Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy

www.ashpaints.etsy.com

For a little different take on the Mystery Featured Artist, I asked several PCAGOE members to write a little about themselves.  Here is an interesting blurb by Arlene of Ashpaints (Harrison Hollow Designs.) 

I am a legal secretary by day, a widow - lost my husband to cancer almost 10 years ago, a mother (two beautiful grown daughters), a grandmother (one grandson, two granddaughters that live within walking distance of my house)and an artist in many mediums by night.  I sing in the church choir, love a good audio book (eyes tire out quickly when trying to read - botched lasik surgery), enjoy country and gospel music for the most part and enjoy and a good “feel good” movie!  I’m nearing retirement age and working toward growing a business that will supplement my retirement income.

My grandmother taught me to embroider before I was old enough to start to school and that was the beginning of a life-long “need” to create. I emphasize need because that is what it is.  If I go too long without making something, I get antsy and irritable!  My husband used to joke about me having to have acrylic [paint]under my fingernails! I’ve tried a lot of things over the years - woodworking, thread-count embroidery, crewel embroidery, sewing clothes for my sisters (and our dolls), knitting, crochet, quilting, even made concrete stepping stones at one point, and finally found my niche in decorative painting, which I did for more than 25 years until I discovered polymer clay.
The woodworking is a funny story.  I had gotten into decorative painting back when cutouts were popular so I bought my husband a scroll saw for Christmas so he could cut things out for me to paint.  Instead he taught me how to use it, then bought me a RBI Hawk, which was one of the better scroll saws, because I got so frustrated with changing blades when they broke… and I broke quite a few in the learning process!  I am now proficient with a table saw, miter saw, skill saw, jigsaw and, of course, my scroll saw.  My favorite thing in my workshop is a toss-up between my pneumatic nail gun and my drill press. 

My adventures in polymer clay began about three years ago when I had gotten burned out on painting. I had done a bit of work with paperclay in adding dimension to gourds and had watched the polymer clay artists on the Carol Duval show and figured I could do this — and I had picked up some Sculpey in holiday colors for pennies at Hobby Lobby’s after-Christmas sale.  So I dove right in.  I’d love to say that everything I did was an instant success, but we all know that’s not how it works. 

But I had enough success to keep me working at it. I joined several online polymer clay groups, joined PCAGOE and learned a lot just by trying different things to see what worked and what didn’t. 

Looks like you found out what works Arlene!

www.jkollmann.etsy.com

Jill Kollmann is a  polymer artist and jewelry designer from Orange County, California.   She is a member of the Orange County Polymer Clay Guild, and constantly sharpening her artistic skills and techniques for creating focals and beads.

Some of Jill’s work combines seed beaded bezels with polymer clay scuptures of flowers, an absolutely gorgeous combination for a truly one-of-a-kind neckpiece.

Jill says, “One of the neat things about polymer is that the color range is infinite.” She can custom make a beautiful necklace with your specifications as to color and design.  She can work from fabric samples and match a specific outfit. 

Jill also makes stunning earrings and bracelets such as this one on the right.  

Recently, her beautiful ring box took third place in the PCAGOE challenge.

www.polymerclayproductions.com

Ilysa  Ginsburg together with Kira Syle are the founding  members of the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy.  Ilysa rallied the troops and Kira did the website . 

Ilysa  has been working with polymer clay for about 19 years and has traveled around the USA participating in art shows and fairs.  She has won numerous awards for her work including “Best Of Show”.   Her work can be seen in several of the polymer clay books and national magazines.   She has also designed projects for several companies and now has an instructional DVD available.  She co-hosts a weekly show creating with polymer clay teaching others how to work with the clay.

After discovering that both Ilysa and Kira love polymer clay and live in Florida, they  worked on Ilysa’s idea to create a weekly podcast devoted to polymer clay, which you can hear and see at www.polymerclayproductions.com. They started airing the radio and TV show on June 1, 2007, and have never missed a Friday.  They discuss news, do reviews and interviews, and travel to different trade shows and polymer clay events.

Polymerclayproductions is the source for the Magic Transfer Paper that we all love so much.  You can purchase it through them.  There is no easier way to transfer an image onto clay than with this specialty paper.