What is Polymer Clay?
Polymer clay is a manmade material that remains pliable for long periods, but bakes or "cures" in your home oven at a fairly low temperature; though hard, thin sheets are often flexible. You can sculpt it, carve it, stamp it, texture it, sand it, buff it, paint it, and build with it to create sculpture, accessories, figurines, dolls, or jewelry, or use it to embellish other surfaces.
You can use polymer clay to make mosaics, plaques, wall hangings, furniture, and other decorations. In recent years, polymer clay has developed from a child's plaything into an artistic medium, yet its delightful playfulness has not been lost.
I began working in Polymer Clay in 1998. While visiting Colorado, I observed a young artist create a clay covered ball jar as part of a christmas present. I always enjoyed playing with play dough and clay with my children at a young age, so I thought I'd give it a try.
I'm going to say what all polymer clay artists say -
"I was hooked!"
Polymer clay is a medium that is made by several different manufacturers in a multitude of colors. Check out the Mile High Polymer Clay Guild site for more detail on polymer clay.
The clay remains workable until it is cured in a low temperature oven. The clay can be shaped and sculpted into a any shape..
The clay is sometimes worked into a cane incorporating the same design throughout the log, then sliced to add as embellishment or design.
I enjoy taking thin sheets of clay and covering glass creating a covered votive or jar. The clay is baked directly onto the glass, creating a veneer covering that is sometime transparent to allow light to shine through.
This is a slice of a mokume gane' cane that I created using many color layers incorporating gold leaf into the design. The cane was sliced and then put through a pasta machine to flatten the layers and create depth. This slice can then be used to created beads, jewelry or veneers.
