Libzoid Blog

Over the last few months I’ve managed to make a pile of silver bezels. It takes the right kind of mood for me to get into the groove of filling them. Fortunately, I’ve been in the mood lately:

Simple shapes, patterns, textures and colors. Half of me thinks I am in a rut and the other half is having fun. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of the pebbly sandpaper texture.

Tags: bezels, pendants, polymer clay

Artist name: Iris Mishly

Location: Israel
Website: In hebrew - Arcoiris
Blog: Polymeri Online
Etsy: Iris Mishly
Flickr: Iris Mishly on Flickr

Do you have a dedicated studio/artistic space? yes! till my new studio was build i was working in a small table near my computer, but now i have my own floor.

Where is it located? inside my home, in the upper floor, i have a great country view from my window….

Is it a large or small space? rather big, about 30 Square Meters.

What medium(s) do you work in? Do you have a separate area for each? I work 99% with polymer clay and have my own studio for it, i used to work with balloon sculpturing but there is not need for a special space for it, i will do that from time to time but mostly design with clay.

What one word would you use to describe your studio? serenity

What do you think is the best feature of your studio? I love the color of the furniture and the wooden floor, it makes my studio so colorful and cozy, the view is relaxing and peaceful.

What would you change if you could? nothing, it’s quite new (6 months) so i love every part of it.

Describe the usual state of your work table? most of the times its messy! all my canes, tools, papers and clay is surrounding me so i have about 1″ * 1″ to work on! my husband says that although i am a very organized person, my clay table is the most messiest place in the house!

Does your work table face out into the room or toward the wall? My table is toward a wall. I have 3 tables in my studio - one for me, one for my students and one for the display.

Do you have an idea wall or inspiration board? Not yet. my “idea wall” is my computer, i write or draw my ideas and then bring it to my studio.

Do you listen to music in your studio? What kind? Yes, all the time, it’s either local radio station such as galgalaz (my favorite music station) or i am listening to my ipod - lot’s of 80’s, pop, ethnic music, israeli, movie soundtracks and more.

Do you display your own work in your studio? Other artists’ work? I have a small display for students to see, when they come and learn a technique they can see how things look when it’s finished. The display is changed all the time as some of my items are sold, and i am making new ones all the time.

What’s one quirk or unusual feature of your studio? I don’t know if it’s unusuall but i have a small sitting place for guests or students filled with my PC books and magazines, but most of the times my 2 children are sitting next to me and doing their home work on the floor or on the sofas.

Tags: Iris Mishly, polymer clay, Studio Snapshot

I’ve been sitting here with the house all quiet around me, and having a lovely time traveling without leaving my chair. I love the quiet of mornings. The birds are singing and it’s Sunday so there’s very little traffic noise. The dogs have been fed and they’re being mellow and no one else is up.

I just had the loveliest time setting up the next two Studio Snapshot posts. Tomorrow’s post takes us to Israel with Iris Mishly and next week we head out to Colorado to visit Tejae Floyde’s studio. I love doing this series. I love to see the pictures of other artists’ creative spaces, but I especially love to read the descriptions. Having the space described by the artist makes it come alive for me.

Thanks to everyone for taking us on a bit of armchair traveling!

Do you ever feel like you have too many ideas? Lately I’ve got so many rough ideas running around in my head that when I sit down at my work table, I am really unsure where to start. The ideas are just crowding each other out. Usually, I will get at least one idea that captures me. A design, concept or process that I really want to follow and explore. Lately, the ideas just haven’t been panning out. The result is a lot of scrap polymer clay.

I’ll get a swarm of ideas, but none of them are really grabbing me. The buzz of partial possibilities is distracting. It keeps interrupting my work flow and making me second guess my design choices. Meanwhile, I’ve been working in silver, making basic bezel boxes doesn’t require my design brain. I just don’t know what to fill them with.

Tags: creativity, metalworking, polymer clay

I have no idea what started me thinking about this subject, but I thought I’d write about one of my favorite studio supplies today: trays. I’ve got 2 distinct favorites, cafeteria trays in full and half size and the half size square jeweler’s trays.

Put a piece of bead mat (or vellux blanket) on one of these trays and you’ve got the perfect portable beading station. When I am working on a project that requires a lot of different beads, such as a freeform peyote bracelet, I use a cafeteria tray as a work surface and one of the small jeweler’s trays to hold the extra tubes of beads. I love how portable the trays are, and how you can stack them out of the way even full of beads.

The small jeweler’s trays are perfect for coralling a collection of bits and bobs:

The cafeteria trays are handy for polymer clay too. I like to use them to hold sheets of clay when I go on a color mixing spree. I wrap a sheet of color in a plastic deli sheet and then toss that onto a tray.

I’ve got trays spread all around the studio. It’s a messy, but effective way to keep a color palette together. The smaller cafeteria trays are also a handy place to stage a selection of canes when I am working on a project.

Tags: beading, polymer clay, studio organization, trays

Artist name: Lora Hart

Location: California

Website: LoraHart.com
Blog: Lora Hart Jewels
Flickr: Lora Hart’s photostream
Etsy: Lora Hart Jewels Etsy Shop

Do you have a dedicated studio/artistic space? Well sure!

Where is it located? In a tiny corner of my tiny 500 square foot apartment.

Is it a large or small space? Umm, tiny.

What medium(s) do you work in? Do you have a separate area for each? I pretty much just make jewelry. Mostly metal clay, but I’m getting more into metalsmithing. I dabble with knitting, but I have to look up how to cast on every single time. Not any kind of an expert with that. It took me a year to finish a single purse. I only work in the Studiolo. The rest of the space is just for living.

What one word would you use to describe your studio? Compact.

What do you think is the best feature of your studio? The fact that it’s in my “house”. Very early mornings are my best time for creative work (like 6 am), so I can toddle out of bed and get going without even changing out of my PJ’s.

What would you change if you could? The size. I dream about a 900 - 1200 square foot space. I like to keep my dreams manageable.

Can you share an organizational tip? Containers are your friend. And labels. I love those little plastic drawers I get at the discount store. Each drawer holds a single item. Jump rings, soldering supplies, gem stones, metal clay supplies etc. And each drawer is labeled for times when the senior moment strikes.

Describe the usual state of your work table? It’s pretty much 50/50. Half the time it’s a disaster and half the time it’s relatively clean. Because my Studiolo (as I like to call it) is in my living space, I like to try to straighten it up at the end of the day. Sometimes straightening just means I make a nice looking pile instead of actually putting things away.

Does your work table face out into the room or toward the wall? Out into the room. The window faces a parking lot and facing a wall would make me claustrophobic. And looking into my living room means that I can also glance up at the tv in case Judge Judy is saying something profound. :¬ )

What’s one drawback of your studio/artistic space? Broken record playing again. The size.

Do you have any studio mascots (pets, mannequin whatever)? Not really. I own a scaredy cat who pretty much lives in the closet, so he doesn’t bother my desk/bench at all. The hair he continually sheds keeps me company though.

Do you have an idea wall or inspiration board? I have a bulletin board that does double duty. I have Post-It® Notes all around the edges with all my passwords and account numbers for all the computer stuff I need to remember. Hosting site, my mobile phone number (who ever calls themselves), my Adobe Contribute serial number which I use to update my website. That sort of thing. In the middle of the board are postcards of work by other jewelry makers; pictures of my parents when they were young; an ATC I made in an Artist’s Way workshop that says “Let Your Thoughts Fly Free”; a couch I really want to own and an original “get well” piece of art from a friend in Asheville. I’m also really into Anahata lately, so I printed out some images of her beautiful work which I love looking at. I try to imagine what kind of jewelry her ladies might wear. And there’s an Ikea shelf underneath the bulletin board that’s just three inches wide . It’s supposed to house works in progress so they don’t get broken, but it’s been gathering interesting and yes, inspirational flotsam and jetsam lately.

Do you listen to music in your studio? What kind? If I’m playing music, I’m not making jewelry. I start singing and get distracted so silence is golden when I’m working. Or the tv which I’m pretty good at tuning out. Sometimes I just forget to turn the morning news off and it becomes white noise. One weekend I “woke up” from an intense session to find that a football game had been on for more than an hour.

Do you display your own work in your studio? Other artists’ work? I display jewelry in my bathroom of all places. There’s not an awful lot of space for displays in the Studiolo. Oh, but now that I look at the little shelf, there’s a mini display bust with a necklace of mine on it. Don’t remember why or when it got there.

What’s one quirk or unusual feature of your studio? Mmmm… Not too quirky. Except that it does double duty as my regular correspondence and computer station too. And bill paying center and anything else I need a desk for. Everything has to do double duty in such a small space.

Tags: jewelrymaking, Lora Hart, pmc, Studio Snapshot

Both girls are off at camp now, and so my husband and I have two whole weeks with no children around.  Lovely.  Still, I’ll feel better when we get our first letter home or get a phone call from E.  M might be stuck in a group of girls a lot younger.  The camp staff assured us they were going to be mostly around her age, but they sure looked and acted a lot younger.   I just hope she has a wonderful time!  At least with E working there, we should be able to hear how things are going.

Having the girls gone is lonely and lovely all at once.  Now, if the dogs were off at camp too, that would be a real vacation.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I will get some studio time in.  I’m going to have to focus on less time wasting.

I’m keeping up with the one thing at a time focus. I barely squeezed in a bit of studio time last night, and managed to finish one pendant.

Size: 2.5 inches by 1.2 inches. Bezel: hand fabricated from sterling strip and sheet.  This pendant will be my donation to the Clay Connection 2008 auction.

I am really loving all things purple lately.

On the home front, E is off at camp. It’s her first summer working and I think the transition is going well. We had a crazy week last week switching from graduation mode to camp mode. M finished school on Monday and has turned her focus to getting ready to leave for 2 weeks of camp. Two weeks of no kids. Lovely!

A marvelous package arrived yesterday, bearing Hamish, one of Chris Pellow’s Wee Highland Cows.

My grandmother was born in Scotland and I couldn’t resist adding one of the shaggy charmers to our family. I think he’s suffering from some jet lag (or else he partied on the trip here) because here’s where he’s settled for the time being:

Tags: pendant, polymer clay, wee highland cows

Artist name: Kathi Gose

Location: California

Website: Dragonsglass
Blog: my website is a blog too
Flickr: Dragonsglass photos on Flickr
Etsy: Dragonsglass Etsy Shop

Do you have a dedicated studio/artistic space? Yes!! I have always had one for my stained glass but now I have one for my polymer clay and silver work
Where is it located? The guest bedroom is now my clayroom. We have a murphy bed so it is up and out of the way when we have no company.

Is it a large or small space? It is a relatively large room. Much larger then the 2′x3′ table I have been working on with supplies stashed all over the house. Now I can see what I have without searching for it.

What medium(s) do you work in? stained glass, fused, glass, metal clays, silver, beading and polymer clay.

Do you have a separate area for each? The stained glass, fused glass, and kiln for metal clays are located in a 10′x12′ building in our back yard. My polymer clay, silver torch stuff, beading, yarn and all other mixed media supplies are in my new clayroom.

What one word would you use to describe your studio? a wee bit messy most of time, with multiple projects being worked on. I do try and keep the clay table and computer desk top neat (a relative term for me)

What do you think is the best feature of your studio? The window. My table faces it and I love being able to see outside, the sun shining and baby birds running across the yards.

What would you change if you could? Make it bigger with MORE storage.

Can you share an organizational tip? Me? Organizational tips….that makes me laugh. Actually, this time around I am trying to be a wee bit more organized. I am using shelving, rolling carts, and containers. Each one will contain only certain supplies and will be labeled (some century) I am also trying to put things away when I am done. I find that sure makes things easier to find the next time around.

Describe the usual state of your work table? Messy, with a couple different projects going on.

Does your work table face out into the room or toward the wall? It faces the wall which happens to be 90% window. Great natural lighting.

What’s one drawback of your studio/artistic space? Not quite enough storage space.

Do you have any studio mascots? Uh, yep, a few. Munchie, my service dog, will come in and scrabble my leg to be brought up into my lap. She loves curling up there while I clay. Zuma, the cat, loves to jump up onto the back of my chair and sit there purring and bonking me with her tail. Then through out the day the other two dogs will wander in and out, along with a few more cats.

Do you have an idea wall or inspiration board? I have an inspiration board which has pictures, other artists items, notes, sketches and a picture of my mom watching me create. I also have a shelf of dragons that have been given to me either in trade, swaps, or just given to me. How can one not be inspired by dragons?

Do you listen to music in your studio? What kind? I plug my ipod in to the speakers and just do the shuffle of all my music. Lots of different styles on there. Sometimes I listen to podcasts instead of music.

Do you display your own work in your studio? Other artists’ work? I have a few of my own pieces there but many more of other artists that I admire and love.

What’s one quirk or unusual feature of your studio? The murphy bed against the wall. It’s not every studio that can handle sleep over guests.

Anything else you’d like to add? I find the creative energy in the new clayroom is amazing. My mind is awhirl with different ideas to create. I am trying not to dive in to all of them at once, because I still need to finish putting things away, but I can sit in there and just absorb the energy and it feels good. Soon I will have a web cam set up in there so i can do demo’s and create videos to share. To each and everyone out there, have a clayful day/week/month/life!

Tags: Kathi Gose, polymer clay, studio, Studio Snapshot

It has been a positive whirlwind of end of school & family activities here lately: prom, graduation, a graduation party and prep to head off to a job at a summer camp for 5 weeks for E plus soccer, swim team, finals etc for M. I’m getting through focusing on one thing at a time. While that helps to keep me from feeling overwhelmed, it also means that I’m in a sort of constant panic as we jump from event to appointment to event to whatever.  And given the outrageous price of gas, I am spending way too much time in my car.

So, it’s appropriate that my one thing at a time focus has produced exactly one piece of finished jewelry.

I made this pendant to go with the outfit I wore to E’s graduation (a brown linen tank dress with a pale turquoise linen shirt). I like it, even though it reflects the speed with which I threw it together. The darker turquoise circle is off kilter, but the effect is less pronounced while wearing it than it is in the photo. This pendant has one weird aspect: the light turquoise circle was stamped with chalk ink, and then stamped again slightly off registration with an interference ink. When the interference ink catches the light properly, the piece has a subtle turquoise flash. But when you view the piece dead on with regular light, that layer just looks a bit dirty. Oh well.

Tags: pendant, polymer clay