The theme for the February Art Elements design challenge was “letters.” As our hostess for this theme noted, that word could be interpreted either as the symbols of an alphabet or as written communications, like the kind sent by snail mail. For my interpretations, I used alphabet symbols to stamp words in polymer clay and I embroidered letters onto fabric. I also used letters to make the words in this blog post. Because I’m clever like that.
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The final Art Elements theme challenge for the year is “Handmade Christmas” which gives us a chance to catch up on holiday projects during what is usually a busy time of year for many. To make it even easier on us participants, we can enter any gifts we make, even baked goods. Baked goods for an art challenge, you say? Well, why not? Have you never heard of the culinary arts?
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The theme for this month’s Art Elements challenge is fossils. When I signed up to participate in the design challenge I had zero ideas for interpreting the theme. Probably because my brain went immediately to the enormous dinosaur skeletons featured prominently in natural history museums. “Dinosaur bones” was all I could think of because, as usual, I was being too literal. I just needed to let my muse free associate a bit and then I had more ideas than time to execute them.
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This month, eyes are the theme for the Art Elements design challenge. The symbolism of eyes in art is as varied as the structure of literal eyes across the animal kingdom. Where to begin? As usual, narrowing down a nearly infinite number of ideas to those that can be completed in a month is the most difficult part of the design challenge. Now that the weather has finally turned less hot (I’m not prepared to call high temperatures in or approaching the 70s ‘cool’) I can get back into the polymer clay studio, which means sculpting is an option. Also, my infatuation with embroidery that began this summer shows no signs of fading, which had me searching for stitch inspiration.
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The theme for this month’s design challenge from the Art Elements design team is luna moths. These members of the giant silk moth family, Saturniidae, are a spectacular subject for art inspiration, from the colors and patterns in their graceful wings to the textures of their fuzzy bodies and antennae.
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It’s reveal day for the ‘birds of prey’ theme challenge hosted by the Art Elements design team. This month’s theme was chosen by Cathy Spivey Mendola. The challenge is to make art, in any media, inspired by this theme. There are 446 species of birds of prey, also known as raptors (from the Latin “rapere,” to seize or capture). The are divided into the Orders Falconiformes (the diurnal hunters such as hawks, falcons, eagles, and vultures) and Strigiformes (the nocturnally hunting owls). With 446 species to choose from, there’s no lack of inspiration in this theme. Continue reading
The chosen theme for the We’re All Ears earring design challenge this month is “frozen” as in, that’s how folks were feeling when the “Polar Vortex” swooped down from the Arctic and brought record-breaking cold weather to much of the United States. The challenge is to design earrings inspired by the freezing cold. Continue reading
The theme for the first Art Elements design challenge of the year was the moon. There’s a lot to work with in that theme, from astronomy to myth and everything in between. Where to start? What to focus on? I went a little crazy making things and I’m blaming it on the moon. There was a super moon at the beginning of the month. With an eclipse! Which also corresponded with what some call a “wolf moon.” All together, that’s a super blood wolf moon. So, yeah. I’m blaming it all on the moon. Continue reading
Kicking off 2019 with an earring design challenge is a great way to begin the year because earrings are my favorite kind of jewelry. The We’re All Ears earring design challenge theme for this month is Pantone’s Color of the Year, “Living Coral.” Pantone describes this color as “an animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.” I would describe it as a warm peachy red, because I’m not as flowery as the folks at Pantone. Continue reading
This collection of sea turtle mandala necklaces was not created for a monthly design challenge. They were made in between making beads and things for the monthly challenges.
The year 2018 was a year of challenges for Paisley Lizard. As in, design challenges. I participated in at least one design challenge each month. In the process, I tried a few new polymer clay techniques and stretched my skills and imagination. Here are some highlights by month. Continue reading