Color in Caning
Sandra McCaw, Persian Cuff, 2007
polymer, 23K gold leaf
3″ x 2.25″ x 1.25″
Last week you read about color theory. Here's a follow-up in which you can see how one master artist puts theory into practice.
Sandra McCaw explains:
“This piece is part of a continuing exploration of color and pattern. It's a prime example of the color experimentation that is the foundation of my work.
The patterns were created using a unique millefiori technique I discovered and that bears my name, the “McCaw Cane”. Each cane is comprised of 3 colors with 10 gradated shades of each color. The 3 resulting canes each have a different dominant color. There are actually 4 colors alternately used in the “Persian Cuff” canes, with 2 colors in common in each cane, creating a change in color temperature, yet allowing for harmony between the patterns. Cane slices and strips of gold leaf were applied to a fabricated base of polymer and wire.”
I cannot remember a time in my life that I wasn't interested in looking at art, talking about art and the making of art. In 1990 I earned a Phd in art history at the University of Maryland. My first experiences with polymer clay were in 1992, but I consider my real work with the medium to date from 1999.