What I wouldn’t have given for these color cards when I first started out in polymer clay.
What am I talking about? I am extremely overjoyed to have them now.
Joan Tayler has mixed all of these colors in Premo, put these color cards together, photographed them, printed and laminated them. The recipes are on the front with the colors on the back. Such a lot of work.
All for only $12 a set. Trust me you will use these over and over again. You can purchase them here in her Etsy shop.
I’m teaching at virtual Clayathon in February 2022, a workshop call Paper to Polymer, see the post with more information here. I will be using these cards when we mix colors for our wall pieces that will be inspired by paper collages we create.
Not only that but Joan and Shelley Atwood are teaching a two day workshop with step by step color mixing and jewelry design. Their workshop, Wardrobe Inspired Jewelry, is on Feb. 17 & 18 while mine is the 22nd and the 23rd.
Loretta Lamb is the guest artist at virtual Clayathon this year and I know she has some wonderful things to share with us.
The line-up of talented polymer artists is long and varied this year and I’m thrilled to be included.
Clayathon’22 Virtual Polymer RetreatRetreat days: Feb. 19, 20, 21, 2022. Six Hours of lessons during the Retreat withAcclaimed Artist and Author Loretta Lam Loretta will share her personal design process, from inspiration through the assessment of the finished piece. Her demos will include form building, canes, and veneers. Plus lots of design hints and tips! Something for everyone.” Register for Clayathon here.
My workshop will be after the retreat on February 22 – 23. In my two day workshop we will be using magazine pages to create fabulous little collages that will act as inspiration for a larger polymer piece.
Paper to Polymer Alice Stroppel February 22-23 $190 10am – 3pm Intermediate
Register and pay for my workshop here.
This workshop is full, if you would like to be placed on the waitIng list email me at
alicestroppelsstudio215@yahoo.com
I started using pages from magazines to create collage postcards to send to friends. After I had made several I friend suggested they would be excellent studies for larger paintings. But of course I am a polymer clay artist through and through and painting wasn’t going to work for me, but his words sparked my exploration into translating these postcards into polymer.
If you don’t already have a stack of old magazines or can procure some from friends, I’ll suggest a some of my favorites. But you can find pattern and color in many of the Christmas catalogs that are beginning to come in the mail so start collecting a few now. You might also already have stashes of papers you can use.
We’ll be using liquid polymer, markers, as well as small cutters and silk screens. I’ll even show you how to make some small stamps.
I’ll be focusing on larger wall pieces but there is no reason why these techniques can’t be used for smaller projects as well.
Don’t worry if you don’t finish on day two, I’ll schedule and short recap Zoom meetup for showing your finished pieces and to answer any questions.
As soon as I receive your payment for this workshop I will send you the supply list.
Paper to polymer
This first piece was inspired by several artists, Rex Ray was the main influencer.
Rex Ray
Rex Ray
Paper to Polymer
Lots of patterns and colors from several magazines contributed to this postcard and others below. Lots inspiration for many of the techniques I’ll be teaching.
Paper Postcard
Paper Postcard
Paper to polymer
I’ve always admired Georgia O’Keeffe’s large flowers. I created many versions of paper flowers for this piece.
Georgia O’Keeffe
Paper Postcard
Paper Postcard
Paper Postcard
Paper to Polymer
You be surprise when you see the magazine page I used to create this inspirational postcard.
Scrap is a word I’m no longer going to use to describe all the luscious bits of canes and Skinner Blends that are scattered over my work space. They are truly Leftovers that have the potential to be better than the first time around.
Join me for this easy workshop where you can turn your leftovers into these little bits of fun.
We’ll make earrings and dangling pendants and generally have a good time.
I found this fabulous head on Facebook Market place about 6 weeks ago. When I saw her I wasn’t sure she would fit in the oven but I knew I needed to buy her.
When I got her to the studio the first time I did was make sure she fit in the oven. She’s 20″ long from the tip of her nose the the last curl on her head. Luckily I have a two regular kitchen ovens that are clay dedicated . One here at home and one at my studio in downtown Sebring.
I didn’t have time to work her right away so she just chilled out in my studio. Then Covid19 hit and I’ve been home with my husband for the last five weeks. Is that all it’s been???
She came home with me and I’ve been working on her covering her with polymer canes that I have been making over the years. Every time I have a workshop in my studio I make canes, every time I film a video for my online workshops, I make canes.
So I have a cane inventory that you couldn’t believe and what better way to use it than on this lady? I am here to tell you she took a bunch of canes. I think I only use the same one once or maybe twice.
Here she is finished. Or at least finished for now. there are a few things I’d like to fix, but I’m ready to stop working on her for awhile.
Below I’ll show you as she progressed.
Oh and I’ve named her Lucy… like in the Sky with Diamonds… *g* I may have to add a few sparkles, but that will have to wait.
This is how she was when I first started covering her with canes.
I decided that I didn’t like the random canes and decided to follow the waves.
I just kept on adding canes because I have a large inventory. If you have ever taken a workshop with me you’ll know I am always encouraging everyone to build your cane inventory so you can just sit down and create.
I was able to begin and finish her with out ever having to make a new cane. If I would have had to make a new cane for every wave I might not have finished her.
Obviously you won’t have as many canes as I do but as you build your cane inventory or as I like to call it, your stash, you’ll be surprised how many projects you can finish in a day. I worked on both sides for days.
I’d finished a few rows and then I’d bake her. That way I didn’t mess up the rows I’d finished as I worked on the next.
Then finally the day came when I could finally put her in the oven for the last time. Was I glad? You bet. I’m used to large projects but this one seemed like it took forever.
She just fits on an angle. I baked her one last time for 30 minutes andI’m a happy, happy, woman.
My husband and I have been self isolating at home because of the Corona virus circling the globe. This is the third week that we have had everything delivered and have only gone out to the post office and I’ve gone to my studio a couple of times. I can pull up to the back door and enter from there, never seeing or coming in contact with anyone. We will continue this way until it is safe to venture out again. I have brought most of my polymer supplies home and I’m lucky to have a wonderful place to work here.
I want to give back to the community that has always supported me by encouraging words and sharing over the years. So while we’re all at home and self isolating I thought it would be a good time for me to continue creating some self portraits. I’d like you to join me and post your self portraits to my FaceBook group page titled Self portraits in the time of self isolation.
Your portraits can be recent or works you have created over the years. I work mainly in polymer clay but any medium is welcomed. I might even venture out into other mediums too.
I’m starting the adventure out by encouraging you to try a polymer clay string self portrait free. I’ve created a series of videos and created a free workshop in my online school. No purchase necessary, just follow this linkPolymer Clay String Portraits.
Because I also have a mortgage to pay on my studio I’m offering 30% off all the rest of my workshops for the whole month of April. Just go to my online school here, choose the workshop you want, click and use this code before checking out. SELF2020
I just finished this small fish table. I love doing tables because they give me a large “canvas” to work with. I put a colorful crab in the middle of this one.
This is a larger take I did months ago and now lives with a great friend and customer.
My father, Ernest Lamar Simpson, drew a cartoon every week for the Sebring News in the late 1950s. I remember him working on these and sometimes I would look over his shoulder as he drew.
Each week the cartoon featured something that was happening in our small Florida town. It’s the Sebring I grew up with and the Sebring I love to recall. My mother grew up here in the 20s and 30s so I have the memories she shared with me too.
Daddy drew cartoons for football games, school plays, voting day, the county fair, the Ridge Theater Guild, the first art shows at the tourist club and so much more.
When My husband and I moved back to Sebring I was happy to find a small town bank where I could open a savings and checking account. It’s where people knew me and it felt comfortable. Unfortunately the bank sold a couple of years ago to a larger bank and I was disappointed they closed the branch downtown a few blocks from Studio 215.
Then one fine day I heard that Mayor John Shoop, (yes he’s our mayor too) president of the previous bank was anxious to get back to that small town atmosphere where he could spend more time interacting with the customers. One of the bonuses for me is that the branch I missed so much downtown is now home to First Southern Bank. It’s truly that small town bank I was missing.
That brings me to my father’s cartoons. I have stacks of his original drawings and what better fit for some of them to be displayed than at First Southern Bank’s lobby. There are nostalgic black and white photos of Sebring as part of the decor and Daddy’s cartoons framed and matted in black go so well. I met with the Mayor to see he he would like to hang some in the bank. I was delighted when he said yes.
The large photo is of North Ridgewood Drive as viewed from the circle. My studio is further down on the left hand side. I would say it is a picture of Sebring in the late 30s when my mother would have been a young girl.
My father passed away in 1999, I know he would be thrilled to know his cartoons are still apart of this community. Thank you John Shoop for hanging his work.
I’ve added a new workshop to my online polymer clay school, (click on link and scroll down to few the individual workshops) It’s a jammed packed workshop full of ideas and inspriation. Most of my cane workshops are not about one individual cane, they are about the process. It’s what I love the most about cane making, I never really know where I’m going to end up. That makes each cane I make a surprise and a delight. Of course you can plan your canes as well.
I’ve added these canes as individual workshops so you can purchase only the ones you want or get a discount when you purchase them all together in a bundle.
There are 25 Videos, as well as videos on making Skinner blends and plugs. That’s about 4 hours of videos that you can watch again and again.
I’ve been working on polymer string portraits and I have to say they are really fun.
I’ve admired the continuous black line drawings for some time now and have always wanted to do my own take on the look.
Years ago I joined a Kickstarter campaign for a 3d pen that used plastic stings. It’s now sold in Michaels and other places I guess. I suppose I could have mastered it I I’d spent more time with it, I still have it and might take another look at it now.
Don’t judge now, I was just playing.
But what I really know is polymer clay. I’ve had pc in my hands almost everyday for the last 25 years and I know how it behaves and what I need to do to make it work for me.
So finally I took the time to give it a try. I posted my first two on Instagram and Facebook with a great deal of support from other people which made me very happy. I was delighted to have one of the portraits featured on Polymer Clay Daily.
Even though I will always be experimenting, trying, failing, succeeding, both acknowledgements are always a great conformation that I’m pushing polymer.
The first and second faces were pencil drawings by me and they worked very well. I place them under a piece of glass and begin. The next one is from a picture of my friend Syndee Holt.
Syndee Holt
I wanted to make a portrait of someone I knew and Syndee always wears great hats and this picture fit the bill. I even liked the sunglasses.
Syndee Holt
I still have work to do on this, Syndee always has a smile, I have to fix that.
I sent a photo of the portrait to Syndee for her approval and she recognized herself right away. Whew. She even said I could share it. Thanks Syndee.
Back to fixing the smile and looking for other interesting photos.
I’ve just up loaded a video featuring my newest design, Crazy Birds. They really do make me laugh. I use little canes made up of extruded pieces so I’ve also bundled this new video with my Extrusions video. You can purchase Crazy Birds alone,
