Kathy McCurry
Kathy McCurry is a recent polymer convert. Her journey started a couple of years ago when a job loss left her with some free time as she gathered and researched other opportunities. As it happened, she had relocated for the job she lost, so she was alone in a strange town. She did, however, have a long-forgotten box of beads.
In that box were some glass pendants she purchased while in China. Those pendants got her interested in making jewelry, which sent her onto a hunt on the internet where she ran across the work of Helen Breil.
Like most, her first reaction was “what the heck was that material?” Her curiosity piqued, she followed a familiar path of internet searches and video tutorials.
“Polymer, or actually the ability to create again, brought me out of my depression with a sense of excitement and anticipation,” she said. “I had so many ideas I could barely sleep at night.” She turned her attention to using polymer to create art that she describes as abstract dimensional art for wall hangings and shadowboxes. Her first shadowbox was over 25 years ago. She also creates bowls and other objects based upon her inspiration from nature. “I start there then re-imagine things to create something new, yet familiar.” She starts all pieces from a sketch that she mentally works out before putting her hands on the polymer. “Sometimes it eludes me; sometimes it morphs into something else; and sometimes it works as I’d initially envisioned it.” Her process involves exploration, experimentation and the future project seeds of failure. She sees every exploration as a learning opportunity. Her exploration starts with a jewelry piece that she uses to work out the other techniques before moving onto wall art. She works in polymer and liquid polymer and adds other materials like acrylics, mica, handmade paper and more. Her interest in surface techniques lets her to work in layers with each layer creating the dimension to her shadowbox using liquid clay. Each selected piece to the whole must be harmoniously balanced to keep it from becoming cluttered or trite. It can take her a month to finish a piece, and she admits to having a drawer full of pieces that didn’t make it into the final composition. Kathy sells her art at juried art festivals and a local boutique, as well as online on her website. She may be new to the medium, but her first festival garnered her a “Judge’s Choice” award. Kathy resides in urban Cleveland, Ohio, where she revels in the fact that she is close to art museums and botanical gardens. She is currently taking metal working classes and will soon start a photography class. She can be found at: www.EncoreArtStudio.com Klavdija Kurent Klavdija Kurent got her hands on polymer for the first time in 2003 and was not immediately hooked by it. In fact, she discovered it because her job in a youth center required her to develop workshops for the kids, and she happened to …show more content…
The next day, she would locate them and get answers to her questions.
From there, she sketched out her ideas and used what she learned to make her own art.
Her work approach requires her to be pleased with the color, flow, form and craftsmanship of all of her designs. In addition, it must meet her intent of creation and open a dialog between the viewer and the wearer. She keeps a visual diary of images that inspire her like furniture or color palettes.
“My work is ALWAYS based on the conveyance of a common feeling or thought that we can all relate to. Each one of a kind piece, is designed and named, to capture that moment of, ‘I 've been there’", Elizabeth explained.
Elizabeth is concentrating on three techniques at the moment. She makes her own texture plates and silk screens using her own designs, and she is experimenting with the combination of polymer and metals like sterling silver and copper.
Even when using her own texture plates, she still feels the need to tweak it further. “I use any tool that fits the intention to push or pull or raise or lower or whatever I want a section to do. It is different each time,” she
Kathy McCurry is a recent polymer convert. Her journey started a couple of years ago when a job loss left her with some free time as she gathered and researched other opportunities. As it happened, she had relocated for the job she lost, so she was alone in a strange town. She did, however, have a long-forgotten box of beads.
In that box were some glass pendants she purchased while in China. Those pendants got her interested in making jewelry, which sent her onto a hunt on the internet where she ran across the work of Helen Breil.
Like most, her first reaction was “what the heck was that material?” Her curiosity piqued, she followed a familiar path of internet searches and video tutorials.
“Polymer, or actually the ability to create again, brought me out of my depression with a sense of excitement and anticipation,” she said. “I had so many ideas I could barely sleep at night.” She turned her attention to using polymer to create art that she describes as abstract dimensional art for wall hangings and shadowboxes. Her first shadowbox was over 25 years ago. She also creates bowls and other objects based upon her inspiration from nature. “I start there then re-imagine things to create something new, yet familiar.” She starts all pieces from a sketch that she mentally works out before putting her hands on the polymer. “Sometimes it eludes me; sometimes it morphs into something else; and sometimes it works as I’d initially envisioned it.” Her process involves exploration, experimentation and the future project seeds of failure. She sees every exploration as a learning opportunity. Her exploration starts with a jewelry piece that she uses to work out the other techniques before moving onto wall art. She works in polymer and liquid polymer and adds other materials like acrylics, mica, handmade paper and more. Her interest in surface techniques lets her to work in layers with each layer creating the dimension to her shadowbox using liquid clay. Each selected piece to the whole must be harmoniously balanced to keep it from becoming cluttered or trite. It can take her a month to finish a piece, and she admits to having a drawer full of pieces that didn’t make it into the final composition. Kathy sells her art at juried art festivals and a local boutique, as well as online on her website. She may be new to the medium, but her first festival garnered her a “Judge’s Choice” award. Kathy resides in urban Cleveland, Ohio, where she revels in the fact that she is close to art museums and botanical gardens. She is currently taking metal working classes and will soon start a photography class. She can be found at: www.EncoreArtStudio.com Klavdija Kurent Klavdija Kurent got her hands on polymer for the first time in 2003 and was not immediately hooked by it. In fact, she discovered it because her job in a youth center required her to develop workshops for the kids, and she happened to …show more content…
The next day, she would locate them and get answers to her questions.
From there, she sketched out her ideas and used what she learned to make her own art.
Her work approach requires her to be pleased with the color, flow, form and craftsmanship of all of her designs. In addition, it must meet her intent of creation and open a dialog between the viewer and the wearer. She keeps a visual diary of images that inspire her like furniture or color palettes.
“My work is ALWAYS based on the conveyance of a common feeling or thought that we can all relate to. Each one of a kind piece, is designed and named, to capture that moment of, ‘I 've been there’", Elizabeth explained.
Elizabeth is concentrating on three techniques at the moment. She makes her own texture plates and silk screens using her own designs, and she is experimenting with the combination of polymer and metals like sterling silver and copper.
Even when using her own texture plates, she still feels the need to tweak it further. “I use any tool that fits the intention to push or pull or raise or lower or whatever I want a section to do. It is different each time,” she