The Art of Polymer Clay and Fabric Baskets

As far back as I can remember I have been creating something out of nothing.  I have explored many mediums, such as paints, pottery, beading, and leather.  At this time in my life, I’m working with polymer clay and fabric. 

Polymer clay is the ideal art form for me because it can be manipulated into nearly every shape, texture, and consistency imaginable.  Its flexibility as a mixed-media medium is nearly limitless.  Polymer clay has the ability to be transformed resemble nearly any material--metal, porcelain, precious stones, glass, wood, and more.  Many of these techniques and concepts are what I’m working hard at achieving.

I make tiles, beads, and small sculptures with the clay.  My techniques are blending the colored clay, stamping, molding, and drawing on the clay.  I paint the clay with acrylic paint, alcohol inks, mica powders, embossing powders and metallic leaf.  My projects are sometimes bonded to wood and glass.  Polymer clay is cured in an oven at a low temperature and is quite hard when finished.  Working with this kind of clay is great because it takes up less space, there are no big muddy messes, and within minutes I can see how my projects are turning out.

My fabric baskets are made with strips of fabric wrapped around cotton cording and a zigzag stitch on the sewing machine.  The fabric changes when coiled and is transformed into a totally different pattern.  My challenge is shaping the basket into a pottery shape.  Sewing machines are not designed for this technique and that too is my challenge.

I am having so much fun with these two mediums because they both have a physical, and mental therapy benefits to them, and this satisfies my creative endeavors.