7.15.2009

If there is no clay, does it count?


Polymer Clay is one of those things that I'm never sure about. As I understand it, there is no clay, in that clay. It is really just PVC. I have no experience with the stuff. Except with my sister, Miss Sarah, making things out of it back in the day.



We should discuss the nature of this thing that we are all interested in. Are we talking about the literal Alumino-Silicate (I really should do another Tech post soon...). Or when we talk about clay and art are we not talking about the process of forming something from a plastic mass?


With a spirit of open mindedness I present to you the Polymer Clay works of Renee Adams. She uses the maiterial to make Neo-Botanical creations intended to “...question(s) ideals of beauty and the way in which we manipulate nature and ourselves to attain it.”


Via: Daily Art Muse

5 comments:

Unknown said...

WOW -these pieces prove that it isn't what you make it from that counts, it's the end result.

I'm really tempted by that polymer stuff -I hear it doesn't shrink...

Matthew Katz said...

No or little shrinkage. I believe you are right.

It is funny, as I never considered it as a art medium. Pretty crafty (Ha!)

pcNielsen said...

Great sculptures. If there's any problem with polymer seems to mainly be that it's plastic, which deteriorates over time: http://theaestheticelevator.com/2009/07/07/plastic-as-artistic-medium-wont-last/

Beadcomber said...

Fabulous creations!!
'Deterioration' and 'plastic', both give this art a 'cheap' denotation and is most unfair since all art deteriorates over time, be it the sculpture of David or a painting by Michel Angelo. The plastics referred to by the previous commentator are predecessors of modern plastics that museums are now scrambling to preserve, namely cellulose acetate. PVC is expected to last well over 100 years. Isn't it the 'now' what matters most in the enjoyment of wearing or creating wearable or functional art...? I love polymer clay!

Matthew Katz said...

Hi Tina,
Welcome to the blog! Glad to have our Polymer cousins around.
I agree that "plastic" and "cheap" are unfair categorizations for the work. Good art is good art, and that is what my blog is about.

I don't mean to speak for Paul, but what I think he is implying is that this is a ceramics blog. One thing that ceramicists take pleasure in is that their work does not age. Which is technically true. Unless you judge by the standard of Geologic time. Ceramics do not degrade.
None-the-less. Those are fantastic sculptures and innovative polymer clay is welcome here at Slipcast.