The London
Regional Branch
Of the British Polymer Clay Guild
Next meeting
- Thursday, July 10th at 10am in Swiss Cottage, London NW3
For details please contact Caroline cals@carolineschuck.co.uk
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LONDON
GROUP - April 2008
by Clare McKnight
It was our seventh meeting,
and this time, it was my turn to host it at my home in West London.
Everyone arrived around
10am and once the kettle was on, we got straight down to catching
up on what had been happening since we last met around two months
ago.
The previous weekend
had seen a popular event in the British Polymer clay calendar. "Polydays".
Several of us had attended and so we started by hearing all about
what they had learned and done. This opened up many interesting
and varied avenues of conversation.
At the last meeting,
Caroline had shown us a technique for texturing clay, using a very
simple little gadget. (Actually a spiked onion holder!) To our surprise
she kindly gave us each one of our own, so that we too could make
regular lines, curves, waves or holes to our hearts content! Often
when working with polymer clay you will find that the most useful
tools are small inexpensive things that you may already have around
the home.
As always, we had a very
impressive show and tell session, with some beautiful professionally
made items of jewellery that Carol and Debbie had brought back from
a recent visit to the US, together with peoples work from the Polydays
workshops and other interesting "experimental works in progress!"
I always look forward to this bit as there is always such a range
of projects and ideas to see. Also, it has been very interesting
to see as members grow and improve in their work.
After our coffee/tea
and homemade muffins, we got down to actually having a go at a few
techniques. We experimented with translucent clays, layering them
with different coloured foils to great effect. This we made into
beads and brooches.
Next, Carol showed us
her "Chop & Change" method or Bargello technique.
Which produces a wonderfully colourful sheet of patterned clay with
a woven appearance.
Susan explained how she
had been playing around with a thin sheet of clay one day and created
a way of making the clay look like it had been smocked. This was
fiddly but looked both very effective and pretty.
With every inch of our
table space covered in our tools and creations, we moved into the
other room for lunch, which was once again a gourmet affair. (A
word to anyone interested in joining our London group, "it
is worth coming, just for the lunch!")
Lunch was followed my
more endless chat and a bit more hands on claying, before we all
packed up around 4pm.The day always seems to fly past, I am sure
we could just go on and on!
All in all the day was
a very enjoyable exchange of creative ideas and friendly chat.
Our next meeting is scheduled
for July 10th at 10am, this time at Caroline's home in Swiss Cottage,
London NW3. If having read this, anyone is interested in coming
along to join us, please contact Caroline or I, on cals@carolineschuck.co.uk
or claremcknight@tiscali.co.uk
space is limited, so do please contact us in advance.
Clare McKnight
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London
Group - February 2008 Newsletter
by Carol Blackburn
'Image transfers onto
polymer clay' was the theme of the February meeting of the London
Polymer Clay Group but we began with our regular 'show & tell'
session. This has become a much anticipated feature as everyone
delves into tins or bags to retrieve their recent pieces, some finished
and some as samples but all very varied. Many pieces were made at
or as a result of classes that we had attended in the 2 months since
the previous meeting. We spent the morning experimenting with image
transfers and baking samples though, as often happens, we ventured
off at tangents to the main topic and explored various hollow forms
and 'pillow' beads.Another
tangent was texturing and staining raw clay using spirit-based coloured
inks. We also discussed using 2 part resins for a glass-like surface
on finished pieces and canes made of translucent clay and foils.
These are topics for future meetings.
After a 'potluck' lunch
we continued with image transfers, trying out techniques learned
at classes with Donna Kato and Robert Dancik and comparing inkjet
and laser toner printed images. It seemed that the most successful
transfer methods used toner prints on uncoated papers.
Our next meeting will
be on Thursday 17th April in West London. We have left the main
subject open as it will be a few days after the BPCG 'Polydays'
and we will have our class pieces to discuss at an extended 'show
and tell'.
Please contact Clare
McKnight claremcknight@tiscali.co.uk for details of the next meeting
venue.
Carol
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London
Group - November 2007 Newsletter
by Carol Blackburn
Our November
meeting was another lively exchange of ideas and trying novel pc
techniques. We were pleased to welcome Susan Rimmer of the Mid Southern
Group who joined us on her birthday -especially pleased because
she brought a cake and wine to celebrate.
As usual we
began with our 'show and tell' which sparked lots of talk on findings,
of methods of making bracelets, of techniques such as ikat and bargello,
as well as using PMC with polymer clay inlays.
Our group lunch,
now an integral part of our day, was another 'feast' with everyone
bringing food to share. Later we discussed making canes using step
blends, as taught by Dan Cormier at Polydays in 2005, and methods
of cutting and using the veneers for pendants or bracelet tiles.
One thing we touched on, but which needs further exploring at a
later meeting, was the mica shift technique.
In our 'problem
solving' slot we tackled 'How to stop translucent clays discolouring
during baking?'. Suggestions ranged from tenting the work with aluminium
foil to adding a pinch of white clay to the translucent mix.
Our next meeting will be on Saturday 2nd February 2008, 10.30am to
4pm, at my studio in Rotherhithe when the theme will be Image Transfers.
If
you would like to join in the clay fun, please contact me for venue
details and if it's your birthday -don't forget the cake and wine!
Best
wishes
Carol
carol@carolblackburn.co.uk
www.carolblackburn.co.uk
Following
the November meeting, we received this report from Susan Rimmer who
attended the meeting.
London
Group - November 2007 Report by Susan Rimmer
It
was with some trepidation that I set across to the other side of London
for my first meeting of the London Region group. I am very new to
clay and I had been asked to bring some of my work for a show and
tell. Suppose they were all experts and would look at my baby offerings
with contempt? Suppose they were a bit cliquey? It was my birthday
and I wondered if I should rather have stayed at home with my family.
Upon meeting the group I began to realise that my fears might be unfounded.
I was welcomed in by Carol and ushered in to her wonderful studio.
I felt like a child in a sweet shop. There were so many lovely things
to look at - design drawings, beads, books and finished pieces, plus
a wonderful view of the river. The others all gave me a warm welcome
and we begun our show and tell. Carol shared some of what she had
learned at Sandy Camp including a tip for preventing bubbles by using
a very fine needle to prick the surface. Clare had some wonderful
figures with some amazing detail and explained how children can achieve
the same in her workshops with just 4 hours! Debbie combines PMC with
polymer clay and had been experimenting with overlays and cut outs.
She had also brought some beautiful earrings combing different textural
effects and we all jotted down ideas to try out these using sandpaper.
Caroline had also been experimenting but this time with different
painted effects and also different shapes. Throughout the show and
tell people chipped in with ideas of how to do something similar or
suggestions for how to move forward - I was even able to suggest a
couple of things. We discussed covering polystyrene balls strengthening
bangles with wire and we also shared different artist's websites that
we had visited - for ideas and inspiration. I learned that Lakeland
Plastics is the place to go for an inert wrap! But then it was my
turn! All their work was inspiring, how would they view mine? I had
lots of encouraging words and a genuine appreciation of what I had
achieved in a short space of time. My show and tell prompted suggestions
for how to do faster Skinner blends - skinny blends(!) and also a
useful discussion on pricing work and sources for findings.
We
had to drag ourselves away to have some lunch where the discussions
continued covering different books that people have found useful,
the problems of internet marketing, the new Fimo formulation and balancing
our creative desires with family responsibilities! Back to the studio
for birthday cake we spent the rest of the afternoon continuing our
discussions and looking at techniques from simple swirls to complex
Bargello slices and micashift.
Finally
we all agreed we should head back home. I felt as if I had been part
of the group for ages and spending my birthday in the company of such
warm and generous people had been a real privilege. I was so glad
I had brought my notebook - I had so many idea jotted down - diagrams,
tips, websites, suppliers and so many ideas buzzing round my head
that the journey home flew by and I could hardly sleep that night!
If you get a chance to attend one of these regional groups then take
it - it doesn't matter of you are very new or an old hand - there
is bound to be something new you can learn and something you will
be able to teach others.
Susan
Rimmer
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London
Group - September 2007 Newsletter
by Carol Blackburn
Dear
Members
The
September meeting of the London clayers was a whole day - and we needed
it. There was so much to talk about and show each other that we almost
forgot to stop for lunch, which was a 'pot luck', or rather a feast,
as everyone brought something to share. A 'newbie', Michelle, joined
us and at the end of the day went home knowing how to make a jellyroll
and a bull's eye cane, cane reduction and the basics for getting started.
Everyone brought their recent work, some as finished pieces and some
as samples or work in progress. These pieces provided a structure
to the day and stimulated many questions and swapping of ideas.
We
played with the holographic effect of mica clays -the 'mica shift'-
and experimented with paints and spirit based inks for colouring translucent
and liquid clays. During the day we explored making texture tools
and how to use them. We also compared notes on image transfers on
polymer clay using laser and inkjet prints - a topic we hope to pursue
further at our next meeting.
We'll
meet again on Sunday 11th November, 10.30am to 4pm, at my studio in
Rotherhithe. If you would like to join in the clay fun please contact
me at carol@carolblackburn.co.uk
Best
wishes
Carol
www.carolblackburn.co.uk
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London
Group - July 2007 Newsletter
by Carol
Blackburn
Dear
Members
At
the July meeting of the London polymer clay group we spent the morning
experimenting with various embossing, stamping and texturing techniques
and the use of translucent clay sheets. As the morning flew by far
too quickly we decided that next time we needed a whole day to 'play'.
So
our next meeting will be on Saturday 8th September. We'll meet again
at my studio in Rotherhithe, South London, begin at 10.30am and finish
around 4.30pm, though people can leave at any time. We will have a
'pot luck' lunch where we each bring a dish to share as my cooking
skills are rubbish.
Please
contact me by email for details carol@carolblackburn.co.uk Looking
forward to seeing you in September and do bring something for the
'show & tell'. Also feel free to bring some clay and tools.
Have
a good summer.
Best wishes
Carol
www.carolblackburn.co.uk
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London Group June 2007
Newsletter
by Carol Blackburn
The
London Polymer Clay Group had its 2nd meeting on Saturday 2nd June
at Waterstone's bookstore in Piccadilly. Five BPCG members came to
'show and tell' over coffee in the basement cafe.
Debbie
Carlton showed her silver clay necklaces with inlays of polymer clay
- a perfect combination. She also had a bag full of polymer clay samples
each in a different technique. We all pitched in with ideas of how
the pieces could be used as earrings or brooches.
Sarah
Maloney showed her miniature food models and a tiny corked bottle
with 2 of the tiniest gold fish swimming around. She explained how
she had made the fish with an iridescent finish and how she put them
into the 'scenic' water, (a new term for me from the world of miniatures).
Jean
Power is editor of Bead magazine and came to Polydays two years ago.
She brought a box full of the most beautiful and intricately stitched
bead work bracelets and beads. This time-consuming work prompted a
discussion on how to price such work for sale.
Kotomi
Yamamura, a Japanese jewellery designer now living in the UK, joined
us with several of her theatrical and dramatic necklaces and explained
how she uses polymer clay as a frame and a mount to hold semi precious
and glass stones.
I
brought along two beaded necklaces using a spiral theme and several
pieces of polymer clay jewellery that I made for my bead book.
It
was fascinating to see how we are each using polymer clay in a completely
differently way. We chatted and swapped suppliers addresses, websites
and news till well into lunchtime when we felt we had outstayed our
welcome having managed to make our coffees last more than two hours.
To
keep the momentum going we plan to meet again soon to use some clay
and demo techniques for each other.
Carol.
www.carolblackburn.co.uk
