Studio PMC - Rio Grande

Summer 2007 • Volume 10, Number 2
Studio PMC
Member Magazine of the PMC Guild
Try This!
page 6
Advanced Techniques
in Hollow Form
Construction
page 10
Perfect Pair:
PMC and Plique-a-jour
page 16
Inspired by History
page 18
Studio PMC
Summer 2007 · Volume 10, Number 2
Member Magazine of the PMC Guild
features
departments
6
4
14
21
23
Try This!
PMC artists share the results of their experiments.
10
Advanced Techniques in
Hollow Form Construction
Gwen Bernecker takes us beyond boxes and beads in the construction
of hollow forms.
16
Perfect Pair: PMC and Plique-a-jour
Debbi Clifford shares her method for using enamel and PMC to
create pieces that let the light shine through.
18
Inspired by History
Lori Catlin Garcia describes the design process that led her to
create "Lancelot's Steed," a work commissioned by her
local Chamber of Commerce.
As I PMC It
Gallery
Happenings
Marketplace
On the Cover: Hartland Abbey Pendant by Gwen Bernecker of
Two Olives Studio. PMC textured with a low relief Celtic
collage and decorated with 24k gold geometric shapes.
Photo by Robert Diamante.
Studio PMC
PMC Guild
P.O. Box 265, Mansfield, MA 02048
www.PMCguild.com
Volume 10, Number 2 • Summer 2007
Editor—Suzanne Wade
Technical Editor—Tim McCreight
Art Director—Jonah Spivak
Advertising Manager—Bill Spilman
Studio PMC is published by the PMC Guild Inc.
Contacting Studio PMC
Editor Suzanne Wade
P.O. Box 265 Mansfield, MA 02048
Phone: 508-339-7366
Fax: 928-563-8255
E-mail: [email protected]
We welcome your PMC photos, articles and ideas. You may submit by mail or electronically. Please
include your name, address, e-mail, phone, plus a full description of your PMC piece and a brief bio.
E-mail articles in the body of the e-mail, or as attachments. E-mail photos as attachments. We
require an image resolution of 300 dpi at an image size of 3" x 5". Files larger than 4MB should be
mailed on CD, not e-mailed.
Deadlines:
Spring Issue: Dec. 1
Summer Issue: March 1
Fall Issue: June 1
Winter Issue: Sept. 1
How to Place Advertising in Studio PMC
Contact our Advertising Manager, Bill Spilman, for specifications, deadlines, and prices.
Phone Toll-free: 877-878-3260.
E-mail: [email protected]
2 ·
Studio PMC
How to get answers to technical questions
E-mail Tim McCreight at: [email protected]
Join, Renew, Update your PMC Guild Membership
To join or renew your PMC Guild membership, to change your mailing or e-mail address, or to
request back issues or additional copies of Studio PMC, visit the PMC Guild Web site at
www.PMCGuild.com, call toll-free 866-315-6487 or write P.O. Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834
PMC Guild
Jeanette Landenwitch, Executive Director
1921 Cliffview Lane
Florence, KY 41042 USA
Phone: 859-586-0595
Website: www.PMCguild.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Copyright ©2006 PMC Guild.
Printed four or more times a year. Reprints by permission only. All rights reserved.
Studio PMC, its staff and contributors, specifically disclaim any responsibility or liability for damages
or injury as a result of any construction, design, use, manufacture, or any other activity undertaken
as a result of the use or application of information contained in any Studio PMC issue or article.
Summer 2007
·
3
Guild Announces New Publication Plan
H
ere is a formula for failure: keep
doing things the way you've always
done them as if things don't change. We
see it around us every day as major iconic
institutions and companies shrink or go
out of business. Companies, politicians,
and organizations like the PMC Guild earn
their popularity by providing something
their audience wants. As the audience and
its needs change, it is important to adapt to
keep pace. I remember when McDonalds
sold only burgers and fries: clearly part of
the company's success is the ability to
adapt to a changing market.
When the PMC Guild was created in
1998 the jewelry community could be
divided into two parts. One group, a small
number, knew a little about metal clay and
was hungry for more information. The
other group, and this was most of the rest
of the world, had perhaps heard of a material with a three-letter name but didn't
know much about it. The Guild’s first two
actions were to create a website and launch
a newsletter. For the first two years, the
newsletter was available for free. It was
given out at conferences, distributed by
teachers, and included in orders assembled
by Rio Grande, then the exclusive distributor of PMC.
Over the next 10 years, the newsletter
grew into a full-color magazine. Major
magazines and book publishers recognized
the size and vitality of the PMC community and offered dozens of articles and books
on the subject. Arguably, Studio PMC, the
publication that started it all, could be seen
as a victim of its own success. By cultivating the PMC audience, we demonstrated
to others what an excited and committed
group we are.
On this, our tenth anniversary, we have
once again reviewed our future goals.
Leaders within the Guild asked themselves
two fundamental questions: What do our
members want, and what can we do or do
better than others? The answers led us to a
new publication program that we think
pushes the Guild, once again, to the front
of the pack.
4 ·
Studio PMC
Fusion:
The Journal of the PMC Guild
The Guild now boasts more than 3,600
members with affiliate organizations in
Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain.
These people represent a wide range of
experience, but each one has made the decision to join our professional organization.
Many of our members are earning some or
all of their income from their PMC business. Whatever their skill level or commitment, these are professionally oriented
artists who need relevant information, concisely delivered. The new journal is a quarterly newsletter that will bring you information and insight on topics of interest to
PMC artists. From the impact of fluctuating
silver prices to the latest developments in
man-made gems, the journal will keep you
informed. Because of the special relationship between the Guild and Mitsubishi
Materials Corp., Fusion will provide a direct
line of communication between scientists
in the lab and artists in their studios. These
elements — professional summaries and
manufacturer's reports — are outside the
reach of other craft magazines.
Another point that distinguishes our
publication from commercial magazines is
that the Guild is a membership organization. Like-minded people have joined the
Guild not as subscribers, but as artists and
craftspeople with a shared passion. Another
important aspect of the Journal is its mandate to support the PMC community. We
have created a group that is known for its
sharing and generosity. As we continue to
grow, we understand the need to nurture
this energy, and we will do that best by
keeping all our members aware of what
individuals and local chapters are doing.
by Tim McCreight
The PMC Guild Annual
There is only one thing we like more than pictures — more pictures.
Studio PMC has always included a gallery, but the timetable and printing technology of magazines impose certain limitations. Starting this
autumn, the Guild will publish each year a book that will feature
exciting work made with PMC chosen by an independent panel. The
PMC Guild Annual will remain focused on its mission of providing
inspirational work. Text will be kept to a minimum so that every page
can be used to display photos. Over the years, the annuals will accumulate, each book offering a snapshot of the times, eventually filling
a bookshelf with a record of artistic accomplishment. A copy of the
Annual will be sent to every member of the PMC Guild at no additional fee.
These two new publications will replace Studio PMC, which will
cease to be published after the Fall 2007 issue. Although we will be
sorry to bid good-bye to our quarterly magazine after its successful 10year run, we are excited by the opportunities offered by Fusion and the
PMC Guild Annual. Each year, Studio PMC provided 96 pages of valuable text, photos, and advertising. We are proud of that record, but
happy to invite comparison to our new publications, which taken
together, will include more than 150 pages of text and photos, each
delivered in the manner best suited for print quality and format.
Sample pages of The Annual.
Summer 2007
·
5
Try
This!
W
ondering if something can be done is the foundation of any creative endeavor. And with a material as new as PMC, the best way to answer the question is
often to just give it a try.
On these pages, several artists share the results of their
test efforts. By describing their work, these artists hope that
other PMC artisans will be inspired in new creative directions — and perhaps discover something new to share in
return.
Texturing Sheet Clay by Pam Perry
Y
ou can cut it, you can punch it, you
can fold it, but unlike other forms of
PMC, it doesn't take texture well. What is
it? PMC Sheet — and I have been on a
quest to find a way to do just that.
Two years ago, a friend took a PMC class
at a national bead show, and at the end of
the day, when I asked her how it went, she
said that the class was great, but she could
not texture her PMC Sheet the way she
wanted. When I asked her how she tried to
do it, she showed me a little tool that I recognized as an embossing die, which she
had found in a scrap booking store.
I knew I had some of these, plus an
embossing machine that might make it
work, and decided to try it when I got
home. Since then, I have tried a variety of
methods with varying results.
PMC Sheet laid in embossing plate.
6 ·
Studio PMC
Embossing plates used in scrapbooking.
LEFT: Embossed PMC Sheet.
The machine I use is a roller from
Accucut called “Zip’e Mate” that exerts an
even pressure as the platform passes underneath. The embossing dies, called “Goose
Bumpz” by Qwikcutz, are two-sided with a
hinge between them, with the positive
image on one side and the negative on the
other. They were designed to emboss paper
diecuts, and there are about 24 different
designs available. The main limitation of
these is that the texture area is limited to
about 13⁄4 inch square.
Other things that have worked in the
embossing machine are brass stencils, brass
texture plates, and clear plastic texture
plates. The brass stencils are only margin-
ally satisfactory, as the resulting image is a
bit shallow and too much pressure can cut
through the PMC Sheet.
The clear plastic plate gives a very soft
texture, and the brass texture plates result
in a nice texture. Either of these can texture the full square sheet if desired.
What has not worked for me, at least so
far, is a rubber stamp. The rubber is too soft
to hold up to the pressure. I tried both
mounted and unmounted stamps without
much success. A paper crimper is not satisfactory either as it tends to shred the clay.
All my tests were done with a single layer
of unfired PMC Sheet. Unfired laminated
sheets might yield different results.
Molded Filigree by Kerry Bostrom
T
his picture is of a filigree piece made
from a Belicold mold of an old piece
of base metal filigree I found in a secondhand store. The trick to this piece was to
use an eight-card thick piece of PMC+ to
reduce the danger of cracking. It required
seemingly endless hours of drilling with a
hand drill, enlarging the holes with a bead
reamer, and sanding the edges smooth. I
shaped the wet clay over a coffee cup for a
slight rounding and did my drilling, etc.
with the piece laying on a rolled up towel
so there wouldn't be any pressure on the
piece. I think the biggest challenge was the
patience needed to go slowly and carefully!
Brooch made of PMC,
molded from an antique
filigree brooch.
I did break off one delicate strip, but was
able to repair it with syringe clay. After fir-
Wasser Glass Inclusions by Affinity
I
love words. The first set of PMC pieces I
made said “The tears of our enemies
mothers' are as tormented as ours,” a paraphrase of Yitzhak Rabin, who evolved
from a hawk to a dove in his lifetime. So
when the war in Iraq broke out I had a
vision and knew that I wanted “PEACE”
on my pendant. By taking advantage of
Wasser pre-cut glass shapes, texture plates,
and pasta letters, I was able to create this
design even in my small San Francisco
apartment, using a Hot Pot.
I rolled out the PMC3 to five cards
thick, and cut a 13⁄4" circle using the cap of a
large vitamin bottle. I textured the clay
with a texture sheet containing various
sizes of stars, angling it so the largest stars
were toward the middle of my circle to give
the piece focus. I then pressed three of the
smallest of the Wasser pre-cut stars into
the largest star indentations until the star
ing I tumbled the piece for 24 hours to
bring it to a smooth polish.
Keeping
PMC Moist
by Lyle Rayfield
B
"Peace" pendant with Wasser pre-cut glass shapes
by Affinity.
was three-quarters below the surface but
could still be fully seen.
I placed the pasta letters along the left of
the circle, pushing them in deeply. I added
a pre-made finding for the bail on the
back, finished, and fired. The pasta burned
out in the kiln, and I used thick patina
solution to darken the indented letters.
ecause I live in the Sonoran
Desert of southern Arizona,
where there is very little humidity, I
keep a humidifier close to my work
space. I have discovered that to keep
my PMC hydrated, instead of spritzing with water or wetting with my
finger or a water brush, I just reach
out and hold the clay in the mist of
the humidifier for a few seconds.
This works both when I'm kneading it to add moisture to clay that is
drying out and when I have a cutout piece that needs to stay pliable
for additional worktime. For a cutout piece, I hold the piece on spread
fingers over the humidifier, let the
fine mist moisten the clay, and then
flip the piece over onto a work surface that gets covered with plastic
wrap.
Summer 2007
·
7
Try
This!
Stone Setting Techniques
"Circle Pendant" by Jennifer Smith-Righter
by Jennifer Smith-Righter
T
hese images show two methods I use
to set stones securely with PMC. The
first technique uses a fine silver wire substructure to set large stones. The stones
appear to be barely touched by metal, and
yet their connections are quite strong.
This approach also allows the creation of a
hidden bail that binds the piece together,
making it very durable.
In "Idlewild," pictured here, I first constructed the base out of lump PMC for
both of the large stones without capturing
them, pre-finished, and let dry. I then
positioned the bases the way I wanted
them to appear in the finished piece, and
wire wrapped them starting at the point
where they connect.
Beginning with a hook positioned at the
juncture point between the two stones, I
wrapped the wire around the first base and
secured it at the juncture point with the
hook. I then continued halfway around
the second base to the top. At the top, I
looped the wire twice to form a bail and
continued on around the top base, returning to the juncture point. To finish the
structure, I looped the wire around the
wire from the first pass and cut it off.
Jennifer's "Idlewild" pendant.
Using a very small brush, I then covered
the wire with PMC slip, including the bail in
order to unify the entire piece. I set the large
stones on their bases and captured them
with PMC prongs cut into decorative
shapes. Finally, I set a small stone in a ball of
PMC to cover the twist at the juncture point.
Jennifer assembles stones, PMC bezels, and fine silver wire into
the finished pendant (right).
8 ·
Studio PMC
Another technique I use is to channel
set stones in PMC. While this is often
done in traditional silversmithing, it can
be equally effective in metal clay. An example of this application is showcased in the
work entitled "Circle Pendant," where I
have set round stones in a circle, but it
works for setting square or rectangular
stones in a line as well.
I began by selecting the stones and laying them out in a circle, leaving a gap
between each stone of about 0.3 mm. I use
PMC3 and figure on 10 percent shrinkage.
I measured the diameter of the circle
formed by the stones from outside edge to
outside edge and added 4 mm, and then
did the same for the inner circle dimension, subtracting 4 mm to account for
shrinkage.
I then rolled out the PMC to a thickness
of about 4 mm, cut out the donut shape,
and allowed it to dry. Using the width of
the stones as a guide, I centered and scribed
two new circles inside the inner and outer
edge of the donut. Using a cylindrical diamond cutting bur the exact diameter of the
stones, I cut a channel to the depth of the
stones, measured from crown to culet.
With a small bur, I then drilled a pinhole as a seat for each stone, and then set
them in place. Using an extrusion tool, I
extruded two fine ropes of PMC3 to form a
circle that fit on top of the stones. The rope
circles were placed at the outside and
inside edge of the stones' girdles and abutting the edges of the channels, forming a
lip that locked the stones in place. The circles were allowed to dry, then glued to the
donut with several layers of slip.
COLORMAY
BE HABIT
FORMING!
Thompson Unleaded Enamels,
Soyer Leaded Enamels,
enameling books, tools and kilns
Get hooked – request a catalog
1-800-525-5959
Visit us on the web www.enameling.com
SCHLAIFER’S Enameling Supplies, LLC
PO Box 6776, Gardnerville, NV 89460
Summer 2007
·
9
Advanced Techniques
in Hollow Form Construction
Large Hollow Form Pendant Collection 2006 by Gwen Bernecker. Left: Pashley Manor Pendant featuring a child's handprint.
Center: Ford Abbey Pendant, with a two-tone textural surface and pierced openings. Right: Haddon Hall Pendant, with
a detailed wing motif floating over Celtic etchings with a blue and purple patina. Photo by Robert Diamante.
by Gwen A. Bernecker
M
y work with hollow forms stems
from my architectural background. I
have a basic need to build things and to
visualize them in 3D. I remember spending an entire spring break buried in a pile
of balsa wood, striving to build a perfect
model. Although balsa wood is no longer
my modeling material, I am still driven by
the passion to build things.
When I began working in PMC, I started
out building basic boxes with flat sides. It
wasn’t long before the nagging voice struck:
“There must be a way to make curved walls
— boxes with undulating curves would be
nice.” But how would I do that? If PMC didn’t shrink, it would be a slam dunk — just
fire the pieces separately and then put them
together. Variability in shrinkage prevented
that, though, so I just kept trying different
building strategies and testing them until I
found an approach that worked.
10 ·
Studio PMC
Many people have asked me, “How did
you do that?” I think that’s one of the best
compliments an artist can receive. The following are some general guidelines and
techniques for building hollow forms that
are not limited to flat sides. Read through
the steps and give it a try. This isn't an easy
process, but I think it will expand your
PMC horizons.
Making Plans
Begin by sketching your hollow form.
Gradual slopes and angles are pleasing to the
eye and easy to work with. You will need to
incorporate an opening in your piece to vent
the cork clay when it burns out. These might
be decorative holes or spaces for mounting a
pearl, bead, or gemstone. If you are using
small pinholes, be sure to make enough of
them to vent the piece. Remember to take
shrinkage into consideration. Plan a bail
that will support the weight of your piece.
Decide how you want to texture your
piece. Photopolymer plates, polymer etchings, rubber stamps, and organic textures
will all work. Prepare your texturing materials ahead of time, making sure that surfaces are oiled and ready to use.
Plan what type of form you will use to
shape the top of the hollow form. This
could be anything: knitting needles, rolled
paper, chopsticks, children's wooden
blocks, long thin cones of Teflon or waxed
paper — use your imagination. Prepare
your form for use and set aside.
Consider testing your design with polymer clay. Polymer clay is inexpensive, cures
in your oven, and will help you visualize
your design in 3D. Check the piece to make
sure the resulting shape is visually pleasing.
Materials:
Cork Clay, Lump and syringe PMC+ or PMC3
Take it from the Top
Step 1. Make a template of the top piece
from cardstock. Roll fresh clay sandwiched
between a Teflon sheet on the bottom and
a sheet protector on top to a thickness of
1.5 mm. Check to make sure that the clay is
large enough for your template.
Building from the Bottom Up
Step 6. Carefully place the dry top piece
over a sheet of blank cardstock. Holding a
pencil at 90° to the edge, trace the piece
onto the cardstock (Figure 1). Cut the template out, invert, and label. Repeat steps one
to three to create the bottom piece. Let dry.
Step 2. Texture your clay. I usually reduce
the thickness of the clay while texturing to
about 1.25 mm.
Step 7. Using a small artist’s paintbrush,
apply water-based glue thinly and evenly
to the underside of the top piece. Using
extreme care, roll small balls of fresh cork
clay and apply to the underside of the top
piece, leaving 1.5mm clear for the walls to
be inset. Support the piece with your fingers and press gently. (Figure 2) Continue
adding cork clay until you reach the depth
you want. Dry the top piece with the cork
clay in a dehydrator. (Note: If the clay is
going to break, this is when it’s most likely
to happen. If breakage does occur, repair
with thick slip, dry, and continue.)
Step 3. Cut out the top of the hollow form
using your template. If your design
includes a large cut-out, remove that while
the clay is wet. If you are drilling holes,
wait until the clay is leather hard.
Step 4. Drape the clay gently over the
form to shape it. Make any necessary
adjustments while the clay is workable.
Lay a sheet protector over the clay and
smooth any ridges from cutting the clay
with your fingers, using very light pressure. This will correct any distortion and
save you sanding time. Let dry. (It is best
not to do this in the dehydrator because of
potential warping: halogen lights will
speed drying without distortion.)
Step 5. When the piece is dry, sand the
edges with a salon board at 90° to the top
surface. Take the time to properly refine
your edges – clay is much easier to work
with than metal, so doing this now is more
efficient.
Step 8. Paint a thin layer of glue onto the
top of the bottom piece. Carefully combine the top and bottom pieces together.
(Figure 3) If necessary, add a little cork clay
to level the sandwich. Dry in the dehydrator for at least 30 minutes. Fill in the edges
of the sandwich with small bits of cork clay
and smooth, leaving 1 mm clear at the
edges for the walls to be inset. (Figure 4)
Step 9. File the sides of the hollow form so
that the top and bottom edges are even by
holding the form and drawing the edges
along your sanding stick or paper (Figure 5)
Finish the edges with fine sanding paper.
Figure 1. Trace top piece on cardstock.
Figure 2. Add cork clay to the underside
of the top piece.
Figure 3. Put top and bottom pieces together.
Figure 4. Fill and smooth cork clay,
leaving 1 mm clear at edges.
Design Ideas for Embellishment
Figure 5. Finish the sides of the piece.
Summer 2007
·
11
Advanced Techniques in Hollow Form Construction
Taking Sides
Step 10. Trace each side of the piece on
cardstock. For the curved areas, gently roll
the piece until it meets the paper for tracing. Draw a line 1 mm inside of the top
and bottom border to account for the
thickness of the top and bottom. For each
of the longer two sides, add 1 mm to each
end. (Figure 6) Cut out the templates and
test the sizing by overlaying the cardstock
onto the box sides. Adjust as necessary.
Step 11. Following steps one to three,
make the box sides using the templates created in Step 10. If the box sides will be
curved, you will need to curve your side
pieces. This can be done using paper forms,
or by actually draping the clay over the side
of the box (Figure 7). Dry side pieces.
Step 12. Working on one long side piece at
a time, mark with a pencil any areas that
need to be altered for proper fit. Refine
carefully using sanding pads and salon
board. This is an iterative process — check
for fit, refine, check for fit again. The sides
need to fit, but should not be tight. Once
the fit and length are OK, miter the ends
by making a 45˚ slice with a tissue blade.
Step 13. Apply thick slip with a syringe by
pressing the tip gently against the inside
edge of the top and bottom. Apply in a
continuous bead (like caulking) across the
length of the top and bottom. Very gently
press one side piece into place so that it is
flush with the top and bottom. (Figure 8)
Repeat for the remaining sides. Dry.
Step 14. Support the hollow form in vermiculite in an unglazed pottery saucer.
Brush the vermiculite up to the sides of the
piece. Since there is cork clay in this piece,
vent your kiln and program it for a slow
ramp of 800° per hour. Fire at 1650°F for
10 minutes. Once the piece is cooled to
room temperature, invert it, and shake
and tap to remove the residual ash left
from the cork clay burnout. Brush the
piece using liquid soap and a brass brush
under running water.
Gwen Bernecker’s design studio, Two Olives, is
located in her home in Chester County,
Pennsylvania. She left the building design profession in 1999 after the birth of her youngest
child. She is a certified as both a PMC Artisan
and Art Clay Instructor and teaches both
nationally and locally. Gwen is a member of the
PMC Guild, the American Craft Council, the
National Polymer Clay Guild and the
Philadelphia Area Polymer Clay Guild. Gwen’s
degree is in architectural engineering from The
Pennsylvania State University. Two Olives jewelry is sold at juried galleries, shows and online
at www.twoolivesstudio.com. Gwen would love
to receive photos of projects inspired by this article at [email protected].
Figure 6. Make side templates.
Figure 7. Fit sides.
Figure 8. Attach sides with thick slip,
using a syringe.
Hidcote Pendant.
PMC with Celtic etchings
framing a window of movable
Japanese glass seed beads.
Photo by Robert Diamante.
Snowshill Pendant. PMC with Celtic designs and Japanese glass beads on
movable silver wires. Photo by Robert Diamante.
12 ·
Studio PMC
Summer 2007
·
13
Gallery
To submit your photos to our Gallery send
slides or prints to:
Studio PMC, P.O. Box 265,
Mansfield, MA 02048.
Please include your name, address, country
if outside the US, phone, e-mail address, a
brief bio, photo credit, plus the size and
materials used in your piece.
Everett Banister. Rainbow obsidian and PMC.
Photo by Judd Bradley Studio.
Jo Ellen Vice. PMC and freshwater pearl
necklace on handmade sterling silver chain.
Photo by Mark Minor.
14 ·
Studio PMC
"Tree Frog Box" by Melinda Johnson. PMC, pewter,
copper, enamel, and citrine cabochons.
Photo by Brad Stanton Photography.
Art Nouveau-style pendant by Cathy Klimes-Garcia.
PMC, enamel, and CZ.
"Forest Maze" by Gail Bass. PMC, fine silver wire, man-made sapphire. Photo by Alan L. Pearlman.
Summer 2007
·
15
Perfect Pair:
PMC and Plique-a-Jour
by Debbi Clifford
L
"Persian Pink Lotus"
"Green Vine"
16 ·
Studio PMC
iving on the northern Gulf Coast of
Florida provides constant sources of
inspiration for my work: pine forests, salt
marshes, white sand beaches, beautiful
clear freshwater springs. Design ideas are
everywhere: birds, flowers, the shape of a
leaf, butterflies and dragonflies, the arch of
a stem, the curve and spiral of a shell on
the beach — the list is endless.
For me, though, it’s all about color and
light. I love the effect of transmitted light,
seen through colored gemstones, the
reflections of ripples through sunlit water
onto the sand, the vibrant green of a leaf
with the sunlight behind it, the glow of
stained glass, the flash of spectral colors on
the wall when a prism catches the morning
sun, and the beautiful plique-a-jour enameled pieces of the Art Nouveau era. I especially love the work of the French jewelers
René Lalique, Georges Fouquet, and Henri
Vever.
"Plique-a-jour" is literally translated
from the French as “similar to a membrane through which the light of day may
pass.” Plique-a-jour enameled pieces are a
kind of cloisonné without a backing, so
the enamel should be transparent,
with the lightest colors giving
the best effect. I have found
that plique-a-jour shows off
best when light can
come from behind, so
pieces like earrings, hair
ornaments, and vessels like bowls
or goblets are the most effective
designs. Pendants and brooches
designed to be worn against the body do
not show off the beautiful transparent colors as well.
The spaces (cloisons or cells) in traditional plique-a-jour work are usually
small, no more than 1⁄4" in one direction.
The construction of the metal framework,
which is usually made of fine silver or
gold, involves soldering wires into intricate designs. Other methods of construc-
tion include sawing and filing small openings in sheet metal or more recently, cutting out the design in a rolled sheet of
PMC.
Although the results of all these methods are very beautiful, I found the traditional techniques of forming the framework to be a bit too constricting. I wanted
a more flowing, naturally formed line. I’ve
been using PMC in its various forms for
years, and one technique I really enjoy is
“drawing” with a PMC+ filled syringe and
building up the design details with slip and
a paint brush. The resulting pieces have a
“painterly” look that is in keeping with
the organic, natural feeling of the Art
Nouveau style I wanted to evoke. I have
also found that the best results come from
gentle flowing lines and curves. Sharp corners or tight curves have a tendency to
result in a crack in the glass as it cools.
The formulation of PMC+ as it comes
pre-packaged in the syringe is a bit too thin
in consistency for this approach, so I make
up my own slip with a smooth, putty-like
consistency. I have also discovered that
mixing a couple of drops of olive oil into
the clay before adding the water gives the
PMC+ greater smoothness as it is extruded
from the syringe and lessens the stickiness
that you sometimes get when you add
water to lump clay.
I also found that the PMC syringe was
too small to handle comfortably for long
periods of time, so I turned to 5ml disposable syringes from medical supply companies. They are larger, easier to hold, and
the tips I had from my original syringes
were a perfect fit.
Because large silver and glass earrings
can be heavy to wear, I make the silver
frames as thin and light as possible. To
ensure the greatest strength for these thin
frames, the PMC should be fired to its
greatest density, which is normally
achieved by firing at 1650˚F for two hours.
I tumble the frames with a burnishing
solution prior to enameling, and then
clean the silver thoroughly with a short
dip in a degreasing chemical, such as
Toluene, to remove any traces of the burnishing liquid or oil from handling. The
silver must be completely clean before the
enamel is applied or the glass will not
adhere properly.
Once the frame is complete, the enamel
can be applied in one of several different
ways. The surface-tension method employs
capillary action to suspend the enamel
grains in small cells. The piece is fired many
times until all the spaces are completely
filled, then excess enamel is stoned or
ground away and the piece is refired to heal
any scratches and give the glass a polish.
This technique was used by the Russian
jeweler Carl Fabergé, and is practiced by a
number of enamellists today.
Japanese and French artisans, including
Lalique, used an acid-etched technique in
which a backing of copper foil or sheet was
added to the framework, making the
enamel application more like cloisonné.
When the enameling was complete, the
piece was placed in an acid bath to etch
away the copper backing, thus revealing
the colors of enamel suspended within the
silver or gold framework.
Yet another technique involves laying
the finished metal framework on a substance that the enamel does not adhere to,
such as high-fire mica. This is the technique that seemed best suited to the pieces
I wished to create. I try to push the limits
of plique-a-jour and often create designs
with cells that are quite large. If I were to
use the tension method of application, the
enamels would have a tendency to sag too
much during firing.
Because I lay the frames on mica for the
first few firings, I want the back of the
frame to be as smooth and uniform as possible to prevent the glass from leaking
from the cells during firing. If some does
sneak out, though, I remove the piece
"Blue Dragonfly"
from the mica, stone away the excess glass,
and fire again with the piece turned over.
If cracks open up, I add a bit more enamel
and refire, turning the piece over each
time to keep the glass from sagging too
much on one side.
In addition, I am careful to ensure that
no grains of glass are accidentally deposited on the top edge of the frame as I am
applying the enamel to the cells. I like to
leave a rounded raised edge above the fired
glass, and any stray grains of enamel would
have to be stoned or ground off, leaving an
unattractive flat area on the finished piece.
When I am satisfied with the results of the
enameling, I tumble the earrings with
stainless steel shot for about 30 minutes to
give the silver a final polish. Although I
haven't had any problems with the enamel
cracking during tumbling, if cracks appear
they can be repaired by thoroughly cleaning the piece, adding more grains of enamel to the crack, and refiring. Don't worry
about small flaws, though: I have found
that you can create new problems by overfixing. Sometimes, it is best to know when
to leave well enough alone! Plique-a-jour is
very fragile, and even the best pieces from
very experienced enamellists may have
small flaws.
Enamel and PMC are a perfect pairing,
and plique-a-jour is a wonderful way to
bring light and color into my PMC work.
Debbi Clifford has been creating jewelry with
gemstones, enamels, and PMC for several
years. Her work can be seen on the Florida
Society of Goldsmiths NW chapter website
(www.fsgnw.com) and the PMC Guild website
(www.PMCguild.com), the May/June 2007
issue of Belle Armoire magazine, and has
been included in lecture-slide presentations by
Celie Fago at the 2005 PMC Conference in
Kobe, Japan; by Barbara Becker Simon at the
2004 SNAG Conference in St. Petersburg,
Florida; and at the 2004 PMC Conference in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has exhibited
at several FSG events, the Gadsden Art Center
in Quincy, Florida, the Lemoyne Art
Foundation Gallery in Tallahassee, Florida,
and the Florida Craftsmen Gallery in St.
Petersburg, Florida. She is currently studying
for a G.I.A. gemology degree. She and her
(almost) four-foot-long green iguana, Koki, live
in Panacea, Florida.
Summer 2007
·
17
Inspired
by History
by Lori Catlin Garcia
"Lancelot's Steed" by Lori Catlin Garcia.
Photos by Wendy vanWelie
M
Detail of the horse's reins and armor.
Above and right: Drawings from
Lori's sketchbook.
18 ·
Studio PMC
y life as a designer has always been
inspired by history. I am a self-proclaimed research junkie, and there is nothing I like more than spending endless
hours in museums with my sketchbook.
However, faithful recreation of historic
details has never interested me as much as
the use of history as a catalyst for a fresh
design. My career path before I turned to
jewelry included theatre costume design,
textile design, and many years as an art
director for the LEGO® Toy Co. In each of
those positions I had a chance to hone my
research skills, whether I was investigating
African fabric or drawing tourists at Walt
Disney World who later
became models made of
tiny LEGO® bricks.
A recent opportunity
for unusual inspiration
came from an unlikely
source. The town where
I live decided to sponsor
a painted animal event.
The “Giddy up to
Granby” horse parade
would pair artists with
sponsors. The artists
were asked put in proposals to paint and/or decorate life-size
fiberglass horses. The finished horses
would be displayed to the public for several months, then sold at auction to raise
money for the Chamber of Commerce and
local charities.
The minute I heard about the event, I
knew I wanted to participate. I love
medieval history, and immediately thought
of doing a horse in armor. However, I
already had the experience of creating two
life-size cows for the CowParade® in West
Hartford, Connecticut, three years before.
While it was a great experience, I wanted to
do something, uh, smaller this time.
The idea came to me to do a miniature
horse. The stores in town were already selling 6" resin horses and encouraging people
to paint and display them as part of the
event. I wrote a proposal to dress one of
these tiny horses in metal
armor. At that scale, I
would be able to showcase
techniques that could
promote my jewelry business. The piece could be a
true collector’s item,
made from silver, gold,
and real gemstones. Also,
I had been itching to do a
large scale piece in PMC,
and this would be the perfect opportunity. I sent in
some sketches, and soon
got the good news that the Chamber of
Commerce would sponsor my horse, and
that the auction proceeds would go to support the arts in the local school system.
Now the design process truly had to
Lori’s Tips for
Dazzling Design
Lori converted her sketches into a detailed drawing of her planned horse armor.
begin. As I said before, I love medieval history, but I wanted this piece to go beyond
history. Real medieval knights needed
armor on their horses to protect them.
Later generations of wealthy men, however, created armor that was purely for show.
I wanted to create a fantasy based on history, so I chose to name my horse “Lancelot’s
Steed.” Just like the legendary world of
King Arthur’s Camelot, my little horse
would be a flight of fancy based on reality.
Fortunately, I had ready sources for the
reality part. I live less than an hour from
the Higgins Armory Museum in
Worcester, Massachusetts, which has on
display more than 5,000 examples of arms
and armaments. I never leave home without my sketchbook, so I was soon on the
road to the museum with drawing paper in
hand. Once in the museum, I sketched
armor from all styles and time periods,
from ancient Greece to 17th century decorative armor. The details fascinated me,
particularly the construction of the moving parts. I spent a long time in front of
each case, imagining how I might recreate
those details in PMC.
My next stop was the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in New York City. They have
an excellent armor collection that includes
an entire gallery of armored horses. It was
here that I studied the details of saddle blankets, reins, stirrups, etc. The collection at the
Met includes superb examples of horse
armor made for wealthy rulers and noblemen. Elaborate patterns were often etched
into the metal, and certain ceremonial
pieces were studded with jewels. I sketched,
and then sketched some more. I then turned
to the other medieval galleries and studied
the paintings, sculpture and metalwork
from the same time period. Finally, when I
was done drawing, I visited the museum
bookstore and purchased several volumes
about medieval artifacts, including a book
on the armored horse exhibit.
Continued on page 20.
• Never leave home without a sketchbook! Find one that is small enough
to fit in your purse, your briefcase, or
your pocket. Or, if you use a planner,
try buying some plain white pages to
fit in the back. You never know when
you might see a detail that will fire
your imagination!
• Don’t worry if you think you “can’t
draw.” Do the best you can, and put
lots of notes next to the pictures. Buy
postcards and paste them in, or pick
up free flyers and exhibit guides
wherever you see them. The sketchbook is merely meant to jog your
memory when you sit down to design
a piece of jewelry or other artwork.
• Be motivated by others’ work, but
don’t try copy it! Try to analyze what
it is about the piece that captures you.
Is it the interesting clasp? Or maybe
the multi-layered texture? Write
notes in your sketchbook about the
artists, styles, and time periods you
admire.
• Use historic details as a jumping-off
point. Wouldn’t the knob on that
dresser make a great detail on that pin
you want to make? Could the peel
from that grapefruit texture an earring? I once watched another artist
swoon over the peeling paint on the
side of my garage!
Adding detail to the unfired PMC.
Summer 2007
·
19
Inspired by History
Now that the research was done, I
turned my attention to how I might best
interpret this wealth of information in
PMC. To accommodate the shrinkage of
PMC, I used cork clay to pad out the resin
horse to make it approximately 15 percent
larger. I then used the padded horse to create patterns for the PMC armor. These
pieces were based directly on the sketches I
did at the two museums. The texturing
pattern I eventually chose for the armor
was adapted from a picture of a column
from a medieval castle. The decorative saddle blanket was modified from one of the
armored horses at the Metropolitan
Museum. Cabochon stones were chosen
because they best matched the stones in
jewelry and chalices from the Middle Ages.
The armor was formed and fired. Luckily,
20 ·
Studio PMC
my calculations were correct, and the
pieces fit the horse when they came out of
the kiln! I created gold embellishments
using the Keum-boo technique, and added
hundreds of tiny brass rivets to mimic the
construction details I had seen at the
Higgins Armory Museum. I antiqued and
polished the pieces and set the gemstones.
Finally, I stitched a tiny saddle and blanket
from red velvet trimmed in gold and added
it to the completed armor. Lancelot’s Steed
had become a reality! He now spends his
days in a special case in a collector’s home,
reminding the owner of a legendary time
when armored knights roamed the land.
Ah, Camelot!
Lori Catlin Garcia has 20 years of experience
as a professional designer. She has a bachelor of
fine arts degree from the University of
Evansville and a master of fine arts degree from
the University of California in San Diego. She
has worked as a theater costume designer, a textile desiger, and as an art director at the LEGO
Toy Co. But jewelry has always been Lori's first
love, and she now sells her own line of handcrafted jewelry at shows and shops throughout
the Northeast. She also teaches PMC classes at
the Connecticut School of Jewelry Art.
Lori tested her ideas by draping paper patterns
on the resin horse.
Happenings
"Just Desserts" by Anne Lingener-Reece.
Member News
A
nne Lingener-Reece was awarded
Juror's Choice Award for her body of
work in silver at the Earth Fire & Fibre
XXVI Exhibit, which was first displayed at
the Anchorage Museum January through
March. The exhibit will travel through the
state of Alaska during 2007. The Anchorage
Museum also purchased Anne's work "Just
Dessert," a fine silver and PMC3 bowl and
spoon, for its permanent collection.
The juror for the Earth Fire & Fibre
exhibit was Michael W. Monroe, executive
director and chief curator of the Bellevue
Art Museum in Bellevue, Washington.
Prior to his current position he was executive director for the American Craft Council
and associated with the Smithsonian
National Museum of American Art's
Renwick Gallery for 21 years.
P
G
Call for Entries
uild Member Denise Rieth's work is
now available at Everything But The
Girl, a Sarasota, Florida, boutique offering
an eclectic mix of art, home decor, gifts,
jewelry, and clothing by local artists. The
store's website is www.shopebtg.com.
L
ora Hart has been selected as the only
metal clay instructor to offer classes at
the Puget Sound Bead Festival in Tacoma,
Washington, July 12-14. She will be one of
nearly 30 jewelry instructors from across
the country presenting classes at the festival, which is the largest bead show on the
West Coast.
MC Guild member Donna Papazian
was profiled in a feature article in The
Landmark, a newspaper in Donna's hometown of Holden, Massachusetts, in
November. The article focused on Donna's
work on behalf of the Molly Bish Center
for the Protection of Children and the
Elderly at Anna Maria College. Donna has
been offering a bracelet of silver and beads
to support fundraising efforts for the center, founded in memory of a Rhode Island
girl who disappeared from her lifeguard
post in 2000.
Donna was also featured in an article in
the Worcester Telegram and Gazette about
Holden's open studio tour, called "Art
Ride." The article described in detail
Donna's use of PMC to capture geraniums
in silver.
E
ntries for the 2008 Niche Awards are
now being accepted. The Niche
Awards, which are sponsored by Niche
magazine, celebrate excellence and innovation in American and Canadian craft.
The competition's categories include jewelry, metal, mixed media, handmade
beads, and polymer clay.
Finalists will be invited to display their
work in the Niche Awards exhibit at the
February 2008 Philadelphia Buyers Market
of American Craft, where the winners will
be announced, and included in the Winter
2008 issue of Niche.
Applications are currently available at
www.AmericanCraft.com. The entry deadline for professionals is Aug. 31, and for students Sept. 28.
Events
The Enamelist Society will hold their 2007
conference and exhibition, “Fusion”
Aug. 24-26 in Columbus, Ohio. The
keynote speaker will be Harold B. Helwig,
one of the three American enamellists
recently featured in this year's exhibition,
“Painting with Fire” at The Long Beach
Museum of Art in Long Beach, California.
The biennial event will include a juried
international exhibition open for public
viewing, an auction, and a variety of preand post-conference workshops. For information, visit the Enamelist Society website
at www.enamelistsociety.org.
Publications
io Grande has introduced two new 32page full-color magazines dedicated to
professional jewelers. The Artisan's Quarterly,
for makers of jewelry, will include new
product information and tips for using
familiar items in new ways, as well as feature
articles about jewelry making tools, supplies, and equipment. The Merchant's
Quarterly, for sellers of jewelry, will include
high quality photography and in-depth
information on products, processes and best
practices that will help keep jewelry sellers
well-stocked and well-informed.
R
G
uild members' work continues to
appear in print. Holly Gage's feature
article "Free Formed Titanium" and companion step-by-step project "Focal
Titanium Pendant" appeared in the April
2007 issue of Lapidary Journal. "The Screen
Between" by Hadar Jacobson with Jill
Erickson appeared in the March 2007 issue
of Art Jewelry, while Irina Miech's article
“Calla Lily Suite” was published in the May
issue. In addition, Catherine Davies Paetz
and Debra Weld had work featured in the
Gallery section of Art Jewelry in March.
Correction
ue to a reporting error, Studio PMC
incorrectly identified PMC artist
Carol Lynn Crow's home country in the
Winter 2006 issue. Carol lives in the
Netherlands.
D
Summer 2007
·
21
Local Chapters
Local Chapters
M
embers of the Creative Spirits chapter
in Seattle-Tacoma, Washington, celebrated their second anniversary in August
2006 with a PMC bracelet contest. Lisa Lee
won three of the five top prizes, Randy
Drobny was also honored for his dragonfly
beads. The celebration, held at Beads &
Beyond, also included an opportunity for
members to test CeCe Wire's instructions
for water etching and a shared meal.
The chapter meets monthly, and a private tour at the Tacoma Glass Museum was
planned for March.
M
embers of NewMetal Artists, the Los
Angeles chapter of the PMC Guild,
enjoyed a presentation on selling work
wholesale with Amery Carriere in March
and a lesson in photographing jewelry
with Marsha Thomas in April. Amery
shared a number of suggestions for getting
started in wholesale sales, including recommendations for shows to exhibit at and
an explanation of her method of pricing
her work. Marsha brought a small studio
set-up and a digital camera with monitor
to demonstrate her techniques for successful jewelry photography.
Upcoming topics will include “The
History of Metal Clay” with Linda
Bernstein on July 12; “Tear-away Texturing”
with Michelle Ross on Aug. 12; and “The
Reality of Registering Trademarks” with
Mark Holmes on Sept. 13.
22 ·
Studio PMC
T
he San Francisco Bay Area Silver Clay
chapter of the PMC Guild kicked off
2007 with a demonstration of metal clay
with raku by Susan Shahinian. Susan
torch fired various glazes on pre-fired
metal clay and used the classic raku technique of reduction in combustible material, and then invited members to experiment with the technique on their own
PMC pieces during the meeting.
In February, Pam Perry shared how she
uses scrapbooking tools to create texture
on metal clay paper. (Look for Pam’s
account of her experiments in "Try This!"
elsewhere in this issue.)
CeCe Wire visited San Francisco in
March for a Rio Rewards certification class
and was the chapter’s guest at a special
demo meeting at Beadissimo in San
Francisco. CeCe demonstrated how to use
PMC with two forms of gold: Aura 22 and
gold foil for Keum-boo. The chapter congratulated Patrik Kusek on being a PMC
finalist in the Saul Bell Design Awards competition. March ended on a great note with
a fine silver hand-crocheted chain workshop taught by Michael David Sturlin at
the beautiful waterfront site of Fort Mason.
Bead Expo came to the San Francisco Bay
Area in April. Nancy Banks secured a table
for the chapter as a metal clay community
outreach station. The volunteers she organized to be available for Q&A throughout the
show reported back that the crowds were very
positive and interested in learning more. Beki
Haley designed and produced an informational guild flyer and Lynn Cobb coordinated
the display for members to show and sell their
metal-clay jewelry at the outreach table.
Demonstrations in May, June and July
will include the tear-away technique for
texturing clay, plique-a-jour and torch firing enamels on silver clay, ring making,
and soldering metal clay to sterling silver.
The chapter is growing! Its Yahoo group
numbers over 200, with 37 active members
attending monthly meetings in various
locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. To
find out more about the San Francisco
chapter, visit the group’s website at
h t t p : / / g r o u p s . y a h o o. c o m / g r o u p /
SFBASilverClay/
I
n April, the Northeast Ohio Chapter
invited Robert Dancik come and play in
Cleveland. “Workshops in Faux BoneTM
and Adventures in the Material World
were enthusiastically attended by many
members,” writes Catherine DaviesPaetz. “We had great fun exploring many
new materials, and are very excited to find
ways to incorporate them into our PMC
designs.”
The chapter also continues to sponsor a
show of member's work at local libraries.
“Our chapter's traveling library show continues to ‘circulate monthly,’ and is receiving rave reviews from patrons,” writes
Cathy. “We are ‘booked’ into a library
every month this year, and even have
'return' engagements! We hope everyone
will 'check us out!’”
T
he Sonoran Desert Chapter in
Scottsdale, Arizona, is reorganizing.
Marilyn Ostrow has volunteered take the
lead beginning this fall, and the chapter is
soliciting interested artists to help with the
planning. Anyone interested in being part
of the chapter's fresh start can e-mail Donna
Lewis at [email protected].
Linda’s
Lid
™
Metal Clay Syringe Holder
Tip proof!
No more dried syringes!
Holds 4 syringes!
Membership in the PMC Guild
Join or Renew
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Order online: www.naturescapesstudio.com
www.PMCguild.com
Two days of clay ... endless creativity. Shop, learn, enjoy!
THE SHOW for art glass, beads, flameworking, glass painting,
polymer and metal clay, stained glass, classes, shopping and FUN!
November 16 – 17, 2007 • OCCC • Orlando, FL
www.BeadandArtGlassFest.com
Produced by Offinger Management Co. – Offinger.com
THINKING OF VISITING ENGLAND?
Why not come to magical Cornwall
for a jewellery class? We offer the
widest range of jewellery related
courses available at any independent
school in the UK.
In 2007 we have masterclasses with
quite a few names you will recognise
including Tim McCreight, Celie Fago
and Robert Dancik.Take a look at our
website for further details.
The purpose-built workshop is nestled
in the valley at Treesmill in Mid Cornwall
on the south coast. Situated within the
grounds of a water mill dating back over
300 years, Treesmill is featured in
Daphne Du Mauriers’ book,The House
on the Strand.
We have also developed a groundbreaking new PMC training
programme.
The Diploma in PMC Proficiency
is free from marketing discounts
or particular suppliers and a quarter
of the syllabus focuses on good
PMC teaching skills.
We are only 5 minutes from lovely
beaches, ancient monuments and the
world famous Eden Project. MCSJ is
easily reached by train from either of
the London airports. We can provide
details about ground transportation
and lodging at a local B&B.
If you want to teach classes or
work seriously with PMC then
this is currently the most thorough
training available.
Come on over!
MCSJ
Treesmill Farm Tywardreath Par
Cornwall PL24 2TX United Kingdom
Telephone 01144-1726-817989
E-mail [email protected]
www.mcsj.co.uk
For Advertising information: Call Bill Spilman toll-free at 877-878-3260
Summer 2007
·
23
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