Studio PMC - Rio Grande

Studio PMC
Member Magazine of the PMC Guild
Summer 2005 · Volume 8, Number 2
Studio PMC
Summer 2005 · Volume 8, Number 2
Member Magazine of the PMC Guild
features
4
On the Cover: Gang blade from PMC Tool and Supply/Darway
Design Studio, leaf cutters and rolling tool from Celie Fago, and
tool kit from New Mexico Clay. Background image is Elaine
Luther working on her butterfly pendant... see page 7
Word Art
This beginner's project by Debbie Fehrenbach using rubber stamps is
ideal for teaching the technique.
6
Butterfly Inlay Pendant
Elaine Luther demonstrates the use of some of her favorite tools
in this pendant project.
10
The Tool Trade
For some PMC artists, developing and selling tools has become
a welcome addition to their PMC careers.
11
Tools, Tools, Tools
Studio PMC's First Tool Buyers' Guide! A treasure trove of tools
for use with PMC.
Studio PMC
PMC Guild
P.O. Box 265, Mansfield, MA 02048
www.PMCguild.com
Volume 8, Number 2 • Summer 2005
Editor—Suzanne Wade
Technical Editor—Tim McCreight
Art Director—Jonah Spivak
Advertising Manager—Bill Spilman
Studio PMC is published by the PMC Guild Inc.
• How to SUBMIT WORK to Studio PMC…
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.
Slides are preferred, but color prints and digital images are OK.
By Mail: Mail articles and photos to: Studio PMC,
P.O. Box 265, Mansfield, MA 02048.
Electronically: 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.
• E-mail files (under 4 MB) to [email protected]
Deadlines: Nov. 1 for Spring issue; Feb. 1 for Summer issue;
May 1 for Fall issue; Aug. 1 for Winter issue.
• 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]
departments
3
As I PMC It
8
Gallery
18
Happenings
• How to get answers to tech questions…
E-mail Tim at: [email protected]
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
2390 Acorn Drive #245
Hebron, KY 41048 USA
Phone: 859-586-0595
Website: www.PMCguild.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Copyright ©2005 PMC Guild.
Printed four or more times a year. Reprints by permission only.
All rights reserved.
pg. 11
2 ·
Studio PMC
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.
As I PMC It: Tools of the Trade
W
ho knew there were so many tools
for PMC?
When I first proposed this issue, I figured we'd fill a couple pages with tools. I
knew there was a lot of creativity out there
in the PMC world, but how many tools for
PMC could there be?
Well, I could have filled an entire year's
worth of Studio PMC's with the tools that
were submitted – and still had lots left
over. Wow!
I knew I was in trouble when I got a call
from Speedy Peacock, one of the folks at
PMC Supply. "I know you say 'no limit' to
the number of products we can submit," he
told me. "But we have over 4,000 products
related to PMC. I figured you didn't want
all of them."
"Oh," I said weakly. "How about sending me a dozen or so of your favorites?"
And the submissions just kept on coming. An entire box of description sheets
and slides arrived from Elaine Luther at
Creative Texture Tools. Rio Grande – who
I know offers dozens of cool PMC tools –
showed considerable restraint and sent in
just six of their best and newest offerings.
Santa Fe Jewelers Supply sent a three-page
list – just a list – of their products. Gulp.
Obviously, I wasn't going to fit everything in the 20 pages of Studio PMC! Plus I
really wanted to include a couple of howto projects to give you some ideas for how
to use all these cool tools, and an article
by Suzanne Wade
about artists inventing and marketing
their own tools. What's an editor to do?
I turned to Technical Editor Tim
McCreight, Executive Director Jeanette
Landenwitch, and Executive Director
Emeritus CeCe Wire to pick what to print.
As artists themselves, I knew I could count
on them to immediately identify the neatest, most creative, most wonderful tools –
the ones they'd want for their own studios.
That's what you'll find in these pages:
Tim, Jeanette, and CeCe's picks for great
PMC tools. But if that's not enough to satisfy your thirst, check out the PMC Guild
Web site. I couldn't let all those wonderful
tool submissions sit in a folder somewhere,
so we've uploaded an expanded tools section to the Web site.
And if that's not enough, you can
always click through to the suppliers' Web
sites and check out their on-line catalogs
and specials, or request a print catalog to be
mailed to you for a little light bedtime
drooling, er, reading.
Consider this fair warning: if you continue
past this page, you are in imminent danger of
discovering you cannot live without some
tool that a couple minutes ago you didn't
know existed. You might want to put this
issue away until your company pays out that
bonus, or your birthday nears, or Christmas
rolls around, especially if you're the type who
just can't help reaching for the credit card
when confronted by incredible tools.
The irony of producing a special tools
issue of Studio PMC isn't lost on me. Many
artists are initially attracted to PMC
because it doesn't require a large investment in tools – a torch, a bit of PVC pipe,
some olive oil, and a deck of playing cards
is pretty much all you need to get started.
And here I am, offering hundreds of tools
that you can buy for working with PMC.
So much for calling PMC a less tool-intensive material.
But while it's true you don't need a lot of
tools to work with PMC, adding a few new
tools to your workbench can expand the
creative possibilities of the material.
Sometimes, a new tool can inspire you to
say, "Hmmm. I wonder if I could use this to
do… that." And before you know it, you've
begun creating more sophisticated and
exciting designs than you'd ever imagined.
So by all means, indulge a little bit after
you finish reading this issue. After your
membership in the PMC Guild, tools are
probably the best investment you can
make in your creative endeavors. And if
you do decide to buy a tool you've discovered in these pages, please be sure to let the
supplier know you saw it in Studio PMC.
And remember, you've been warned:
There are some mighty cool tools ahead!
—Suzanne
Quick Reference Card
Contacting the PMC Guild
PMC Guild Web site
To join or renew your membership:
866-315-6487
P.O. Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834
www.PMCguild.com
Member user name: member (not your name, just this word)
Member password: PMC2005 (be sure to use uppercase letters)
Visit the PMC Guild Web site to join or renew your membership
in the Guild, find certification classes in your area, view back
issues of Studio PMC, or participate in online discussion forums.
Guild services:
859-586-0595 • [email protected]
2390 Acorn Drive #245, Hebron, KY 41048
Technical Help:
[email protected]
Studio PMC
Editorial: 508-339-7366 • [email protected]
P.O. Box 265, Mansfield, MA 02048
Advertising: 877-878-3260 • [email protected]
Certification Classes
Rio Rewards : 866-346-2698
PMC Connection: 866-762-2529
Summer 2005
·
3
Teaching Project:Word Art
Tools & Supplies:
PMC+ or PMC3
PMC paste
PMC3 Syringe
2 Word stamps
2 Texture stamps
6 Playing cards
Olive oil and brush
Tube roller
Brush for clay
Coffee or soda straw
Tissue blade or X-Acto knife.
Water
400 or 600 grit Sandpaper
Black Max or Liver of Sulfur (0ptional)
Plastic tongues or tweezers
Steel wire brush
Polishing cloth
Burnisher
by Debbie Fehrenbach
I
f you have never used rubber stamps, this
pendant is a great way to start. There is
an infinite variety of textures and realistic
images available in rubber stamps that are
just not available or possible in plastic or
brass. However, not all rubber stamps are
created equal. Two things to keep in mind
when choosing stamps:
• If at all possible, buy unmounted sheets
versus stamps mounted on blocks. The
un-mounted sheets are easier to use and
are one-quarter the price of mounted
stamps. Un-mounted sheets allow you to
place your depth cards on top of the
stamp and roll the clay into it, while
mounted blocks can only be pressed.
• Look over the manufacturer's entire
line. If none of the company's stamps are
etched deeply, the quality of rubber used
may be of an inferior quality. Higher
quality stamps will last longer and give a
sharper image.
The stamps used in this project are from
Red Castle Inc., and are available at
www.redcastle.com.
Step 1. Select two texture stamps with a fairly
flat texture. The word pieces will lay on top of
the texture, and we want them to lay flat.
Select one word from your stamps for the
front and one for the back. Measure the
length of the longest word and add 1⁄4 to 3⁄8 inch.
Step 2. With a brush designated for olive
oil only, brush a light layer of oil on all of
the stamps to be used. (Figure 1) Rubber
stamps need to be oiled or the PMC clay
will stick. If you brush on a heavy layer,
wipe off excess with your brush or finger.
Figure 1
4 ·
Studio PMC
Figure 2
Figure 3
Debbie's finished Word Art pendant.
Step 3. Shape a piece of PMC into an oval
ball. Starting with the word stamps, place
the clay in the center of the stamp. Press
slightly to make rolling easier. Place one
card on each side of the word. Press down
with your tube roller in the middle of the
clay. With firm pressure, roll up once and
down once. The less you have to roll, the
sharper the image will be. (Figure 2) Place
rolled clay on cutting mat. Using your tissue blade, cut off excess on all four sides to
make a rectangle. Cut close to the word,
leaving only a small gap. Repeat for the
other word stamp. Set aside both rectangles and let dry completely. (Figures 3 & 4).
Figure 4
Figure 5
Step 4. Shape another piece of PMC into
an oval ball. Place three cards on either
side of the texture stamp. Place the clay on
top of the texture stamp, and with your
tube roller, press down in the middle and
roll as in Step 3. Remove one card from
each side. Place the remaining texture
stamp on top of the rolled clay. Do not
remove the clay from the textured stamp
underneath. Gently roll over the top
stamp. Remove a corner and check that the
desired texture has been achieved. It is better to roll gently and re-roll than to roll too
hard. Place textured clay on cutting mat.
Cut a rectangle that is 1⁄4 to 3⁄8 inch longer
and wider than the longest word.
Step 5. Make the bail. You can prepare
the pendant for hanging by drilling a hole
in the top, or by making a rollover bail
(which requires making the rectangle base
approximately 3⁄4 inch longer than
described here). I chose to make a bail
using syringe PMC.
To make a syringe bail, start by holding
a straw in one hand and the syringe in the
other. With even pressure, press out a coil
while gently turning the straw. Keep turning until you have made two complete
turns. Gently use the work surface or your
finger to flatten the area where the coil
starts and stops.
Hang the straw between two stilts.
(Figure 5) Let the bail dry completely.
Step 6. Now it's time to construct the pendant. Sand the sides of each component
with 400 or 600 grit sandpaper. The easiest
method is to lay your sandpaper flat on the
table, and holding your piece carefully but
firmly, rub the piece on the sandpaper. Lay
your texture piece on your work surface.
Place a small amount of paste across the
back of the first word. Center and press
Figure 6
Figure 7
your word onto the texture piece. Repeat
for the other side with the second word.
(Figure 6) Remove the bail from the straw.
Place a small amount of paste on the bottom of the bail and a small amount on top
of the pendant. Press the bail onto pendant
and hold for two or three seconds. Let dry
completely. (Figure 7) Decorate the bail
with PMC syringe if desired. Let dry.
sulfur. Steel wire brush your piece. If you
love color, try mixing a very weak solution
of liver of sulfur (pea size piece to 11⁄2 cups
of hot water). Have your jar of water next
to your jar of liver of sulfur. With plastic
tweezers, dip your piece into the solutions
and immediately dunk in the jar of water.
You should get a golden color. Keep dunking quickly in the solution immediately
followed by a dunk in the water. The water
step is crucial: it stops the coloring process.
You should go from gold, pink, fuchsia,
purple, blue, gray, and finally black. Stop
dipping when you have the color you
desire. Dry your piece with a cloth or
paper towel. Finish with the polishing
cloth and burnisher method as above.
Step 7. Fire as directed for the type of PMC
you are using. Polish as desired. For this
piece, I opted to apply a patina with Black
Max to enhance the texture and readability of words. Liver of sulfur can also be used
with this method. Apply Black Max solution with a brush or Q-Tip. This will turn
the entire piece black. Rinse the piece in
running water. Black Max is an acid-based
solution, so it should not come into contact with your skin. If you do get it on your
skin, flush the area with water.
Once rinsed, rub the piece with steel
wool, Scotch-Brite, baking soda, pumice,
or polishing papers to remove the patina
from the high relief areas of the piece.
Finish by tumbling your piece in a rock
tumbler with mixed steel shot for 30 minutes. Check your piece. The raised surfaces
will be brightly polished, leaving the
recessed areas black. If the finish is not
bright enough, put the piece back into the
tumbler until desired affect is achieved.
If a tumbler is not available, you can use
a polishing cloth and burnisher. Brush
your piece with a steel brush before dipping in Black Max. Lay the polishing cloth
on a hard surface, and rub your piece back
and forth vigorously. This will remove the
Black Max patina from the raised areas.
Once you have removed enough black, finish off by rubbing your burnisher over the
raised area to bring about a bright finish.
The process is the same for the liver of
Debbie Fehrenbach has been involved with the
arts since high school, working in pottery, glass,
sewing, and gourd art before discovering PMC.
She has recently begun selling her work and is
represented in several galleries near her home
in St. Johns, Michigan. A certified Level II artisan who has taught several introductory classes
in PMC, she is working towards becoming a
Senior Instructor with PMC Connection.
When selecting rubber stamps, be
aware of the copyright policy of the
stamp maker. All rubber stamps are
copyrighted, and it is up to the rubber
stamp company to determine what
you can legally do with designs made
from their stamps. Red Castle Inc. is an
"Angel Company" and permits artists
to hand-stamp as many pieces as they
wish and to sell those pieces. Policies
vary, however, so be sure to check with
the maker of your rubber stamps
regarding their copyright policies.
Summer 2005
·
5
Butterfly Pendant with Resin Inlay
by Elaine D. Luther
Editor's Note: This project incorporates a number of Elaine's favorite tools, many of which she
sells through her tool supply company, Creative
Texture Tools. In most cases, though, Elaine also
suggests alternative tools. Experiment to see
what works best for you!
Completed pendant with resin inlay.
Tools & Supplies:
PMC+
Thick PMC slip
Olive oil
Plastic food wrap
Small pieces of Super Parchment
(Teflon paper)
Silicone Texture Plate ™ or other
texture plate such as a design made in polymer clay.
Playing cards
Work surface
Roller
Water
Paintbrush, pointed tip
Paintbrush, square end
Carving tool
Tissue blade
Precision Circle Cutter ™ or small round
Step 1. Place a piece of Super Parchment in
the center of your work surface, and on either
side place two stacked playing cards. Put a
half package of PMC+ on the Super
Parchment, cover with plastic wrap, and
using your roller, roll the clay two cards thick.
The bottom will pick up the woven pattern of the Super Parchment, but you want
the top to be nice and smooth. You may
wish to give it one final roll without the
plastic wrap to get rid of any marks left by
the plastic.
cookie cutter or pieces of metal tubing
Pink sanding board for acrylic nails
Butterfly shaped cookie cutter
Small round cookie cutter
Step 3. Use a butterfly cookie cutter to cut
out the pendant. Be careful not to press too
hard on the cutter, so you don’t cut the
Super Parchment. To create the openings
where the inlay will go, I use a very small
round cutter, but you could also make your
own plastic or card stock template, or cut
freehand. Cut out round openings on each
wing of the butterfly.
Step 4. Roll out the backing piece for the
butterfly. (While you work on the back, be
sure to cover the butterfly so that it won't
dry out.) Roll as before, on top of Super
Parchment, until the piece is larger than
your butterfly and one card thick.
Paint water on the backing piece, then
gently pick up the butterfly and lay it on
top of the wet sheet.
(or homemade template)
Two-part five minute epoxy
Scrap of card stock
Toothpicks
Powdered enamel (to mix into the epoxy
as a coloring agent)
6 ·
Studio PMC
Step 2. To add texture with a Silicone
Texture Plate, rub an oiled hand over the
surface. This is all the oil that is needed.
For other texture plates, add oil or baby
powder. Pick up your rolled out piece of
PMC +, place it on top of the texture plate,
and roll over the top of the clay with your
roller. If the texture is particularly deep,
you may find that now your piece of clay is
too thin. If that is the case, you’ll want to
re-roll your clay to three cards thick before
applying the texture.
Step 5. Place the same butterfly cookie cutter you used earlier exactly over the butterfly. Cut through the backing piece of clay
and remove the excess. Turn the butterfly
and add water to any seams that need it.
Smooth them out so that they disappear.
Remember to check the seams in the
spaces for the resin inlay, as well.
Step 6. Allow the piece to dry to leather
hard. Speed this if you like by placing the
piece in the oven at 325˚F (165˚C) for 10
minutes, placing it in a dehydrator, putting
it on a mug warmer or old fashioned buffet
warming tray, or on top of a hot kiln. In all
these cases, keep the Super Parchment
under the butterfly until it dries.
Step 7. Once the piece is leather hard,
refine the edges using a pink board. These
are for acrylic nails and sold in the health
and beauty section. Some areas may be too
small to get to with the nail board. In those
places, use a blade-shaped carving tool and
gently carve away any excess, holding the
tool and carving the way you might peel an
apple with a paring knife.
Step 8. Make a bail using whatever technique you like. I usually use the method
shown by Tim McCreight in his video,
Push Play for PMC. He does it with a regular
straw and a beverage stir straw. I love the
technique, but I use metal cutters: a
Precision Circle Cutter for the inner cut
and a small cookie cutter for the outside.
You could also use metal tubing, which
you can find in an assortment bag at the
hardware store.
For this bail, make the outer cut with
the larger tubing or small cookie cutter,
then make a center cut with the largest of
the four Precision Circle Cutters. Using a
tissue blade, cut the donut shape in half,
creating two bails. If necessary, apply water
to the cut edges to smooth them. Allow to
dry to leather hard. Sand, if needed, with
the pink nail board.
Step 9. Place the bail in the upper onethird of the butterfly pendant. Using the
carving tool or a paintbrush, place a generous dollop of thick slip on each end of the
leather hard bail.
Push the bail onto the back of the butterfly, gently pressing down. Excess clay
will move to the sides. Remove this with
the dry, square-end brush. Dip your pointed paintbrush in water and paint water
around the seams to smooth everything
and remove the excess slip. You want this
seam to disappear entirely.
Step 11. For this project, I'm using twopart five minute epoxy. Devcon is a common brand, available at hardware stores or
craft stores. Squeeze out equal amounts of
each part of epoxy onto clean card stock.
Use a toothpick to quickly mix the two
together. Throw that toothpick away. Add
your coloring agent; in this project I’m
using powdered glass enamels. Using a
fresh toothpick, mix in the coloring agent.
Throw away that toothpick, too.
Why throw away all those toothpicks?
When mixing epoxy, the first toothpick
you use may have more resin or more
hardener on it. Using that toothpick to
apply the mixed epoxy to your project
could alter the mixture of the epoxy.
Now carefully apply the epoxy to the
butterfly. Removing excess epoxy is messy,
so you want to apply the epoxy as neatly as
possible. Scoop up a bit of epoxy with
another clean toothpick and place it in the
center of one of the circles in the butterfly
wing. Starting from the center, move the
toothpick in a circle, gently spreading out
the epoxy until it reaches the edges. Repeat
on the other side. Work quickly! This
epoxy cures in five minutes. Allow the
epoxy to cure in a clean, dry, dust-free
environment.
Ta da! You’re done. Add a chain and go
out into the world, ready for compliments.
Step 10. Fire the piece face down at 1470°F
(800°c) for 30 minutes. Remove from the
kiln, allow to cool, and tumble with stainless
steel shot for 30 minutes. Remove, dry, and
prepare your work area for the resin inlay.
Summer 2005
·
7
Gallery
To submit your photos to our Gallery send
slides or digital images to:
Studio PMC, P.O. Box 265,
Mansfield, MA 02048.
E-mail: [email protected]
Please include your name, address, country,
phone, e-mail address, a brief bio,
photo credit, plus the size and
materials used in your piece.
“Firecracker” by Christine Norton.
PMC, seed beads, glass drops, and pearls.
"In Mercy and Kindness: Anti-War Medal" by Linda Kaye-Moses.
PMC, sterling silver, 14k gold, lapis lazuli, moonstone, and vitreous enamel.
8 ·
Studio PMC
"The Goddess Within" by Pat Gullett.
24k gold, PMC, and cubic zirconia. Photo by Ralph Gabriner.
Plique a jour cup by Louis Kappel
“Celestial Dreams” by Diana Contine.
PMC, sterling silver wire, and gold-filled twisted wire.
Summer 2005
·
9
The Tool Trade
By Suzanne Wade
Where do tools come from?
I
f you imagine the tools you find in catalogs are developed by white-coated technicians in an underground laboratory
somewhere in New Mexico, think again.
Then look around your own studio.
It's a rare PMC artist who hasn't shaped
a stray piece of wood, plastic, or metal into
their own unique tool. And occasionally,
those personal solutions to vexing problems prove to be such a good idea, they
start to take on a life of their own.
For PMC artists Hattie Sanderson and
Chris Darway, what began as simple problem-solving has evolved into serious business. Thanks to a little serendipity, some
good partnerships, and a creative approach
to tools, both have made tool sales into a
significant aspect of their PMC careers.
Chris Darway
Chris Darway began making PMC tools
after Tim McCreight approached him in
the early days of the PMC certification program to produce a tool kit for use in classes. "It sounded like fun," Chris says of the
project that would soon come to dominate
his work life.
Chris developed a cutting tool of high
grade stainless steel to replace the toosharp tissue blades used by polymer clay
artists, and hired local college students to
sew cloth bags to package the kit. Most of
the initial tool offerings were simple items
PMC artists could make for themselves,
but rarely wanted to tackle.
"We turn Home Depot PVC pipe into
rollers," Chris says. "You can go out and do it
yourself, but by the time you buy a 10 foot
piece, get it in the car, get it home, and get
out the hacksaw … Most people choose to
buy one for a buck or a buck and a half."
Gang Blade by Chris Darway.
From being something done as a favor for
a friend, the tool business has evolved into a
full-fledged supply company. "I thought this
was going to be a niche thing, but the
demand quickly outstripped our supply,"
recalls Chris. He found a Philadelphia company to produce the tool bags in quantity,
and began importing burnishers from India.
With the tool business growing so fast,
Chris has struggled to maintain a balance
between his work and tool production. "I
have had almost no bench time between
workshops, the class I teach at the
University of the Arts, and doing the tools,"
he says. "I also stopped doing the ACC and
Rosen shows – I stopped even applying."
Chris's solution to the burgeoning tool
trade was to invite his sons to join him.
After 25 years running Darway Designs as
a sole proprietorship, Chris has recently
incorporated the business and brought in
his eldest son, a ceramics artist, to manage
the tool business.
The result, hopes Chris, will be a more
efficient, professionally run business that
will give him more time for his own work,
and for developing new tools specifically for
use with PMC. "I have some ideas for some
unique tools for PMC, and I'd really like to
spend a little more time on that," he says.
Hattie Sanderson
Hattie Sanderson began making HattieS
Patties as a way to fix her own problems in
creating accurately sized rings. "My passion
is to mess around in the studio. I love to
experiment and research and take a problem
HattieS Patties
by Hattie Sanderson.
10 ·
Studio PMC
and figure it out," she says. "Making PMC
rings was something I loved, and I was really frustrated with the whole sizing issue, so I
thought, there's got to be a better way."
After plenty of trial and error, Hattie
stumbled upon using casting investment to
create inserts that would keep the rings
from shrinking past the intended size. It
worked so well, she began sharing the
process with her students. When her students praised the solution, she shared the
idea with other instructors and began selling the patties. "Pretty soon the word got
out, and the demand began growing really,
really fast," she says.
Hattie had never intended to go into the
tool supply business, and the growing
demand began to be overwhelming. So it
was a happy confluence of events that led
to her first meeting with PMC Supply owners Joe and Speedy Peacock. "I met them at
the PMC Conference in Albuquerque last
July after I gave a workshop [on HattieS
Patties], and they just thought it was a great
idea," she says. "We found we share this
innovative spirit, and they're not afraid to
promote new ideas. They can do what it
takes from the marketing and production
end to make things happen."
The result has been an entire line of
products under the "HattieS" brand name,
including a work surface, tool kit, and
PMC-ready sterling silver findings. Next up
is a series of DVDs produced in cooperation
with the Peacocks: HattieS Contemporary
Metal Clay 1: Fundamental Tools and
Techniques was released at the end of April,
with the second expected later this spring.
"It is such a blessing and a gift that I have
been given this opportunity," Hattie says.
"As an artist, many times you come up
with a product and all of a sudden you are
doing the shipping and marketing and
order taking. You become a business person, and you no longer have time to be an
artist. But my relationship with PMC
Supply allows me to continue to play in
the studio and come up with new products. I am allowed to do what I love best."
Read more about artists who make and sell tools
at www.PMCguild.com.
Tools,Tools,Tools
Cutting Tools
Flexible Clay Blades, from Santa Fe Jewelers
Supply. These flexible blades come in smooth or
serrated edges, and are used for
making long straight cuts.
Craft Knife Set, from Santa Fe Jewelers Supply.
This versatile set includes a sturdy handle and six
different blades.
Gang Blade, from PMC Tool and
Supply/Darway Design Studio. This
adjustable gang blade tool is used for
cutting multiple strips of PMC sheet at once.
Shaping Tools
Graduated Slat Set, from Pinzart Inc. These
polystyrene slats offer an alternative to playing
cards for rolling metal clay to an even thickness.
Because they are longer and narrower than playing cards, they are less likely to slip during
rolling, and they are washable, durable, and will not warp or deteriorate from usage. Although the slats can be stacked, the variety
of thicknesses means stacking is normally not necessary.
The set of six pairs includes thicknesses ranging from 0.25 mm
(one card thick) to 2 mm (8 cards thick), each color-coded to make
it easy to find the pair you're looking for. The slats can also be used
to roll out clay on the edge of the company's rubber texture mats:
one blue and one purple slat stacked next to the mat provide a
level area to work.
Clean up Tool, from Santa Fe
Jewelers Supply. This double-ended
tool is used for smoothing, cutting,
and decorating.
Clay Shapers, from Whole Lotta Whimsy.
Imported from the U.K., these size 0 shapers
feature silicon tips. Shapers are used for sealing
seams in the clay, shaping, modeling, moving
the clay, and making repairs, such as pushing
clay into cracks or mending large areas.
4-in-1 Stylus, from Whole Lotta
Whimsy. This stylus comes with
four removable and adjustable tips
and a soft-touch handle.
Wipe Out Tool, from Bead Bungalow
and Santa Fe Jewelers Supply. This wooden handle tool has angled rubber tips on both ends, for blending
seams and wiping away fingernail marks and other imperfections
in the wet clay.
Compiled by Suzanne Wade
Double Ball Stylus, from Santa Fe
Jewelers Supply. This doubleended tool features different sized
balls for smoothing and rounding out holes.
Carving Tools
Micro Rotary Tool Carving Bits, from
Whole Lotta Whimsy. These carving
bits fit into any rotary tool with a 1⁄16"
collet. Select from ball point or doublecut needle point in sizes ranging from
1.2 to 1.6 mm to carve tiny details into dried cork clay, PMC, or
ceramic bisque.
Carving Tool Set, from Whole Lotta
Whimsy. Designed for cutting linoleum
or rubber, this set of German carving
tools includes a beech wood handle and
five cutting nibs, a small V-shape, a small
U-shape, a medium hollow U-shape, a broad hollow U-shape, and
one sharpened blade for edge cutting.
Carving Tools, from Creative Texture
Tools. These stainless steel carving tools
come in several shapes for carving leatherhard PMC, including a narrow-end tool, a
wide-end tool, and a two-ended tool featuring a long end useful for applying and smoothing slip, and a
small end handy for prying PMC out of molds. The octagonal handles prevent rolling and are grooved for gripping.
Carving Tool Set, from Santa Fe Jewelers Supply. This set of 12
double-ended carving tools are used for detail work before and
after drying PMC.
Finishing Tools
Clean Up Sticks, from PMC 123. These
1
⁄4" x 6" sanding sticks are two-sided,
with different grits on each side.
Washable and durable, they work well
for shaping and finishing unfired PMC
pieces. The three-stick set comes with coarse, medium, fine, and
extra fine grits.
Diamond Toothpick Files, from Whole
Lotta Whimsy. At 80 mm long by 1.5 mm
wide, with a 35mm long file section, these
tiny diamond files can fit into places others can't. The answer for any PMC artisan
who has wished for toothpicks with sandpaper on them.
Continues on next page…
Summer 2005
·
11
Tools,Tools,Tools
Slim Sanders, from Whole Lotta
Whimsy. These flexible sanding sticks
allow you to feel how hard you are pressing, to help you avoid breakage. Sanders
have different grits on each side.
Rubber Finishing Block, from Santa Fe
Jewelers Supply. This rubber block grips pieces
and holds them firm while you burnish or file.
Brilliant Polishing Cloth, from Creative Texture Tools. This 4" x
6" cloth is embedded with polishing compound. Use on polished
PMC to remove the yellowing caused by tarnish.
Lortone Rotary Tumblers, from Santa Fe
Jewelers Supply. This rotary tumbler is available in several capacities, including a three
pound model, a six-pound model, and a
model with dual three-pound tumbling barrels to permit tumbling two separate batches at once. Stainless
steel shot and burnishing compound available separately.
Gyroc Model B Vibratory Tumblers,
from Santa Fe Jewelers Supply. This
heavy-duty vibratory tumbler is available
in three capacities: 1.5 pints, 3 quarts, and
6 quarts. Up to three 5" bowls can be
stacked and run simultaneously.
Magnetic Pin Finisher, from Santa Fe Jewelers
Supply. This finisher uses tiny magnetic pins
swirling in a centrifugal pattern to burnish even
intricate filigree work. Features an auto-reverse
feature to cut finish time and variable speed for
delicate items.
Burnishers
Pyrex Burnishers, from Whole Lotta
Whimsy. These double-ended burnishers heat up more slowly than steel burnishers, making them a good choice for
Keum-boo, and are less expensive than
agate burnishers. Because these burnishers are custom-made, artists can request a specific shape for
each of the burnisher's ends at little or no additional charge.
Agate Burnishers, from PMC Supply and Allcraft Jewelry Supply
Co. These stone-tipped burnishers are much slower conductors of
heat than traditional metal burnishers, making them excellent
choices for techniques that involve hot metals, such as Keum-boo.
They can also be used to burnish fired PMC.
Slim Burnishers, from Creative Texture
Tools. These stainless steel burnishers fit
into tight spaces with their slim silhouette.
The curved burnisher can reach into places
straight burnishers can't.
12 ·
Studio PMC
Straight Burnishers, from Santa Fe Jewelers
Supply. This polished steel straight burnisher is
3.5 mm in diameter.
Ball Burnisher, from Rio Grande.
This set of three double-ended ball
burnishers are used to burnish away
the white surface left after firing PMC. Beveled ends help you get
into deep textures and crevices without harming the surface.
Syringe Tools
Syringe Savers, from PMC 123 and Whole Lotta Whimsy. These
clear plastic vials with one-hole covers are used to keep PMC
syringes from drying out. Fill the vial with water, put on the cap,
and stick the syringe tip into the vial through the hole in the top of
the cap. The container is watertight with the syringe in place, preventing water spills or dried out syringes.
Syringe Tip Set, from PMC 123. This six
piece set includes 24 gauge, 20 gauge, and
18 gauge plastic syringe tips, plus three
stainless steel and three dark green plastic
tips with shaped openings in flat, half-round, and square.
Syringe Tips, from Whole Lotta
Whimsy. Available in various
gauges, these tips can be used to
provide details ranging from delicate scroll work to structural elements. A significant amount of
hand strength is required to use these tips.
Syringe Design Tip Set, from Santa Fe
Jewelers Supply. This set of six syringe tips
includes three round tips in different sizes,
one half-round tip, one flat tip, and one
square tip.
Kilns and Kiln Accessories
Paragon SC-2 Kiln, from Paragon
Industries, ABR Imagery, and Santa Fe
Jewelers Supply. The heating element in this
PMC kiln is embedded in a ceramic fiber firing chamber, and heats from both top and
bottom. The unit also features a Sentry
Xpress digital controller that lets you control ramp rate, temperature, and hold time. Options include a high temperature glass
window or bead door. The kiln heats to firing temperature within
minutes and can reach temperatures up to 2000°F.
Evenheat PMC Kilns, from PMC
Connection. Available in four sizes, these
kilns feature energy-saving ceramic fiber
muffles for even heat distribution. A
front door window allows the user to see
into the kiln during firing. The included
Tools,Tools,Tools
computer controller comes with five pre-programmed firing
schedules, plus a user-determined eight-segment program. The
kiln can reach temperatures up to 2000°F.
Rio PMC Kiln, from Rio Grande. Designed
for firing PMC and made exclusively for Rio
Grande, this kiln can be used to fire PMC or
enamel, fuse glass, or cure paint on china.
The digital controller features five pre-set
PMC Programs, including one to fire PMC3
for 30 minutes at 1110°F, and one user-determined program. The galvanized steel case has an inter-wall layer
of air to keep it cool, and features a ceramic-fiber firing chamber
with embedded heating elements. It includes a fiber shelf with
four ceramic feet, and the newest model features a hinged bead
door built into the front for beading and enamel work.
Bar Stilt Kit, from Whole Lotta Whimsy.
Designed for firing glazed beads in small
PMC kilns, with or without silver, the kit
includes two bar stilts and three high-fired
nichrome wire bars in 9 gauge and 11 gauge. Each bead bar holds
two to six beads, for six to 36 beads per stilt.
Rio PMC Kiln Shelf Kit, from Rio Grande.
This kit includes two ceramic shelves and
eight shelf feet to increase your kiln's firing
capacity. Stack shelves with feet in between to
create firing layers inside the Rio PMC Kiln.
Women's Welding Gloves, from Creative Texture Tools. These
leather welding gloves come in women's sizes, smaller than the
men's gloves usually found. Ideal for removing items from the kiln.
Bead Firing Tree, from PMC Supply. Designed for firing multiple
PMC-enhanced beads in a kiln, this holder is
manufactured from heat-resistant heavy gauge
nichrome wire embedded in ceramic. Each of
the four arms is 11⁄2" long and strong enough to
hold even heavy beads or pendants for a full
Original PMC firing without sagging. The tree reduces the risk of
damage to delicate components by holding beads and pendants so
that the surfaces do not come in contact with anything during firing.
Fiber Shelves, Blankets, and Paper, from Whole Lotta Whimsy.
These ceramic fiber accessories are used to support
your work and protect your kiln. Soft fiber shelf
can be carved for molding glass and lasts for six to
eight firings. Hard fiber shelf is the same material
as soft fiber shelf, with a hardener applied to extend its life to 20 to
30 firings. It can be used for torch firing and soldering, or to
replace the shelf in your kiln. Fiber paper is available in 1⁄8" and 1⁄16"
thickness and is used for lining the bottom of the kiln during
ceramic firings, or to wrap stones for test firing. Thinfire Paper is
used for glass fusing in place of kiln wash, or to line ceramic ring
mandrels. It can also be used to add a half size to HattieS Patties.
Fiber blanket is made of non-asbestos fine alumina and silica
threads and is used to cushion and support work during firing.
Kaowool Pad, from PMC Tool and
Supply/Darway Design Studio. This refractory
insulation material is used to support pieces
during firing, without the mess of vermiculite.
Materials
Enameling on Metal Clay Starter Kit, from Pinzart. This kit is
designed to include all the materials you'll need
to begin enameling on metal clay: a 28-page
instruction booklet called Enameling on Metal
Clay by Pam East, 1 ounce Clear for Silver enamel, 12 half-ounce containers of enamel, two
sifters, Klyr-Fire enamel adhesive, a sprayer, two
trivets, a 6" firing rack, a firing fork, inlay tools, a sifting screen, an alundum stone, a Tri-M-Ite polishing paper sampler, a sanding sponge sampler, a 3M wet/dry sandpaper sampler, and a Sunshine polishing cloth.
Enamel Kit, from Whole Lotta Whimsy. This starter kit includes
15 half-ounce containers of enamel, a halfounce Clear for Silver flux, a palette, a detail
size 0 brush, an enamel spoon, packing
palette, and a one-ounce bottle of Klyr-Fire
glue for wet packing. Packed in a zippered,
clear tool bag for easy carrying.
Continues on next page…
Summer 2005
·
13
Tools,Tools,Tools
Enameling Supplies, from Schlaifer's Enameling Supplies. Available
enamels include lead-free Thompson Enamels and Soyer Enamels, an
enamel containing lead. Also offered are a variety of tools for firing
enamels, including trivets, firing racks, and firing forks.
Raku Kit, from PMC 123. This kit contains most of the components needed to create a graduated set of nine raku with PMC
beads, including nine graduated ceramic beads, two stainless steel
support rods, a steel raku rack, raku glaze, dry PMC paste, paintbrush and directions. All the artist needs to add is a container,
newspaper, and a kiln.
Keum-boo Gold Foil, from Allcraft Jewelry Supply Co. and Rio
Grande. This 24k gold foil is sized specifically for use in Keum-boo.
Texture Tools
Texture Sheets, from Whole Lotta Whimsy.
These plastic sheets can be used to make impressions on all types of clay, including PMC, polymer, and earthenware. The two-sided sheets are
light-weight and easy to clean.
Texture Roller, from Whole Lotta
Whimsy. Both ends of this texture
roller feature different textures and roll
independently of the handle.
Brass Texture Plates, from PMC
Supply and Santa Fe Jewelers Supply.
These 2 1⁄2" x 4" plates are used to apply
patterns to unfired PMC. They are
available in 14 styles.
Silicone Texture Plates, from Creative
Texture Tools. These 1⁄4" silicone plates
are non-stick and require little or no oil.
They are flexible, allowing for easy
release from the PMC, and unbreakable. Made by Creative Texture Tools
specifically for use with PMC, they are currently available in 14
designs, with additional designs added frequently.
Rubber Pattern Mats, from PMC Supply. These
3" x 8" rubber mats contain several different
design areas for applying patterns to unfired
PMC. The flexible mats are available in 26 styles.
14 ·
Studio PMC
Punches and Cutters
Kemper Pattern Cutters, from
New Mexico Clay. Designed for
cutting shapes from wet clay,
Kemper Pattern Cutters work
like a cookie cutter, and are
equipped with a spring-return plunger for ejecting clay cut-outs.
The brass cutters are available in a variety of sizes and shapes.
Precision Circle Cutters, from Creative
Texture Tools. These four brass tubes with
sharpened ends are used to cut small holes in
wet PMC, such as holes for jump rings or
earring wires.
Mini-Punches, from Whole Lotta Whimsy.
These 7mm to 9 mm punches are great for
punching out accents from PMC Paper or
Keum-boo foil.
Nesting Tube Set, from Celie Fago. This
tool is a set of nesting brass tubes used for
cutting concentric circles out of PMC and
for making disks and seamless bezels.
The tubes are collected on a hammered
brass pin that serves both as a plunger for
the individual tubes and as a way to keep them together.
Tools for Ring Making
Ring Mandrel Set, from PMC Supply. These
non-tapered ring mandrels are for making
rings in sizes 4 to 15. Rings can be created
directly on the round parallel work surface,
and the holding bracket can be turned to
work on the ring horizontally or vertically.
HattieS Patties, from PMC Supply.
These ring-sizing inserts are used to
ensure accurate sizes for PMC3 rings.
The kit comes with instructions and
three HattieS Ring Forming Strips.
Adjustable Ring Gauge, from Santa Fe Jewelers Supply. This band
allows you to measure your ring shank and then lay it flat for measuring. Measure two sizes larger to allow for shrinkage with PMC+ or
PMC3. Economical enough to send to your customers for ring sizing.
Ring Sizing Material, from Creative Texture Tools. This 12" long,
1
⁄2" wide strip of fiber paper is used to wrap around a Rio Grande
ceramic ring form to size a ring up a half size.
Tools,Tools,Tools
Mold Compounds
HattieS Brand Mold Compound, from
PMC Supply. This two-part mold compound
yields .75 ounces of mold material. Once
blended, the mold compound has a five
minute working time, and sets in 15 minutes. No mold release is
needed when molding PMC.
Polyset, from Zero-D Products. This
two-part silicone mold putty offers a
controlled set time of two to 10 minutes.
Available in 8 ounce, 15 ounce, and 3.3
pound kits.
Akron Polyset II, from Zero-D
Products. This new two-part mold compound offers flexible finished molds
with high tear strength. Both parts are a
soft putty that are easily kneaded together to the proper texture before applying
to a model or copying a flat design or texture plate. Available in
one pound and four pound kits.
Castaldo Quick Sil, from Creative
Texture Tools and Santa Fe Jewelers
Supply. This two-part, room temperature vulcanizing silicone mold compound sets in 15 minutes. It is available
from Santa Fe Jewelers Supply in a two-pound package, or from
Creative Texture Tools in a 3 ounce size geared to artists who want
to experiment with the material. Complete instructions from the
manufacturer included.
Rio Cold Mold, from Rio Grande.
This two-part, no shrink mold compound does not require release agents
or heat for vulcanizing. It is recommended for molding delicate originals
or master models.
Mega-Sil Impression Compound,
from Microsonic Inc. This two-part silicone mold compound sets up in just five
minutes, and easily withstands heat up
to 400°F. Available in yellow, peach, or
blue and in single-use or bulk containers.
Continues on next page…
30& 6XSSO\FRP ‡ 9LHZ RXU QHZ 30& $UWLVW *DOOHU\
WWWPMCSUPPLYCOMGALLERY
0-# 3UPPLYCOM OFFERS THE LARGEST SELECTION OF
0-# SUPPLIES CLAY PASTE PAPER GOLD BOOKS TOOLS AND
ACCESSORIES INCLUDING THE NEW %VENHEAT % 0-#
» KILN WITH A VIEWING
WINDOW THAT IS PRE
PROGRAMMED FOR ALL
TYPES OF 0-# 6ISIT
OUR WEBSITE TODAY TO
SAVE ON 0-#
¹ (ATTIE 3ANDERSON
¹ (ATTIE
3ANDERSON
TTIE 3
¹ (A
/RDER 9OUR 0-# 3UPPLIES AT
WWWPMCSUPPLYCOMPG
RSON
ANDE
)5(( 6+,33,1*
¹ 3HERRI (AAB
¹ (ATTIE 3ANDERSON
TTIE
¹ (A
N
ERSO
3AND
Summer 2005
·
15
Tools,Tools,Tools
Other Tools
Coil Cover, from Celie Fago. This
brass cover for hotplate coils for
Keum-boo is a 6" x 6" sheet of 20 gauge
red brass with multiple depressions in
the surface and turned down "feet."
The cover evens out temperature fluctuations and prevents gold from falling through the heating element. The depressions allow the artist to easily apply gold to volumetric pieces such as spheres and cubes.
Wire Rounder Tool, from PMC123
and Creative Texture Tools. A stainless
steel cup bur mounted in a wooden
handle, this tool cuts the sharp edges
of wire to produce smooth, round
ends for ear wires.
Gold Brush, from PMC 123. This
fine-tipped natural bristle paintbrush comes with a snap-on cap,
allowing the brush to be carried without risk of damaging the tip
or losing any metal still on the brush. Ideal for use with gold PMC.
Two-faced Mallet, from PMC
123. This 61⁄2" mallet fits easily into
a tool kit. It features two detachable, replaceable heads, one chrome over brass, the other nonmarring nylon.
Bead Rollers, from PMC Supply. These four different rollers permit you to make precisely sized
PMC beads quickly. Roll cork in the bead roller,
cover the cork with PMC, and fire.
Wizard Pen Plater, from PMC
Supply. This self-contained pen
plater can be used to add 24k gold
accents to PMC pieces, even
around delicate stones and glass.
The self-contained unit is simple to
use: attach the clip to the piece, dip the pen point into 24k gold
pen plating solution (sold separately), and begin plating. No
additional firing required.
PMC Humidifier, from Belladonnasilver. This two-inch terracotta bell features a movable handle and a treated liner that can be
moistened with tap water to keep unused PMC moist for hours
while you work. A square piece of clear, flexible plastic film is
included as a base for the bell.
Favorite Tools from our Readers
was just doing some repair work on a
piece that had broken and I realized I
was using one of my favorite tools: a toothpick. It makes a great medium grit sanding
tool in tight spots like the inside of a bail or
around inside corners where a piece of
sandpaper won't fit and a file is too coarse.
—Lora Hart
I
M
A
I
fter working with Keum-boo and
PMC it made sense that the way to
get the Aura 22 to bond better to PMC was
to burnish it while it was hot. The only
tool that I could find to burnish into the
textured areas of my piece was the double
ended ball burnisher that Rio sells. I torch
fired my piece with two layers of Aura 22.
Immediately after pulling the flame away I
burnished with the ball burnisher. It
worked great!
—Judi Anderson
16 ·
Studio PMC
y favorite tool is the color stick that
comes in Chris Darway's tool kit. I
also buy extras from him. I show my students how to use it, and tell them that the
tool kit is worth the money just for the
color stick! I also have a chiseled one and
mini color sticks that work great too.
—Linda Matteson
like the plastic needles used for needlepoint. They are useful for starting holes
and adding a scallop to an edge. I sometimes use them for stirring slip as well.
They are inexpensive and can be found
find in most craft stores.
—Chris Brooks.
P
olymer clay is my thing. I cover the
handles of a lot of my tools with it,
make molds out of elastic Sculpy, create
texture stamps, and create specific tools for
shaping the PMC. Once the polymer tools
are baked and buffed, they are a great addition to my tool jar.
—Lorrene Davis
I
ran into a Sally Beauty Supply store a
couple of weeks ago and was blown away
by the variety of nail buffers and sanders
there are. I picked up one of each of the
eight grits. They make greenware sanding
easy. One that I picked up had four grits,
depending on which side and end you
used, all clearly marked in the middle
where it's not going to wear off.
—Judi Weers
T
o keep your clay moist, get one of
those disposable pudding cup plastic
containers made by Glad. Place it, with lid,
upside down, and put your clay in it. You
can mist water into the cup to help keep
the clay moist. While you are working this
(or any jar/glass) will keep your clay moist.
The nice thing about the lidded container
is that when you are done, just press down
and seal the lid to keep your clay moist
overnight or longer.
—Mary Ellin D'Agostino
Directory of Tool Suppliers
ABR Imagery
3417 South Knightbridge Road
Bloomington, IN 47401
phone 812-339-9147 • fax 812-339-8947
[email protected] • www.abrimagery.com
New Mexico Clay
3300 Girard NE
Albuquerque, NM 87107
phone 800-781-2529 • fax 505-881-2350
www.nmclay.com.
Allcraft Jewelry Supply
205 West 29th St., Suite 205
New York, NY 10001
phone 800-645-7124 • fax 800-645-7125
www.allcraftonline.com
Paragon Industries
2011 South Town East Blvd.
Mesquite, TX 75149
phone 972-288-7557 • fax 972-222-0646
[email protected]
www.paragonweb.com
Bead Bungalow
105-B Annapolis St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
phone 410-268-4774 • fax 410-268-9118
[email protected]
www.beadbungalow.com
Pinzart, Inc.
10945 State Bridge Road #401-277
Alpharetta, GA 30022
phone 888-335-9884 • fax 509-352-1009
[email protected]
www.pinzart.com.
Belladonnasilver
9699 N. Hayden Road 108-112
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Phone 480-695-4295
[email protected]
www.geocities.com/redbiz50/belladonnasilver.html
PMC123
5822 Oak Run
San Antonio, TX 78247-1326
phone 210-656-8239 • fax 210-656-1419
[email protected]
www.pmc123.com.
Celie Fago
1037 Christian Hill Road
Bethel, VT 05032
phone 802-234-5428
[email protected] • www.celiefago.com.
PMC Connection
3718 Cavalier Drive
Garland, TX 75042
phone 866-762-2529 • fax 972-487-2022
[email protected]
www.pmcconnection.com.
CreativeTextureTools.com
P.O. Box 5292
River Forest, IL 60305
phone 708-488-9589 • fax 708-488-9578
[email protected]
www.CreativeTextureTools.com
Microsonic, Inc.
1421 Merchant St.
Ambridge, PA 15003
phone 877-376-7139 • fax 717-247-0364
[email protected]
store.earmolds.com.
Rio Grande
7500 Bluewater NW
Albuquerque, NM 87121
phone 800-545-6566 • fax 800-965-2329
[email protected]
www.riogrande.com.
Santa Fe Jewelers Supply
1513 Fifth St.
Santa Fe, NM 87505
phone 800-659-3835
[email protected]
www.sfjssantafe.com.
Schlaifer's Enameling Supplies
1441 Huntington Dr. #1700
South Pasadena, CA 91030
phone 800-525-5959 • fax 626-441-1127
[email protected]
www.enameling.com.
Silver Sunset Design Studio
2339 County St. #2940
Blanchard, OK 73010
phone 405-222-0628 • fax 405-793-8523
[email protected]
www.silversunsetdesign.com.
Whole Lotta Whimsy
2911 W. Placita Montessa
Tucson, AZ 85741
phone 520-531-1966 • fax 520-531-1965
[email protected]
www.wholelottawhimsy.com.
PMC Supply
225 Cash St.
Jacksonville, TX 75766
phone 800-388-2001 • fax 903-586-2534
[email protected]
www.pmcsupply.com.
PMC Tool and Supply/Darway Design Studio
1 Feeder St.
Lambertville, NJ 08530
phone 609-397-9550 • fax 609-397-0702
[email protected]
www.pmctoolandsupply.com
Zero-D Products
38285 North Lane #103
Willoughby, OH 44094
phone 440-942-1150 • fax 440-942-2130
e-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.zerodproducts.com.
Ʊ÷÷øþ÷ìò÷ð ê ÷îĀ ëøøô ïûøö ƲûĂ÷öøûðî÷ ǀûîüü
F
CZ 5JN .D$SFJHIU
4BNQMF QBHFT BOE PSEFSJOH JOGPSNBUJPO
BWBJMBCMF BU #SZONPSHFODPN
IJT RVJFUMZ QSPWPDBUJWF CPPL JT
B DPMMFDUJPO PG TIPSU QSPTF QJFDFT
BCPVU UIF JNQPSUBODF PG PCKFDUT
JO PVS MJWFT 'SPN FYRVJTJUF XPSLT
PG BSU UP UIF CSPLFO UPZT UIBU IJEF
JO PVS BUUJDT PVS MJWFT BSF FOSJDIFE
CZ UIF NBUFSJBM PCKFDUT UIBU
JMMVNJOBUF PVS IJTUPSZ 8IP CFUUFS
UP FYQMPSF UIJT UFSSJUPSZ UIBO B
UFBDIFS BOE DSBGUTNBO ɩF CPPL JUTFMG JT B MPWFMZ
PCKFDU UIBU GFBUVSFT EVPUPOF QIPUPT BOE B MFBUIFS
CJOEJOH " XPOEFSGVM HJGU GPS TPNFPOF TQFDJBM‰
NBZCF FWFO ZPVSTFMG
QBHFT IBSEDPWFS QSFNJVN CJOEJOH Summer 2005
·
17
Happenings
Call for Entries
Breaking News
P
T
MC Guild member Martha Sayers has
been invited to teach a week-long session
on combining kiln-worked glass and metal
clay at the Corning Studio in Corning, New
York, in August. To help introduce the students to the many ways of finishing glass,
Martha is seeking slides of work featuring
innovative ways of embellishing warm- and
hot-glass creations. Among the techniques she
intends to present are stringing, wire work,
traditional metal settings, and metal clay.
Slides that are chosen will be presented
during the week at Corning. The presentation will be preserved as a CD-ROM catalog
that will be made available to Corning students and faculty, the Rakow Research
Library at Corning, and distributed internationally. Artists whose slides are accepted for
the presentation will receive a complimentary copy. The deadline for entries is June 1.
For more information, e-mail Martha at
[email protected].
P
ostPicasso.com, an online international
juried art venue, is currently seeking
entries for "Pocketsize; Our Fascination with
the Miniature," an online exhibit open to all
forms of sculpture, including art jewelry displayed in a sculptural format. The juror for
the exhibition is Judy Donald, the owner of
OXOXO Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland.
There is a $25 entry fee for artists who are
not members of PostPicasso.com, and the
entry deadline is Aug. 15.
18 ·
Studio PMC
he downside to publishing a quarterly
magazine is that sometimes things happen faster than we can get to print. That's
especially true for items such as calls for
entries and exhibition opportunities, where
the period for submissions can be less than the
three months between issues of Studio PMC.
That's why the PMC Guild created a special
topic in the discussion forums entitled, appropriately enough, "Exhibition Opportunities /
Call for Slides." You'll find it under "Outreach
and Education." Members are invited to post
their own calls or pass on information about
exhibitions that welcome metal clay work by
posting it to this forum topic. Stop by the discussion forums regularly, and you'll never miss
an opportunity to show your work!
And while you're there, check out the
"Buy, Sell, and Swap" thread under
"Miscellaneous." That's the place where used
equipment comes to change owners.
Members are welcome to post their own ads
for equipment they're interested in selling or
swapping. Instructions for posting can be
found by clicking on "Buy, Sell, and Swap" on
the opening page of the discussion forums.
T
he PMC Guild is pleased to announce
that CeCe Wire has accepted the new
position of Local Chapter Liaison for the
guild. CeCe's combination of energy, organizational skills, and experience make her
uniquely qualified for this role. This parttime position demonstrates the importance
we place on developing a network of chapters at the community level.
Starting June 1, CeCe will be our point
person for existing, emerging, and evolving
chapters. Her immediate goal will be to initiate contact with each chapter once a month.
She will be the primary communication link
between the chapters and the Guild.
In a related effort, the PMC Guild will
soon offer each local chapter a page on the
guild's Web site. The guild has designed a
template and is currently working with three
pilot cases, with plans to expand the program to other chapters in the future.
T
he PMC Connection will sponsor a PMC
Artist's Retreat Sept. 13-18 at American
Airlines Training & Conference Center at the
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in
Fort Worth, Texas. The retreat will offer 29
separate workshops and both Level 1 and
Level 2 PMC Connection certification classes,
with participants having the option of
attending anywhere from a single workshop
to five full days of classes. Other activities will
include a golf tournament Friday, a "Texassize party" on Saturday night, and a Country
Store featuring PMC tools. For information,
visit www.PMC-Retreat.com or call PMC
Connection at 866-762-2529.
M
ore than 300 people attended the
opening of Metalmorphosis, an exhibit organized by PMC Guild member Susan
Lewis in Boca Raton, Florida. The exhibit
included 148 pieces of handmade jewelry
and metal object made by 44 artists who have
studied with Susan. The work was selected
from more than 200 entries by Ana Esther
Soued, an instructor at Miami International
University of Art and Design, and awards
were given in five categories. In the metal
clay category, the winners were Laurie
Yoder of Miami, a PMC Guild member, Sally
Franke of Coral Springs, Florida, and
Marilyn Weiner of Boca Raton.
P
MC Guild members continue to appear
in print! Robert Dancik and Sara Jayne
Cole each wrote step-by-step articles for the
March 2005 issue of Lapidary Journal, and
Lorrene J. Davis had a step-by-step article in
the April 2005 issue.
Recent issues of Art Jewelry have also featured the work of PMC Guild members.
Linda Kaye-Moses and Diane Howey had
articles published in the January 2005 issue,
which also featured the work of Celie Fago
and Shahasp Valentine. The March 2005
issue included articles by Hadar Jacobson,
Hattie Sanderson, and Irina Miech and
work by Debbie Fehrenbach, Shahasp
Valentine, Debra Weld, and Linda KayeMoses. And in the May 2005 issue were articles by Jean Whittington and Carol
Babineau and work by Linda Warner, Pat
Gullett, and Shahasp Valentine.
www.CreativeTextureTools.com
Hard-to-find tools for PMC
Original Silicone
Texture Plates
Won’t
stick to
PMC!
Elaine D. Luther
PO Box 5292 • River Forest, IL 60305
0RECIOUS-ETAL#LAYCOM
3PECIALIZES IN 0-# %DUCATION AND
+)43 +)43 AND MORE +)43
"EGINNER 0ENDANT +IT
+EUM"OO +IT
0REMO 3CULPEY #LAY +IT
2ING +IT
3ANDING +IT
%NAMEL +IT
"ASIC AND 0RO 4OOL +ITS
!BEROSE4- #REATIONS C )NC
WWW!BEROSE0-#COM
72 "ERO C -ARCH 2ELAX(AVE &UN#REATE
(708) 488-9589
Membership in the PMC Guild
Don’t miss a single issue of Studio PMC!
06/05
Expiration date
THE DATE on your mailing label
(see back page of Studio PMC)
is the date your Guild
membership EXPIRES!
Join or renew online at www.PMCguild.com.
(You can also change your address.)
• Or call toll-free (866) 315-6487 to join or renew
using your credit card
• Or fill out and mail the attached form to:
PMC Guild, P.O. Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834.
Sign me up for:
North America:
❑ 1 year $25 ❑ 2 years $45 ❑ 3 years $65
Outside North America:
❑ 1 year $35 ❑ 2 years $55 ❑ 3 years $75
❑ New Membership
❑ Renewal Membership
Member Name: ______________________
Business Name: ______________________
Address: ____________________________
__________________________________
City: ______State: ______ Zip: _________
Phone (day): ________________________
Fax: ______________________________
Phone (eve): ________________________
E-mail: ____________________________
Payment: ❑ Check or Money Order Enclosed
❑ Charge Card - ❑ Visa ❑ Mastercard
{Please note: returned checks are recovered by CrediCheck.
A $20 fee (plus bank charges) will be added to all returned checks.}
Card Number: ________________________
Expiration Date:______
Name on Card________________________
Signature: __________________________
Billing Address on card IF different from above:
__________________________________
__________________________________
For Advertising information: Call Bill Spilman toll-free at 877-878-3260
“PMC:We’re Serious
About This”
CD Now Available!
The Guild is working with Barbara Becker
Simon to make available the presentation of
cutting edge work she presented at two conferences this year. The CD will include
scores of images of inspirational work along
with the software you'll need to run it. This
will be available as a benefit to members for
only the cost of shipping ($5). "PMC: We’re
Serious About This" can be purchased by the
public for $15 plus $5 shipping and handling. Send check to PMC Guild, 2390 Acorn
Drive #245, Hebron, KY 41048
Summer 2005
·
19
▼
▼
Intermediate Workshop: 3
Dimensional Techniques (Silver)
▼
Advanced Vol 1: Glass Enamel
and Dichroic Glass (Silver)
▼
Advanced Vol 2: Vessels, Raku
and Leaves (Silver)
▼
Advanced Vol 3: PMC Gold;
Gold elements and Paste
All tapes approximately 50-60 minutes in length.
Close up shots of specific techniques for working
with PMC. Rich variety of original projects with
step by step instructions to help you master PMC.
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Call 847-478-0284 or email
[email protected] for more
information and details about Classes
and firing service or to see and buy
her work, products and videos.
PONTIAC, IL
PERMIT No.721
PMC Classes, Firing & Videos:
http://www.Artique.org
Member Magazine of the PMC Guild
Beginners Workshop: 2
Dimensional Techniques (Silver)
Studio PMC
Only $29.95 + shipping
Order the entire 5 tape set:
Only $129 + shipping
P.O. Box 265
Mansfield, MA 02048
“… helpful and informative…”
Art Jewelry Magazine Nov 2004
www.PMCguild.com
Senior Instructor, PMC Connection
Name & Address incorrect? Send corrections to the PMC Guild
by mail, fax, or e-mail [email protected]
Step by step instructions
on Video
By Linda Bernstein
TIME TO RENEW your Guild membership? THE DATE on this mailing label is the date
your PMC Guild Membership EXPIRES. If your expiration date falls before the next issue
of Studio PMC (February, May, August, and November issues), you need to renew NOW
to continue your subscription uninterrupted.
GOLD AND SILVER PMC