Archive for the 'Gibson' Category

The Collection: Part 2

On the wish list of the Racine Art Museum, WI
Dan Cormier, Fiji Mermaid, 2000
Using a photo portfolio that featured outstanding examples of available polymer art, Elise began to contact some of the nation’s most noted museum curators.  She did hours of investigative research on specific museums, and issues relevant to the concept.   She made [...]

Screen Printing Makes an Impression

Gwen Gibson, Fractured Traditions (Vessel Pendant), 1999
Polymer, silk screen, gold and silver acrylic paint
Between 1999 and 2001, Gwen fully explored screen printing on a wide variety of formats including cuff bracelets, inro, lentil beads and other jewelry forms.  Gwen chose black polymer as a foil to her Japanese inspired patterns because it polishes to a [...]

Gwen Gibson’s Wall Pieces

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.”

Gwen Gibson’s Early Work

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.

Gibson Cuff Bracelets

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 [...]

Courting the Muse

Courting the Muse: Enhancing Creativity and Artistry in Polymer Clay
In 2001, the National Polymer Clay Guild sponsored it’s second conference in Bryn Mawr, PA.  Courting The Muse was a week long conference filled with classes taught by polymer clay masters, thought-provoking and inspiring evening lectures, creativity seminars, and a retrospective exhibit entitled Illuminating a Medium, [...]

MIPCES Exhibition: Gwen Gibson

If you are a new visitor to Polymer Art Archive, you can find background about this event in the 2 posts, Past, Present Future and All About MIPCES.

EXPRESSIONS OF TIME, IV
10” x 10”
For the MIPCES catalog, Gwen wrtote:
“By moving from the body (jewelry) to the wall, I found freedom to be more innovative, less polished. [...]

All About: MIPCES

Elise asked me to lead a small team of volunteers to research and write about gatherings that influenced the development of polymer as an art medium. This is the first of these posts and we hope to follow up with more. Special thanks to Nancy Travers who organized all the materials about MIPCES.

Masters’ Invitational Polymer [...]

Paying Close Attention

This image, stunning for its deceptive simplicity, provides unusual insight into the development of polymer artistry. Shown are the 12 beads Pier Voulkos brought to exhibit and sell at the 1995 International Bead conference in Washington D.C. Those who know Pier’s work well will recognize that these beads both mapped her past work and forecast her future. [...]