Polymer Art Archive

Elissa Farrow-Savos, How does she get herself into these messes?
2011, 13h  x 7w  x 11d
polymer, magic-sculpt epoxy, oil paint, vintage surplus army zipper
Telling a story is the heart of Elissa Farrow-Savos’ work.  Combining polymer with found objects, Farrow-Savos’ sculptures speak to the eye and the soul.   Most of her work is feminine in orientation and [...]

Comments Off

Sandra McCaw, Falling Leaves Necklace, 2007, 4″h x 2 1/4″w
Polymer, 23 K gold leaf, gold filled wire, glass beads
Some of the earliest polymer work done in the United States was related to the technique of caning, or constructing a pattern that remains intact through the length of a cylinder.  Many polymer artists began with cane [...]

Comments Off

Sarah Shriver, Aqua, Gold and Purple Bracelet, 2009
Some of the earliest polymer work done in the United States was related to the technique of caning, or constructing a pattern that continued intact throughout the length of a cylinder.   In honor of the opening of the “Terra Nova: Polymer Art at the Crossroads” show at the [...]

Comments Off

Nan Roche, Animal Auguries, c.1998
polymer & elastic, 6.5″h x 3″h x 2″d and 7.2″h x 2″h x 2″d
Racine Art Museum        Photo: Penina Meisels
An irrepressible experimenter with a scientific background, Nan Roche has explored and initiated many polymer techniques.  Using some of these same techniques, Roche has created distinctive pieces that integrate her art making with [...]

Comments Off

Rachel Gourley, Rocks on Beach, 2010-2011
10″ x 5″ and 3″ x 2″
Rachel Gourley takes the concept of art and nature literally.   The source of much creative, large scale, sculptural work in polymer, Gourley has an affinity for translating natural form into something abstracted and a bit unexpected. 

Comments Off

Ronnie Kirsch, Details 2, 2000
5 1/4″  x 3 1/8″ x 3 1/8″
Give Ronnie Kirsch three stones……and she’ll turn them into a meal. That’s the artistry she exhibits in her kitchen. Give her three blocks of polymer clay…..and she’ll whip them into a sumptuous feast for the eye.
So, you may be asking, how come you’ve never [...]

Comments Off

Gwen Gibson, Polymer Wall Piece, 1997
Between 1996 and 1997 Gwen created about 20 wall pieces before returning to jewelry.  Gwen writes,” Having abandoned much of what defined my work as jewelry, I felt free to experiment with scale and function.  This wall piece combines several techniques as well as two and three-dimensional treatments.”

Comments Off

Gwen Gibson, Bead-framed Pin, 1995
Aficionados know Gwen Gibson for her expansive exploration of image transfer techniques on polymer.  This brooch from the collection represents some of Gwen’s earliest work in the medium as she made a transition into polymer through beading from her previous work in painting.

Comments Off

Ford/Forlano, Big Bead Necklace, 1998
Throughout time, artists have found countless sources of inspiration.  Sometimes it comes from the world around them; the song of a bird, the curve of a face, or the color of a flower have all inspired art.  Other times,  an idea springs from something that is already integrated into an artist’s [...]

Comments Off

Gwen Gibson, Kabuki II Bracelet, 2002
Polymer, Lazertran image transfer, gold acrylic paint
Gwen Gibson has spent much of her artistic career creating wearable art.  Long interested in surface design, Gwen’s initial approach to polymer was through the eyes of a painter.  Because of this perspective, she sought out new directions with the medium.  Her implementation [...]

Comments Off