Calling European Polymer Clay Artists!

Euro Polymer Clay People
- A Photo Album of European Polymer Clay Artists and their Work-

The International Polymer Clay Association has gone international this year and there is a growing community of Polymer Clayers in Europe. The connection to America is still quite weak and only a couple of European artists are household names on both sides of the big pond. In February 2010 the Synergy II Conference will take place in Baltimore. At this meeting a lot of connections are made, but this is not a road
many Europeans can travel.

With all this in mind an idea was born: the idea of a photo album of European Clay People and their work, which will travel to the Synergy Conference in 2010.

This Photo Album will show the wide variety of European Clay Work in its present state (that is in 2009), but to show it, we need YOU!!!! All of you Polymer Clay enthusiasts in Europe!

We will select a good number of people, that will have the opportunity to show their work: Five pictures of their work (one bigger and four smaller ones), your Name, City and Country,  a contact Email or URL, and, if you like, a small picture of you.  We would like a short description of you and your work (about 200 – 300 words, in English. This text will not be edited, so please, send it in in good English!).

The pictures have to be of high quality ( one 210 by 130 mm, 400 dpi, four 130 by 100 mm 400 dpi) and uncut. Preferable unpublished, but that is not a hard and fast rule. However if your work has been published anywhere else already, do state so, please!

We do especially encourage new faces and of all European countries (including Israel and Turkey) to send in their entries.

There is an option of buying a printed version for everyone after the Synergy Conference in February 2010, if there is enough interest in it. The price will depend on how many people show their interest in this project.

We hope this call for entries will be of interest for a great number of European Clayers and we are looking forward to seeing your work! Please do send your work in before the 10th of December 2009. The ones we select will have to sign an agreement, which will give us permission to publish their work.

Please, forward this call of entries to other European Clayers, who you think might be intrested in sending their work to us!

If you do have any additional questions, please do send us an Email, and we will be happy to help you!

Anke Humpert ( anke@webgetables.de ) and
Martina Weller ( info@marweldesign.de )

Polymer Clay takes Luc sur Orbieu by storm!

80 participants from 13 different countries, 6 international tutors and a wonderful team of helpers descended upon the tiny village of Luc-sur-Orbieu in the Aude department of France. For four days the village buzzed with polymer clay enthusiasts from all four corners of the globe. The event was organised by Kylee Milner of Lunes Bijoux & Corbières Créatives.

The range of workshops offered were of an excellent quality and the overall feedback was of overwhelming success. Kim Cavender delved into the world of twigs and stones, Donna Kato had participants bowled over with her big beads and everyone just couldn’t get enough of Julie Picarello’s take on mokume gane. Not to mention Bettina Welker’s fabulous brooches using the Tear Away technique. Carol Blackburn amazed people with her intricate and precise application of Rorschach beads and last but not least Natalia Garcia de Léaniz showed everyone just what could be done with household objects as texture pieces – the effects were stunning.

The event was the first of its kind in France and Kylee was determined to open the doors to the French public and include them in the weekend’s festivities. The Discovery Evening was of particular success – the sense of urgency to be the first through the doors to buy the tutors work was amazing! The tutors could not believe the response from not only the participants but also the public who had turned up en mass to see for themselves the beauty of their creations! Local wine, cheese, charcuterie, bread and seafood producers were all on hand to sell their delicious offerings. Polymer Clay Express were also on hand to reveal the delights of the D.R.E.A.M machine and many of their other wonderful gadgets –  the evening was a great success.

So Euro Clay Carnival France is over and now Kylee is turning her attentions to Clay Corbières Créatives 2010 – with two dates planned. The March event is almost full to capacity – and once again Luc-sur-Orbieu will be ready to welcome international clayers & friends alike.