect as shown in the collection I gathered from this beautiful Saltsping Island Bay.

Vesuvius Blue Pool- Completed

Here's the finished version! I'm going to use a few of the most recent 4x4" and 5x7" pieces as designs for two larger canvases.

Mixed Media Canvas- in transition

This one surprised me... the photo of a tide pool went on as a background and my original plan for the piece went astray when these blue characters emerged on the right side... the story unfolded from there. I don't think the piece is finished yet....

I have a plan for phase two but I'm really liking the section where I added gold foil as a surface treatment!

The Weather, New Mixed Media Collage & Firing Canvases

Fall arrived here on the west coast and rain is in the forecast. Perfect weather for creativity! I think the overcast skies are reflected in this mixed media canvas. It's 12x10"- currently untitled . The rock formation in the foreground is textured polymer clay and backfilled with black Liquid Sculpey to get the the dark shadows. The stones are all polymer clay. The background rockface is a digital photograph printed on silk.

I have had several emails lately asking about firing canvases in the oven. Polymer clay fires at 275 Fahrenheit. Paper, fabric and wood all ignite at much higher temperatures so there's no problem putting an entire canvas in an oven. I highly recommend good ventilation.

Vesuvius 1 - mixed media collage

...it's incredible how the photos from Vesuvius Beach and the ones from Galiano Island give me such different colour palettes. Here's the first of my Vesuvius Mixed Media Series, "Vesuvius 1", it's 4x4". Digital photography on silk on polymer clay on canvas with found objects.

(The hydrangea project is on-going)

Another wonderful beach- more mixed media explorations!

I just returned from our annual Thanksgiving vacation on Saltspring Island. We stayed at Vesuvius Beach and I beachcombed photographs of the very inspirational rock formations on this geologically fascinating shore. I' m beginning a new mixed media canvas today, there'll be a new calligraphic element inspired by the amazing scores and scrapes in the stone and is there a way to incorporate hydrangeas? Stay tuned....

Ridgeview #1- mixed media

I really felt as if I was in "the zone" when I did this mixed media piece which I've titled Ridgeview #1. The foreground and background are from one photo which I cut into two sections laying the green background directly on the canvas and putting the foreground on a raised section of polymer clay to give the 3D effect. The photo is printed on organza instead of silk and gives a more lighter and more textured effect with the appearance of the photo.

I like this one a lot and the best part is that I came up with some ideas that I'm excited about trying with the next one!

A Cup of Tea with Coffee

I started my day as usual with a cup of tea and a check of the google alerts that came up for polymer clay yesterday and I was delighted with Lisa Clarke's Monday Morning Coffee Chat which features a terrific interview with Polymer Clay Daily's creator- Cynthia Tinapple- check it out!

Today is a 100% clay day. Here's a photo of I finished the piece I started last week for the next few days I'm going to do a series of small photo rockface landscapes including figures- I'll be making a lot of beachstone clay- and BeachStone Bracelets and necklaces as I go.

5th Annual Multi Media Fine Arts Exhibition- Ladysmith BC

I'm delighted to announce that three of my pieces have been selected for the Multi Media Fine Arts Exhibition in Ladysmith from October 3-25! The Exhibition is at the Waterfront Arts Centre in Ladysmith. Here's a link with further information about what promises to be a wonderful event!

Mixed Media Process 2

Here's the second stage. I've matched colours in the photo with clay for textural sections and I cut a hole in the canvas to create a "subterreanean" layer.

Mixed Media Process

Here's step one of one of my mixed media collage canvases. The photo is placed on the canvas, I'm using waterslide paper for this one.