polymergence header
In This Issue
Organizational Goals
Letters to the Editor
Classes and Events
Online Resources
Pre-Retreat Workshops
Social Networking
Networking Old-School
Guild Spotlight: Orlando Area PCG
Sign Language Interpreter
Membership Appreciation Award
Polymer in Print

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A Letter from the President:

Our New Organizational Goals

 

by Beth Ackley 

Hello members and friends,

 

Well, the new IPCA board has been together just over three months. During that time we have put together a list of short-, medium-, and long-term strategic goals and objectives. The list was not developed in a vacuum, but used the information from the 2009 Strategic Goals, from previous survey suggestions and suggestions from members. We have a lot of work ahead of us to implement these goals, but I am please to say that progress has already been made. The following items have already been implemented or will be implemented shortly:

  • Distribution of VHS library materials
  • Reactivation of quarterly Membership Appreciation Awards
  • Monthly artist/guild spotlight, alternating between U.S and international members
  • Activation of a new Yahoo site for guild liasons and sharing of ideas
  • Guild swaps
  • Setting up sister guilds between U.S. and international sites
  • Twice-a-month interviews with members by the Web Content Editor
  • Announcing a Letters to the Editor section
  • In-depth interviews about up coming events
  • Health and Safety information from Kerrie Venner

Read more  


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Letters to the Editor:

Introducing a New Feature

 

by Alaina Ackley 

Welcome to the first of many new "Letters to the Editor." This month, it will be a Letter from the Editor.

 

My name is Alaina Ackley, and I'm the new Web Content Editor. I'm a business major at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I've been a polymer clay artist for 5 years, now and have a business with my mother, Beth Ackley, called Destined 2 Clay. But enough about me. . . .

 

With new members elected to the IPCA board, we have many new and exciting ideas planned. And I plan to share these ideas, and their progress, with you monthly.

 

The first idea is our new "Letters to the Editor" section. In this section, I ask that you share feedback, ideas, suggestions, anything that comes to mind. What would you like to see on the website? What kind of tutorials are you  most interested in? And they don't have to be polymer clay-related.  

 

Read more






Classes and Events

For a current list of classes and workshops, visit the IPCA website often. And be sure to enter information about your events on our calendar. We rely on you to keep us up-to-date!

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big prize  

Calls for Entry

Exhibitions and Organizations   

Piedmont Craftsmen, Winston-Salem, NC, deadline April 18   

Gaithersburg Fine Arts Festival, Gaithersburg, MD, deadline April 21

Best of the Northwest Fall Art & Fine Craft Show, Seattle, WA, deadline April 22 

Space 237's Annual Summer Art Exhibition, Toledo, OH, deadline April 22
WJA Diva Design Competition 2011 New York, NY, deadline April 25  

Atlanta Arts Festival, Atlanta, GA, deadline April 25 

ACRE Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, deadline April 28

Atlanta Arts Festival, Atlanta, GA, deadline April 25   

Wells Street Fall Fest, Chicago, IL, deadline April 29 

National Juried Exhibition--Art at the X, Cincinnati, OH, deadline May 13  

The Artists Alley Gallery Bi-annual Juried Art Competition, San Francisco, CA (international), deadline July 2 

 

 Magazine and Book Challenges

Polymer Cafe, Home Decor Challenge, deadline June 10; see June issue, p. 60 for details

Somerset Studio, Cheerful Chartreuse Challenge, deadline Aug. 15  

Polymer Cafe seeks submissions. Send your proposals to Anne Huizenga at [email protected].

Belle Armoire,

"Inspired Artisan," ongoing

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Online Resources

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What Do You Want to See Here?


We welcome your input in helping us to identify themes tthinking caphat will inspire our readers. If you have suggestions, please contact Polymergence editor Suzanne Ivester at [email protected].
Volume 4, Issue 4
April 2011

Hot Clay, Cool Friends:

Sizzling Pre-Retreat Workshops

--Don't Be Left Out in the Cold

by Kathi Briefer-Gose

 

Hey folks,  the IPCA retreat is just three months away. And leading up to the Retreat, eight exciting workshops are being offered by well-known, talented artists. These classes are available now for registration, and at a reasonable cost. But don't delay--they're not to be missed!

Ponsawan's rings
Ponsawan's Bevy of Rings 

 

Ponsawan Silapiruti will show you the secrets of  making her amazing rings. If you haven't seen them check them out right now! Ponsawan will be bringing her rings with her, so you can see them up close and personal. Find out what made Ponsawan the talk of the Ring-a-Day Project, and sign up for her class today!  

Read more


Social Networking:  

Your Art and The Internet

Should Get Married


by Steve Hollaway

 

Before the advent of the internet, getting your art noticed was a slow and arduous process.  It wasn't lack of genius that was the problem; it was the small scope of a zip code, especially if you didn't have the resources to physically market your work.

 

In comes the internet, much to the adulation of artists worldwide.  Those who strove for a chance at recognition suddenly had a platform to reach millions of potential customers all around the globe.  In addition to websites and blogs, the debut of YouTube was an instant sensation among those in the arts.  People are flocking to YouTube for their entertainment daily now, and artists are uploading as fast as they can in order to be a part of this new paradigm.

 

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To read more, log-in  and then select "Members Only" from the blue Member Menu at the upper right of the screen.

 

Social Networking Old-School
computer userYes, it was possible for us to network online even before the advent of Facebook and handheld wireless devices. This took place (and still takes place) on Internet forums, or message boards: online discussion sites where people hold conversations in the form of posted messages. Group messages can be read and posted by e-mail or on a Group homepage.

Did you know that a search on the Yahoo Groups homepage for "polymer clay" yields 355 groups? A Google Groups search for "polymer clay social networking" yields 417! Isn't there such a thing as too much information?

This is one of the benefits of belonging to IPCA and your local and national guilds. Being part of a community can help in navigating these endless choices!

You can begin by checking out our "Online Resources" column in Polymergence. Well-established forums like Polymer Clay Central and Voila! can lead you where you want to go. But don't be afraid to "kick it old-school," too. We dinosaurs have been having a great time for years exchanging ideas on the message boards, many of which are still lively and popular. Just ask around on Facebook!

Guild Spotlight 

The Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild: Florida Fun, Sun, Clay, and Fandango, Too!

by Charline Ahlgreen

 

The Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild (OAPCG) was the brainchild of Mary Jenkins, who was, at the time, a member of the Ocala Polymer Clay Guild. Mary approached Laurie D'Ambrosio in October 2003 to propose starting a polymer clay guild in Orlando. As they were in a stamping store, Laurie approached the owner, who agreed that they could use the store's back room for their meetings. The room was miniscule, so it's a good thing that the group started out small (the first meeting, on 29 Nov. 2003, had 9 attendees).

OAPCG mascot
OAPCG Flamingo Mascot 

 

At the first meeting, among other plans for the newly formed OAPCG (demonstrations and tutorials by group members, guild library, swaps, raffles, etc.), they decided that they would become active in the Bottles of Hope project. The original attendees designed, completed, and sent off their first efforts to the Arnold Palmer Women's and Children's Hospital at the end of that first meeting. By the third meeting, they had delivered over 40 BOHs, and our involvement in the BOH project has been ongoing every month since.

Read more  

Sign Language Interpreter Needed at IPCA Retreat
The IPCA needs one or two sign language interpreters to assist at the Retreat taking place in Chicago this coming July. IPCA members or friends wisign languagelling to donate or significantly discount their ASL Interpreter services in exchange for discounts on Retreat attendance should contact Barbara Forbes-Lyons, Retreat Chair by email: [email protected]   
Membership Appreciation Award
The International Polymer Clay Association is happy to announce that we're reactivating the Membership Appreciation Award program we offered in past years.

Each quarter, one name will be drawn randomly from among the members who have joined or renewed their membership during the previous three-month period. Prizes will be donated by generous corporate friends of IPCA.

The Membership Appreciation Award for the first quarter of 2011 goes to Donna Greenberg, a new IPCA member. Donna will receive a gift certificate courtesy of Larry Rubin at Boston Craftworks. Boston CraftworksCongratulations, Donna, and thanks, Larry, for your generous donation!

Polymer in Print: What's New?

New Books


Books Coming Soon 

  • Haab, Sherri, Rachel Haab, and Michelle Haab, The Art of Resin Clay, Nov. 22, 2011
  • Picarello, Julie. Patterns in Polymer: Imprint and Accent Bead Techniques, June 1, 2011.  

Magazines

  • Art Jewelry, May 2011: Kathleen Dustin, et al., "Ear Wire Makeover,"  
  • Bead Unique, June  2011, Christi Friesen, "ClayTime with CF" 
  • PolymerCafe, June 2011, Joan Clipp, "A Dreamer and a Doer: Barbara McGuire" ;  Barbara McGuire, "House of Dreams"; Eve Leder, "Vintage Inspired Jewelry"; Wendy Orlowski, "Got Junk?"; Steampunk Challenge Results; Darnell Doddo, "Siamese Cat Purse"; Kellie Mowat, "The Early Bird"; Laura J. Schiller, "The American Flag Cane Miniature: A First Lady's Fancy." 
 Editor's Note

If you've written a book or article about polymer clay that's scheduled for publication in the near future, please let us know. We truly
appreciate your help in gathering complete and accurate information and presenting it our members--who are the most enthusiastic buyers and readers of polymer clay-related material in the world!  
Please send relevant information to [email protected] and put "Polymer in Print" in the subject line

 


Publication Note:

We have always done our best to publish Polymergence during the first week of each month. Recently, the scheduling of the monthly IPCA board meeting during the first week of the month has made it difficult to provide the most current information and continue with this schedule. Therefore, we've decided to reschedule the publication of Polymergence for the second week of each month.