April Challenge: Containers

About the challenge: 

For April our members tackled containers. They could create one from scratch or cover an existing container. It could have a lid or not. Yet, as always, the visible part of the entries had to be 50% polymer clay. 

Vote for your favorites. Three lucky voters will be chosen in a drawing to win a gift certificate from one of our sponsor shops.

To see larger images visit:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1089891@N25/

1. Put a bird on it! by Lisa of HiGirls
All white polymer clay over a small glass votive. Removable lid and little bun feet are both something I've not tried before. This piece is a companion to my "Air flow teapot".

2. Art Deco Egg Shell Bud Vase by Marie of YoungCreative
This piece started with a hollow egg shell that I covered almost entirely with polymer. The influence for the gold faux fabric swag around the top is from Helen Breil's shapes tutorial. The lid is hand-sculpted from polymer as is the base. To see more views visit: http://marieyoungcreative.com/art-deco-bud-vase-egg-shell-art/

3. Celadon and Black Crescent Box by Betsy of PolyClayCafe

As a relative newcomer to the world of polymer clay I wanted to set goals outside of my comfort zone for this challenge. My goals were:
1. the container must be 100% polymer clay, no covering a container
2. the container must be an odd shape
3. the container must include a lot of texture

The container is 5 1/2" at it's widest and 4" deep to the points, 2" high excluding the handle.
Click this link for another view www.flickr.com/photos/98189899@N07/13278152754/

4. Small Tea Pot by Berit of ClayImages

This tea pot has been covered with Stroppel spiral canes, cured, sanded and varnished. It is completely functional and holds about two cups of tea. It comes with its own sieve.

5. Pastel Box by Marcia of marcymPC
This is a recycled Altoids tin covered with white polymer clay tinted with pastels and set off by thin black lines.

6. Chinese Love Bowl by Line of PlaySculptLive
For this piece my armature were glass votive. One was dedicated to the bottom and the other to the top, the lid. I love the cinnabar look of antique Chinese bowls and decorations so using my own artistic license (which I keep on me at all times) I created my own version of the rich red stone. I called it the "Chinese Love Bowl" for the 2 red fish swimming together on the top. The bottom part is textured and has a lip to hold the top portion snug in place. I accented the top pieces with silver paste and the inside with silver embossing powder. Read more: http://playsculptlive.blogspot.ca/2014/03/contained-within-my-heart.html


7. Ivory and Snakeskin Bowl No. 142 by Susan of 11BOLDstreet
I formed this solid polymer bowl in layers over a vintage bowl. Featured are faux polymer ivory and snakeskin, in earth tones. The interior has applied ivory disks, plus layers of copper mica powder. Lots of texture and surface contrast! 4 3/8" dia. x 1 1/2" h.

8. Baubles and Swirls Trinket Jar by Arlene of Ashpaints
This whimsical trinket jar was made for the April PCAGOE challenge - Containers. I used a piece of 3 inch pvc pipe for the foundation and a LOT of small balls of clay, each individually rolled and placed, along with ribbons of clay and, of course, swirls and baubles. This design is based on designs by Chris Kapono which I've been wanting to try for a while now. The top and bottom of the container are made 100% of clay.

9. Clutch in a clutch! by JKollmann
Almost didn't happen in time for the challenge! First they sent the wrong form (supposed to be a barrel) so had to re-design for this shape. Four tries - more fittings than a bridal gown! Whew - just in time!

10. Diamond Box by Beth of CreateMyWorldDesigns
Polymer clay diamond shaped container. Size of this piece is 6" wide by 6" tall. Constructed entirely of solid polymer in values of translucent clay to black clay. It is seated in a metal holder. To read about this piece and to see more photos, please visit my blog at:  http://createmyworlddesigns.blogspot.com/2014/03/diamond-in-rough.html

11. Sliding Turtle Box by Jackie of ThePleasantPheasant
This little slide-top box is adorable, if I do say so myself! I did this in dark gold clay with thin black stripes on the bottom, and textured black for the slide top. Two "security guards" adorn the front corners, and a striped swirl decorates the back of the box. The legs lift this up to the perfect height to show off the "roaring turtle" that will scare off intruders and protect the contents inside the box.
See more views of this box on Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/thepleasantpheasant/.

Read the expanded rules here.

Voting is closed. View the winners: http://polymerclayartists.blogspot.com/2014/04/april-challenge-winners.html

April Challenge Sponsors

https://www.etsy.com/treasury/ODI0ODcwNHwyNzIzMzg5MTEz/lovlies-from-the-pcagoe?ref=pr_treasury

Thank you to the shops sponsoring the April Challenge for the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy. The theme is "containers." Vote for your favorite entries here from April 1-7 and you could win a gift certificate from one of these shops. In the meantime, please visit these shops:

www.clayimages.etsy.com
www.youngcreative.etsy.com/ 
www.createmyworld.etsy.com/
www.jkollmann.etsy.com/
www.polymerclaycreations.etsy.com/
www.etsy.com/shop/beckysuecreations
www.11boldstreet.etsy.com/
www.etsy.com/shop/LadyFlowersbySusan
www.etsy.com/shop/higirls
www.marcympc.etsy.com
www.ashpaints.etsy.com/
www.arrowdaleartstudio.etsy.com/
www.nkdesigns.etsy.com
www.peggers.etsy.com/
www.playsculptlive.etsy.com/
www.etsy.com/shop/BeautifiedEssentials

Featured Artist Kathy Anderson

Introducing Kathy Anderson of El Paso Clay Nation

PCAGOE featured artist for March 17 through Mar. 30

(Her work will be featured on our Facebook page throughout this time period.) 

Kathy started working with polymer clay about twenty-five years ago, when her mother showed her an article in Fiber Arts magazine about a new material for making buttons. Kathy says, "We were both quilters, and I was doing batik at the same time. Polymer clay was a godsend, as I was soon to become a new mother, and in a smaller space. Quilting and batik require a sprawling space, but claying can be done in a compact space.

It was color that drew me to my other crafts, and color is the center of my work with clay. It was a joy to learn to mix the colors, and to learn and develop techniques. Nothing smells as good as freshly condition sheet of raw clay, especially Kato Clay. There's a great fun in the surprises that come from polymer clay. I love my guild, and I'm so grateful for internet guides, bloggers, and archivists like Sage Bray and Cynthia Tinapple.

When I'm not in my studio, I mean my kitchen, I teach seventh grade English at Brown Middle School in El Paso. Go Bulldogs!"

Kathy lives with her husband and daughter, dog and cat. She enjoys growing vegetables, watching Food Network,and reading novels.

Find more of Kathy's work in these locations:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ElPasoClayNation and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11629575@N04/

Featured Artist Els van Haasen

Introducing Els van Haasen of Beadelz

PCAGOE featured artist for March 3 through Mar. 16

(Her work will be featured on our Facebook page throughout this time period.) 

 

Meet Els van Haasen of Beadelz, PCAGOE feature artist from March 3rd through March 16th. Els works as a facility manager by day, and in her spare time she enjoys discovering all the possibilities of creating with polymer. She takes inspiration from nature and all kinds of natural materials. In Her own words: 

"Polymer clay gives me the possibilities to let my creativity flow. I started with making glassbeads but clay is a wonderful medium with many possibilities. Polymer clay becomes polymer art. My inspiration comes from the world around me but nature is my teacher. Colors, forms, combinations it all passes by. I love to make pendants and earrings and so now and then I make some beads, mostly to go with a pendant. Anyway polymer clay is creativity and it brings creative souls together. I have already met many beautiful people making the most wonderful creations and we all speak the same language. Isn's that wonderful? Happy claying to all of you!"

Els is also a member of the Dutch Polymer Art Guild. She lives in the Netherlands with her husband and 2 sons. And their family was completed in December last year, with a Border Collie puppy named Django.

To see more of Els work, find her at these locations:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Beadelz and http://www.flickr.com/photos/beadelz_polymer_creas

March Challenge Winners

The winners in the PCAGOE February Challenge "Wall Art" are:

Top entries selected by the public:

1. Hen and Eggs by Beth of CreateMyWorldDesigns

2. Cane Covered Egg by Freda of FredaK

3. Floral Fantasy Decorated Emu Egg by Angela of polymerclaycreations

Top entries selected by PCAGOE members:
1. Wonderland White Rabbit Art by Marie of YoungCreative
2. Pink Granite Egg Brooch No. 127 by Susan of 11BOLDstreet
3. Cane Covered Egg by Freda of FredaK
 

Congratulations to the drawing winners. They get to pick a prize from one of our lovely participating sponsor shop owners. 

Nancy Snead
Karen E Leeman

Trina Williams 

Comments from the voters:

- Lovely work, ladies! Now I'm ready for Easter. :)

- This is really great, I love coming to see the great talent.

- They are all cute!

- Great entries this month! I hope I will one day be as talented.

- Wow!!! Another great collection and hard to choose! In my thinking, you all are winners.

- Stunning entries! So hard to pick a favorite.

- Very nice work ladies! Good luck to you all!

- Beautiful and fun entries this month.

- Great work.

- Beautiful work this month! I love this challenge.

- Also loved the black tulip.

- Beautiful eggs, it was a hard choice.

- So hard to choose! Lovely work!

- What a sweet contest! Love all the entries!

- All beautiful work.

- So hard to choose. beautiful!

- Very creative work!

- I think the tulip is very unique.

- All very talented artists! Love the medium you work in.

- PlaySculptLive showed me this site!! AWESOME!!!

- Hooray for Easter! :)

- Awesome!

- Love all of these...but #1 is BEAUTIFUL...I would definitely wear it :)

- One of the most "challenging" challenges we've had in a while but love the different interpretations.

- PCAGOE you have brought Spring to my Sunday morning and it is about 8 degrees here today! I love all the creative ideas and fresh colors. The detail work is incredible. Thanks for sharing your work, it really brightened my day.

- Tough choices again!

- AMAZING designs!

- These all make me think of SPRING !!!

- I love the wonderland rabbit, but the photo with the kitty sealed it LOL! Again the work is diverse and wonderful, and choosing is difficult.

- They are all wonderful; so hard to pick 3.

- I always love seeing the wonderful submissions.

- It was very hard to choose between #5 and#6. Amazing eyes and both animal features done superbly. The only thing that made the choice for me was, the basket of eggs. The hen was soooo life like! The basket even looked real. But, to me, the grass in the basket did not match its surroundings. Again, to me, such quality work (I really, really mean that) on the rest of the piece and the grass looked like astroturf.

- Lovely work from everyone

- Lovely entries. Very hard to decide.

- Egg-ceptional entries! ;)

- They are all so unique and meticulously crafted. I love them all!