Segal Inspired

I count myself as very fortunate to have taken classes with Marie Segal.

I first met Marie at Ravensdale 2006. At that time, I was new to the polymer world and did not know the extent of her history with polymer.  All I knew what that she was a very kind lady who encouraged me to put some of my pieces up for sale in the Ravensdale store.  I actually SOLD a piece!
  Since then I have had the opportunity to get to know her a bit more at several NWPCG Clay Camps.  And I try to take a class from her every time she has been able to attend.

This time, I couldn't wait to learn the secrets behind the lovely earrings she had been showing on FB for months.  I was not disappointed.  Since Clay Camp, whenever I have the time (not much now that summer is finally here .... so much to do that pulls me away from the clay) .... I have made more Marie Segal Inspired Earrings.

Using more of the translucent window cane 

Translucent window cane and mica powders

Translucent window cane, mica powders and mud

A bit of a different shape

Just used the shaping here, and a tiny bit of the window cane

For these, I combined Marie Segal design with the translucent canes I made
in Kim Day's class. Now I have earrings to go with the bracelet!

Left over clay when mixed gave me an olive green color that I used for the base
of these earrings

Clay Camp Classes

There were a goodly number of classes offered this year at Clay Camp. Only wish I could have taken more, but time (and money) did not allow.

One class that I absolutely had to sign up for was Marie Segal's earring technique. I had been drooling over them since she first showed them on FB.  I am so happy with the pair that I made. If you ever get a chance to be in a class with Marie, jump at it.  She has a depth of knowledge that seems bottomless and is so willing to share .... she is awesome.

Notice the translucent windows.

Our guild's caner extraordinaire, Kim Day, present her first every class.  She did such a marvelous job, I hope she does more.  Translucent canes was the focus and I, not being a caner, could not have been happier with the results.  She present in a logically progressive format and made it all so easy.  Her handout was detailed, with pictures of every step.  And she threw in bonus material, including a flower tutorial that was easy but very effective.  We all made our own flower cane, large enough that we could cut off pieces and share with others in the case.  We each ended up with 4 to 5 flower canes for many more beads.  Learning a few tricks on how to properly reduce to prevent distortion was worth the price of admission.

    After making our focal bead, Kim took us through sanding (as anyone who reads my blog knows, I hate to sand and buffing.  Then we spent the afternoon making either a tile or bangle bracelet. As she had a bangle blank that actually fit, that was my direction.
    I am delighted with the results.

Bangle. I found it was easier to sand than the smaller bead. Who knew?

Closeup of the flowers

     Bead I made using flower cane made by guild president Betty.

I spent Sunday of Clay Camp making more components for earrings.  I hope to have time to assemble some more by this weekend, if my husband does not pull me out for anymore long walks. Today he had to try out the new opened wetlands here in town.  Would not have been so bad, but it was downhill going in, which means with was uphill coming out (my back was definitely feeling it - laid down when I got home for a short nap and woke up 3 hours later!)

Note: somehow blogger got my posts out of order. This post actualy predates my Clay Camp Earrings Post.

Clay Camp 2015

Another Clay Camp has come and gone.  Once again the NWPCG met at beautiful Camp Huston just outside Goldbar, Washington.  This year, we expanded it to 4 day and offered numerous classes. The response was fantastic.  We had more people want to sign up than there were beds for. Luckily for the guild, there was no other group meeting the same weekend,  so we were able to upgrade to the larger cabin.

                                     My room was the one in the middle.

 This cabin had a much larger common room that was perfect for classes. Good thing, as the two I took were totally full and would have had a hard time fitting into the smaller cabin.

View of the walkway going from the lodge to the cabins

The weather was somewhat cooperative. It did rain (hey, it is outside Seattle) but not all the time.  Not hot enough for sticky clay.

I was fortunate enough to be able to take a class from the great Marie Segal. She was teaching her new earring technique. We were introduced to the new Fimo  Profesional clay. I love it! From 6 basic colors, over 150 colors can be blended. The color mixing chart included was worth the price of the class.  I will post the beautiful earrings I made when I have time to photograph them.

    I  got to take the first class ever taught by our resident caning guru Kim  Day. She taught us several translucent canes. Then she showed how to make a flower cane. Each of us chose different colors, so we ended up with a garden of blooms. We'd made enough cane to share around so we all ended up with at least 4 different canes to take home.  I am not a caner, but I was able to produce a lovely flower. Kim then taught how to make either a tile or bangle bracelet.  I am so proud of my bangle ... I hope to have time to take pictures and post tomorrow.

One of the best things  about this gathering is getting to spend time with people who share a similar hobby. We get to walk about and see what other artists are doing, sharing tips, techniques and ideas. And seeing what new tools are out there. I fell in love with the cane slicer from Lucy Tools. It resembles a small guillotine but it sure makes slicing a cane easy. I would have to be a production artist, though, to justify  the cost.

 Kathy's new toy.

you can barely see the birdie sitting in her nest hidden in the walkway outside our cabin.

I had treated myself on Mother's day to a new Nook Tablet. All my pictures were taken on it. I have yet to figure out how to  edit them, or how to share with social media  (such as FB).  I feel pretty good about writing this entry using the tablet and I figured out how to add the pictures to it. 

Where does all the time go?

We are almost to the half year mark on the 52 earring project.  I can't believe that the year is almost half over.  We are fast approaching the solstice, one of my favorite days of the year.  I suffer from SAD (as do a lot of people in the Pacific Northwest), so sunshine is a great boost to my emotional well being.  Seems this year, tho', we are not getting enough of it.  I heard on the news that we have had only 3 sunny days so far this month ....
   Opps, got distracted.  My topic is the 52 earring project, not the weather.
   Anyway, the theme for this week's 52 earrings is "half".

 
  I don't cane much and when I do it is not a complex cane at all. I made a skinner blend using a light yellow and the new Premo Magenta Pearl.  Rolled it into a bullseye cane, and added a thin layer of white clay.  Then the cane was reduced and stacked.  Easy for me to do.  Veneered a scrape clay bead gut, rolled it around in my hands a bit to smooth, cut in half. Then topped with the Magenta.  The hardest part was cutting the Magenta with the exacto-knife to fit on the top of each half.  Thanks to Julia Sober for this technique that she showed us a few years back at a NWPCG demo.

Button,,.button,,,who's got the button?

Aren't these the cutest buttons?  Guildee Cathy (and blog reader - say hi to the beach for me won't you)  makes them. She is a whiz at caning.  Thought I would share these with you.