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Potomac Polymer Clay Guild |
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The Potomac Polymer Clay Guild is one of the oldest polymer clay guilds in the country, and is dedicated to exploring the use of polymer clay as an art form. While polymer clay has been available for some 40 years it's only in the last 15 years or so that it's use as an adult fine arts & crafts medium has grown to include jewelry making, mosaics, sculpture, fine art & more. It has been described as "pure color" that can be molded, stamped, modelled, painted & sanded--to name but a few of the artistic techniques it embraces. It can be combined with inks, spices or mica powders, and can be made to imitate stone, ivory, jade or metal. Projects run from Japanese inro to dolls to photographic beads. The bead samples above were part of the Guild's contribtuion to the fundraising gala Spirited Away, which was sponsored by The Bead Museum) and held at the Naval Historical Society in Washington D.C. in 2006. |
| Members donated hand-crafted polymer beads that were given to each gala attendee. The ‘Sprited Away’ theme of the gala inspired guild members to create art beads using the full range of polymer clay’s aesthetic potential -- beads ranged from a tiny acorn in its own gift box accompanied by a small book about the acorn's use in mythology to a dragon’s face, mokume gane, caning, and beautiful millefiori techniques. |
 The Acorn, Myth & Symbolism-Terresa Leopold |
| While the Guild generally serves southern Maryland, the District of Columbia, and northern Virginia it also attracts members from New Jersey, Pennsylvania & West Virginia. |
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The Guild has sponsored workshops with some of polymer clay's
best known artists. Participating guest artists have included
Grant Diffendaffer,
Jeff Dever, and Judy Belcher.
Examples of Judy Belcher's work can be seen on the
Judy Belcher page which appears on the
Polymer Clay Daily web site.
Photo left: bead samples by Jeffrey Dever |
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The Washington Metropolitan area is fortunate in that many of the early
Guild members reside locally & offer a wealth of talent and
experience that can be easily accessed for either workshops or informal
demonstrations at guild meetings. Guild Claydays offer another
opportunity to improve technique or complete a project in the company
of fellow clay enthusiasts. For current dates and locations of Guild meetings and Clay Days please contact Georgia Sargeant at:
georgia.sargeant@gmail.com |
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PHOTOS: Bead Gala Photo: Cindy Silas Acorn Bead: Terresa Leopold Jeff Dever Demo Beads: R. Gancie |