Winter 2009 - Metal Clay Today

is excited to present... 

COPPER 

30 Minute Firing Time! 

A short firing time allows instructors to 

easily teach one-day classes and students 

can take their pieces home the same day. 

No Activated Carbon or Firing Pan Required! 

With Art Clay Copper there’s no need to deal 

with the messy handling or clean-up of activated carbon. 

Use Your Paragon SC-2 Kiln Without Worries! 

Since the SC-2 Kiln is not recommended for long 

hold times at high temperatures, the 30 minute 

firing time of Art Clay Copper is perfect for the SC-2. 

Under 10% Shrinkage! 

Art Clay Copper shrinks a little less than 10% 

during the firing process. 

www.artclayworld.com ~ info@artclayworld.com ~ 708-857-8800 ~ US Toll Free 866-381-0100 

2 MetalClayToday.com • Winter 2009

Publisher’s Notepad 

Dear Readers, 

Happy Holidays! May Peace and Prosperity be yours during this wonderful Season of Giving 

and throughout the coming year. 

What a great year 2009 has been for both Arli and me. Since launching Metal Clay Today, 

we have been privileged to meet, work with and enjoy the company of many gifted artisans 

whose work is awe inspiring. We’re looking forward to 2010 with enthusiasm because it is 

promising to be a year of growth and many adventures in metal clay. 

Did you know that part of our Mission Statement includes the promotion of Metal Clay 

Artisans and their work? So with that in mind, we will soon be launching a beta or test 

program for Metal Clay Artists. Think of it as the cyberspace version of an Artists Cooperative 

(co-op) where each Metal Clay Artists can promote and sell their works of art. Only instead 

of charging the usual percentage or split there will be a small monthly fee. This fee will be 

used to cover the cost of tech support, advertising, etc. Each member Artist will keep their 

entire commission. Artists enrolled in the program will have their own web address and will 

have space to list upcoming classes or shows and a place for their bio. If this sounds like 

something you would be interested in, then we need to hear from you. We are looking for 

beta testers to help us work out the kinks. Email us at editor@metalclaytoday.com with your 

name and email address. 

In this issue we are starting a new feature. It’s dedicated to the Guilds, Societies and other 

forms of social networking available. Today’s issue introduces you to our own group, the 

Metal Clay Alchemists of San Diego County, and in the coming years we hope to showcase 

other Guilds and Societies from all over the world. Of course, it will be up to the Guild 

leaders, Presidents or their media chairs to get the information to us about their groups. 

Who knows, maybe someday a Metal Clay Enthusiast could plan a vacation around the 

Guilds whose meetings they want to attend! 

Check out this issue’s challenge. It’s call the Spirit of Giving. And speaking of giving, we 

would like to thank every Artist whose contributions have graced the pages of Metal Clay 

Today. We truly couldn’t have done it without you! 

Wishing you all the Joys of the Season. 

Clayfully yours, 

Tes Shea 

Co-Publisher, 

Webmaster/Editor 

Metal Clay Today 

Winter 2009 • MetalClayToday.com 3

January 2010 

Volume 1, Issue 2 

Artist Showcase 

Alex Daini 

6 creatively mixes porcelain with Silver Clay 

Rising Star 

Vickie Hallmark 

8 whose work is for the birds, so to speak 

10 

It’s here... it’s here! 

New Copper Clay that works as easily as Silver 

12 

Zentangles 

A guide to adding silver to glass 

14 

Tubular 

A step-by-step for paper-type metal clay 


Carpe Beadum 

Meet the entrants and the winners 

of Metal Clay Today’s first Challenge. 24 

— Features — 

3 Publisher’s Notepad 

18 Tips ‘N Tricks 

20 Best of the Blogs 

21 Trends, Forecasts and Predictions 

23 Metal Clay Today’s new Challenge 

27 Guild News 

31-33 Book & Product Reviews 

It’s here... it’s here 

It’s the New 

Copper Clay 

Create an easy 

way to roll 

your clay! 

WINTER 2009 

An invitation 

to Zentangle... 

Silver on Glass 

Meet Artists 

Alex Daini and 

Vickie Hallmark 

Our cover features the beautiful work 

of 2 great Metal Clay artists: 

Alex Daini’s Wapa Pendant inspired by 

Amazon Indian basketry in Silver, Brass and Gold 

Vickie Hallmark’s hand-carved 

BronzClay Bird Rings. 

Subscribers are free to print this magazine for their own use. 

Please share it with your family and friends. 

The intellectual property and photos of the artists is copyright protected. 



by Tes Shea 

Alexandra 

Daini 

Wapa pendant 

Inspired by Amazon Indian basketry 

Silver, brass and gold 

River of grass Inspired by the Everglades 

Silver 

Alex lives in 

South Carolina, around Greenville, where she 

has her studio and home-schools her son. She 

was born in Caracas, Venezuela and grew up 

in a family of artists. Her first art lessons were 

with her father, the sculptor Hugo Daini. He 

would give her clay to make her own sculptures 

while he worked modeling his monumental 

sculptures. 

I had the pleasure of meeting Alexandra Daini 

at the Metal Clay Conference in Chicago IL this 

past July. She really opened my eyes to new 

possibilities with her presentation of mixing 

porcelain with 

Silver Overlay 

Paste. 

Trained as a designer in Milan, Italy, her artistic 

career began as a graphic artist. Finally she 

found her real passion in silver jewelry. It was 

in 2004 that she started to incorporate Silver 

Clay into her work. 

Comet brooch 

Silver and enamels 



I asked Alex what inspires her. She told me that 

she is deeply influenced by her formation as a 

designer and by the nature around her. She loves 

textures and color so she can find inspiration 

everywhere, and she doodles. Keeping a notebook 

with her to draw the things that interest her. When 

she returns to her notebook for ideas she will often 

incorporate one or more of them into the same 

body of work. 

2010 promises to be an exciting year for Alex. 

She will be celebrating a couple of graduations 

and launching a new line of porcelain and clay 

beads for metal clay enthusiasts. During the 

MCW Conference, her black pottery and porcelain 

creations were enjoyed so much that attendees began requesting she sell them. 

Flames 

Ceramics and Silver clay 

As an Art Clay Senior Instructor, Alexandra teaches workshops and certification classes 

at her studio. She has been a guest teacher at the Harvard University’s Ceramic 

program, and in 2009 was a presenter in the Metal Clay World Conference. 

Alex has won several 

contests including an 

Honorable Mention at the 

2007 Silver Accessories 

Contest, Japan. and the 

Judges’ Encouragement 

2009 Silver Accessories 

Contest, Japan. 

Currently her work is 

being represented by the 

Canadian Ceramic and 

Glass Gallery, Waterloo, ON. 

Urban Jewelry series 

Ceramics and Silver Clay 

To learn more about Alexandra visit 

www.adaini.com 


Rising Star 

Vickie 

Hallmark 

Birdwatching bracelet. Hand-painted vitreous 

enamel on glass embedded in silver clay with 

beaded wire linkages 

Bridging many media, I pursue my artistic muses in whichever 

direction calls. My longtime fascinations with glass and metal 

have led me into explorations of lampworked beads and vessels, 

fused and enamel painted glass, and metal clay. 

Originally, I trained and worked as a research scientist, designing 

and building equipment, then conducting experiments directed 

at studies of metal and polymer surfaces. Years of playing with 

technical toys mean that the tools, torches, kilns and chemicals 

associated with working metal and glass feel very comfortable, 

even reminiscent of the laboratory. Experimentation with new ideas 

comes naturally, and I thoroughly enjoys testing and tinkering. 

My most recent series of work is inspired 

by bird watching. My family participates 

in a birding club and we have bird 

feeders in the backyard to attract these 

fanciful creatures. I love to sketch 

birds in various poses, and many of my 

silhouettes have been transformed into 

photopolymer plates with which I create 

the original textures on my jewelry. 

Spring Migration. 

Hand-painted vitreous enamel 

on glass, embedded in silver clay. 

Bird and Nest earrings. 

Enamel over silver clay. 

Focusing on a limited series like this is 

really beneficial as it frees my mind to 

focus on finer detail problems rather 

than attacking every new project from 

a blank slate. As in science, the work 

refines gradually, with each new piece 

fitting into my overall understanding of 

the subject. 


Rising Star 

W o r k i n g 

across media, 

creating the 

same images 

in glass and 

Bird rings. Hand-carved BronzClay 

metal, is also 

i n s i g h t f u l , 

because the methods of creating the marks are totally different. 

Mixing media, particularly 

Sentinel cuff. Hand-carved BronzClay 

such complementary elements 

as metal and glass, allows me to step beyond the more 

practiced methods of each field and create something totally 

original, bridging the two. 

The next year holds some exciting adventures for me. I’m 

stepping out more adventurously into the worlds of teaching, 

designing, and writing. 

Fledgling Earrings. Silver 

clay open lentils with enamel, 

Swarovski crystals and beaded 

wire linkages. 

Nightbird Brooch. 

Hand-formed tree and bird 

suspended over opening. Stilt 

riveted to carved faux bone back 

Moonbird pendant. Hand-formed 

tree and bird suspended over 

opening, faux bone spacer, resin, 

bezel set rainbow topazes 

The Birdwatching series will continue 

as I complete my first round of Master’s 

Registry projects. As always, I have a 

sketchbook full of ideas waiting for enough 

time to investigate. I’m never at a loss for 

questions to pursue. What will happen if…? 

Once a scientist; always a scientist! 

Flock bracelet. 

BronzClay tiles, textured with original design 

photopolymer plates, and beaded wire linkages. 

For more on Vickie Hallmark’s work, 

please check the following sites: 

http://www.vickiehallmark.com 

http://blog.vickiehallmark.com 

http://flickr.com/photos/vickiehallmark 

http://etsy.com/vickiehallmark 

Bird in Hand. Silver clay, resin. 

Strap band construction 


The New 

Art Clay 

Copper 

by Ann Rosier 

I could hardly wait for my shipment of Art Clay Copper from Art Clay World USA, 

that would fire in the kiln without carbon. You can also use a butane torch on smaller 

pieces. I was excited also, because my husband Stan and I could teach a copper 

clay class in one day. This clay does not have to be refrigerated and it has a 10% 

shrinkage. 

You should keep a separate set of tools to minimize cross-contamination between the 

three metals. Or you can meticulously clean your silver or bronze clay tools to use on 

the copper. I find it’s easier to have separate tools. Most of the texture tools that I 

use, I use for all three clays and really clean them for the next metal clay. 

When you order 

this clay from AC 

World or other 

distributors, read 

all the information 

and instructions 

before using. 

I got all my tools 

and textures ready before I opened the outer package. I read the enclosed directions. 

It’s important that as soon as you open the clay that you have a few pieces of plastic 

wrap to wrap up the clay you are not using at the moment. This clay will oxidize after 

opening, but I had absolutely no problems with that, as I wrapped up the unused clay 

immediately. In the end I used all 50 grams on pieces for a bracelet. 

If it does oxidize (darken), just simply scrape off the darkened layer and continue to 

use the clay. If you have any leftover, Jackie Truty suggested that you store it in a 

vacuum tight sealed bag or wrap it in several pieces of plastic wrap, put it in a plastic 

bag and use a straw to take the air out. 


I used olive oil on all the tools and my hands, then conditioned the clay with a little 

drop of oil. I rolled out the clay, textured and cut it into rectangles for the bracelet. 

I dried it overnight, but you can dry it with a hair dryer for about 10-20 minutes, 

depending on the thickness, 

or on a hot plate for about 10 

minutes on the low setting. 

Make sure it is completely dry. 

You can check the dryness by 

putting the piece on a piece of 

stainless steel sheet and leave 

for a few seconds. If you have 

a vapor trail, it is not dry! 

Stan ramped our Paragon SC2 

full “speed 5” to 1778 degrees. 

He put the pieces into the hot 

kiln and held for 30 minutes at 

1778 degrees. 

Remove the pieces from the 

hot kiln one by one and put 

them in cold water to remove all or 

most of the firescale. 

Mixed metal linked bracelet by Katie Baum 

I was so happy with the pink/red color after quenching, I did not pickle them. But, if 

you want the true copper clay color, pickle the pieces in Sparex pickle. 

More experimenting to come in the future. 

Classes in metal clays, Art Clay certification (both 

Level 1 & Senior level) and cross-over certification for 

PMC certified artisans are offered at Stan and Ann’s 

studio, as well as other classes. 

Contact Stan and Ann Rosier for more information. 

ann_stanrosier@yahoo.com 

619-578-2075 


Zentangles 

on Glass 

by patsy monk 

Zentangle is a repetitive pattern of drawing 

which is taking the country – no, the world – by storm! 

A step-by-step project for adding silver to glass 

Having taken the teacher/training workshop in Massachusetts in September, I began finding 

so many ways to incorporate the process of Zentangle and glass. Since I work with silver and 

hot glass, it only made sense to Tangle ON the glass. 

Divide up sections of a small piece of paper and then draw repetitive doodles and designs 

within each section. When you are done filling in each space with a different design, you’ve 

completed a unique piece of art. See www.Zentangle.com for more info. 

Supplies include: 

Art Clay Silver Overlay paste 

Brush to apply Overlay paste 

Flat glass 

Glass cleaner 

Coffee filter 

Tools to remove silver: 

Razor blade 

Exacto blade 

Straight pin 

Clean paint brush 

Paper/box to catch silver scrapings 

Process: 

Cut/ shape glass... any type glass will work. Clean glass well. 

Place 2 thin layers of Overlay Paste on glass with paint brush, 

and let dry. One layer is brushed on right to left, the second 

layer is brushed on up and down. Let the layers dry between 

applications. 

Draw a Tangle on the dry glass. You can do this with a light 

pencil touch or a thin Sharpie ®. Use a very light touch so as 

not to remove the silver under the marks. 


Hold the glass carefully by the edges to 

avoid leaving any oil from your fingers. 

Remove silver with scraping tools as your 

pattern evolves. 

Remove the discarded silver over a piece 

of paper so you can add it to your paste 

container. 

When you scrape off the silver, use a clean 

brush to remove and expose the glass. Do 

NOT use your fingers! 

Use whatever tool that fits your 

hand and is comfortable. I often 

use an Exacto blade. On occasion, 

I have used a straight pin. You may 

need a magnifier to make sure you 

get as exact a pattern as possible. 

When you are happy with your 

pattern, place in kiln. Refer to 

kiln manufacturer for time and 

temperature. 

These are 2 of the pieces I did 

recently... 

the face was a fused mask to 

which I then added silver. 

I love BAMBOO, too. 

These are two pieces I did 

before Zentangles entered my life. 

Read more about 

patsy monk at 

www.monkink.com. 


Tubular! 

Metal Clay Paper Beads 

By Linda Stiles Smith 

Beads, beads, beads…..everywhere there are beads of all sizes and 

descriptions. With two excellent new books on making beads with 

metal clay, (Metal Clay Beads by Barbara Becker Simon and Pure 

Silver Metal Clay Beads by Linda Kaye-Moses) I was hard pressed to 

design a new type of bead. I wanted a large silver bead for earrings, 

but I didn’t want something heavy or bulky, and as I researched 

shapes that might appeal, I decided on a tube or cylinder. 

This bead could be made by rolling out a slab of lump clay, but to 

make it even lighter I chose to try paper type clay. I’ve used paper 

type clay successfully to make a pendant bail, so I thought why 

not see if I could use the same principle and make it larger for a 

bead. The challenge was putting a cap on the ends so that I could have a very small hole 

for a hanging wire. Since paper type clay is thin and flexible, could I make it work and fire 

it so it would retain its shape and not collapse during firing? 

Here’s the result of my experiment... tubular bead earrings! 

Materials: 

2 12cm x 3cm strips of PMC+ Paper 

1 syringe PMC or paste clay 

1 plastic straw cut in half 

(I used a 7mm diameter straw) 

Tools: 

Flat nylon paint brush 

Clay shaper tool 

Stiff non-stick card (from cool-tools) 

Water in small dish 

Tissue blade 

Paper punches 

Craft knife 

Circle template 

Gridded work surface or sheet under clear work surface 

The Clay Punch or small hole punch 

Preparation 

1. You will need to prepare the clay for the end caps a day ahead of making the actual 

beads by laminating two pieces of the paper clay together. I made the 

caps slightly larger than the straw so there would not be the danger 

of them being too small. Estimate the size you will need for your caps 

and cut two identically sized pieces from one of the strips of PMC+ 

paper strips. Place one of the pieces on the non-stick card and brush 

it thoroughly with water. Aligning the ends and sides, carefully drape 

the second piece onto the first while smoothing it down. A light, sure 

touch is the key to all stages of working with the paper type clay in this 

project. Set this laminated piece on the card aside to dry overnight (do 

not dry on a hot plate). 


Making the beads 

2. Carefully roll one short end of a strip of PMC+ Paper around a straw 

twice so that you have two layers of sheet. You will be able to feel the 

beginning edge of the sheet through the layers. Gently mark along this 

edge on the strip with a soft tip marker. Don’t worry if your mark isn’t 

exactly straight. 

3. Unroll the clay strip and square up on the gridded 

work surface so that the edges are bordered on at 

least 2 sides by grid lines. Using the tissue blade, cut on or close to the 

marked line with a tissue blade using the grid line that is visible on both 

sides of the clay strip to make a straight cut. 

4. Place the other end of the longer PMC+ Paper strip beside the cut 

one on the grid. Be sure the edges are closely aligned and square on 

the grid. Cut the second strip the same 

length as the first one. 

5. Lightly oil a straw and start rolling one of the pieces you 

cut onto it. Where the leading edge meets the rest of the 

clay, begin brushing water onto the surface of the clay and 

roll, brush on water, and continue to roll the clay around 

onto itself smoothly, keeping edges aligned. (Water must be 

brushed onto all of the clay as you roll or it will not bond with 

the layer under it.) You will now have two layers of clay rolled 

up like a jelly roll. I did this while holding 

the straw and clay strip in my hand. It may be easier for you to lay the 

PMC+ Paper strip on the work surface and roll 

the straw up in the clay. 

6. Brush water over the seam edge to be sure it 

is sealed and set it aside to dry. Drying on a hot 

plate is ok at this stage, but do not place the 

wet area directly on the hot plate or allow the 

plastic straw to come in direct contact with the 

heat surface. Having two beads means you can 

work on one while the other is drying – work 

efficiently! 

7. If you want to hide the seam line, you will have to brush on either paste type clay or 

extrude a coil of syringe type clay and work 

it into the seam with water. Be careful with 

the brush and water, too much will cause 

the paper type clay to turn to mush and be 

easily damaged. I like to use a clay shaper 

tool to smooth and blend at the same time. 

You can repeat this process with sanding 

in between to level and smooth the bead 

surface. 

8. Once you are satisfied with the tube 

construction, the fun begins! Decorate it 

with cut-outs of paper type clay. Appliqué the cut-outs onto the 

bead by first brushing water onto the bead surface, lay the cut-out 

EXACTLY where you want it and tap down with the brush. Add water if necessary to be sure 

the cut-out has enough “water glue” to seal the edges down. Caution is necessary here: do 


not brush across the paper type clay when it is covered with water 

as it will quickly turn to mush and even tear. Place on a hot plate 

and allow it to dry completely. 

NOTE: Since you are working with a rounded form it is advisable to 

only apply water and appliqués to one area/ 

side at a time and allowing the application 

to dry before moving onto another side. If 

you place the wet paper type clay on a hot 

surface it will stick to the surface and tear 

when removed. 

9. To make the end caps, use the circle 

template to find a circle that is slightly 

larger, 1-2mm, in diameter than the straw. 

Too large and the overhang will slump 

when fired. Using a circle too small will not 

fully cover the end of the tube. Cut 2 circles 

for each bead from the laminated strip of 

paper type clay using a craft knife. Hold 

the template down firmly while cutting so 

it doesn’t slip. 

10. Locate the center of the clay circle by laying a smaller opening 

in the template onto it. Using the smallest brass tube from the Clay 

Punch set cut a hole in the center (for stringing the bead). You 

could use a straight edge and draw intersecting lines to determine 

the center. Note: You MUST cut out the 

stringing hole before assembling and firing 

the bead. 

11. Gently slide the bead on the straw so that one end of the 

bead protrudes over the end of the straw. Brush the end cap with 

water and/or paste and gently press the clay tube onto the circle, 

centering it carefully. Set this on the hot plate to dry by standing it 

on the end cap. 

12. Slide the straw completely out of 

the clay tube and repeat the application 

of the bead cap to the opposite end. Be 

careful as you do this that you don’t 

squeeze the clay tube out of shape. Dry. 

13. Using the syringe type clay, carefully extrude a coil around 

the bead on the small lip of the cap where it meets the tube. (I 

used the large grey tip) Apply a small amount of water to seal 

it to the bead and either leave the coil 

round or smooth it into the bead and 

cap with a brush and water. Dry. Sand out any imperfections with 

a very light touch. 

14. Set beads straight up on end in your kiln and fire to 1470º for 

30 minutes. 

15. Tumble or brush polish, patina and you’re ready to create your 

earrings! 

USING Art Clay Silver Sheet: These directions work very well for PMC+ Paper. If 

you work with Art Clay Silver Paper, be sure to modify the directions to accommodate 

the paper type’s unique characteristics. 


San Jose, CA Classes 

with Pat Evans 

Senior Art Clay Silver Instructor 

(also Level III PMCC) 

Join me for beginning through intermediate classes 

in metal clay, fused glass, 

basic bead stringing and wire wrapping. 

Art Clay Certification also available. 

Fun, creative private or semi-private classes 

in my studio or your home... 

makes a great party activity for teens and adults. 

Email Pat@ PatEvansDesigns.com 

for more information 

METAL CLAY JEWELRY 

In this introductory workshop, learn to 

work with the marvelous medium of metal 

clay while creating a beautiful pendant and 

matching earrings of fine silver. 

No previous experience in jewelry making or metalsmithing is required. 

Saturday, January 9 1 - 5pm 

Friday, February 5 9am - 1pm 

$50 members / $58 non-members 

Saturday, March 13 1 - 5pm Materials fee: $40.00 

To register, contact the Bravo School of Art 

2690 Decatur Road, San Diego (619) 223-0058 

www.bravoschoolofart.com 


Tips ‘N Tricks 

FOLD 

Easy 

Rolling 

Sheet 

OPEN TOP 

The best way 

we’ve found 

to roll out clay with 

no muss... no fuss... 

no stick... 

our ‘Easy Rolling Sheet’. 

FOLD 

OPEN TOP 

1. 

Cut a heavyduty Sheet Protector 

in half. 

Trim the 2 sealed sides, leaving 

just the one fold at top. 

You now have two 5.5” wide by 

8.5” high acetate folders with 

a fold at top... one to use now 

and one to spare. 

FOLD 

2. 

Rub a tiny dab olive oil around the 

center of the inside of the folder. 

Close the folder and rub the 

surface which will coat the olive 

oil onto both sides of the inside. 

You now have a totally enclosed 

surface in which to roll your clay 

without it sticking to the roller. 

FOLD 

EASY ROLLING SHEET 

Here’s an easy way to roll your clay. 

Lift the top of the acetate folder and spread a dab of olive oil 

in the center. Drop the top and rub to transfer the oil to both insides. 

Place your clay and slats between the top and bottom layers... close the 

folder and roll away without the clay sticking to the roller or the acetate. 

www.metalclaytoday.com 

3. 

Print the following page, trim to size, and tape to 

the back of your folder for a handy sizing grid as you roll. 


Easy Rolling Sheet - continued from previous page 

3. Print out and trim to size. 

Tape to the back of your folder for a handy sizing grid as you roll. 

EASY ROLLING SHEET 

Here’s an easy way to roll your clay. 

Lift the top of the acetate folder and spread a dab of olive oil 

in the center. Drop the top and rub to transfer the oil to both insides. 

Place your clay and slats between the top and bottom layers... close the 

folder and roll away without the clay sticking to the roller or the acetate. 

www.metalclaytoday.com 


Blo g 

Best of the Blogs 

by Lori Phillips 

I was excited to see our first issue pop up in my email. Yep, 

this is real! All our hard work is out there in cyber space for 

everyone to peruse through and enjoy. I sure hope all of you 

are as thrilled as I am! 

When I last left you, I had given you three sites to explore. I 

can’t wait to hear what you are gaining from your journeys. 

I call them journeys because you can’t visit them all at once. 

I can only take a web trip once a day, otherwise my mind is 

reeling with ideas and I can’t make it stop. Oh, please make 

it stop! 

I have already gotten some blog suggestions from a few of you 

and I jumped on the chance to check out some new unknown 

territories. Not all of them were completely unknown to me 

though. Elaine, I love your blog!! I have been here before, but 

I was not going to give away all the tricks up my sleeve in the first issue. 

http://www.creativetexturetools.com/news 

This blog is the brain child of Elaine Luther. She has worked very hard to provide several 

‘how to’ articles and videos for working with the different metal clays. However, that is not 

all. She also gathered facts on many related subjects. This site alone can provide hours of 

entertainment and a plethora of information. Don’t you just love the word plethora? I don’t 

get to use it very often. 

http://pmctips.blogspot.com/ 

This is a site I enjoyed because it was very easy to navigate. Nicola Callow set up this blog 

in such a way that you can scroll down to read several postings at one time. When you get 

to the bottom of the page, hit ‘Older Postings’ and you can keep on scrolling. I had to force 

myself to stop. Also, I noticed that just because it says PMC tips, it does not mean other 

metal clayers wouldn’t benefit from checking it out. 

OK, I found a woman after my own heart. Her name is Vickie Hallmark and she creates 

incredible items from metal clay, fibers and glass. 

http://fiberartglass.blogspot.com/2009/10/ 

welcome-to-jewelry-blog-carnival.html 

Wow! I was checking out her blog when I came across her posting on November 16th. By 

this time, I had been on the computer for about 4 hours. I read what she wrote and started 

feeling a twinge of guilt. I suggest you read it for yourselves and maybe we can all start the 

new year a bit more artistically inspired! 

Happy Blogging, 

Lori 


Trends, Forecasts & Predictions 

by Lori Delisle 

Let your light shine this Spring 

Spring 2010 runways show two very feminine themes: 

• soft, ethereal luxury 

• bright, tailored and geometric chic 

Trend – Light/Bright Colors 

Soft colors and neutrals are accented by bright colors; a soft gray 

blouse with a chartreuse satin belt or a navy dress color blocked 

with stripes of bright orange. Also pretty are monochromatic 

looks, all in soft icy pastels and neutrals. Check the Pantone 

Fashion Color Report for Spring 2010 for their top 

10 color picks and how designers are using them. 

Blue-ming Necklace 

by amieplante.etsy.com 

Design for the Trend 

Incorporate lots of sparkle and color with gemstones and 

crystal. On the soft side think of things like rose and smoky 

quartz, blue lace agate, and aquamarine. On the bright 

side go for lemon quartz, blue topaz, peridot, turquoise, 

amethysts, and deep pink spinel. 

Cameo Tears Necklace, 

brendamcgowan.etsy.com 

Sprint Time by 

artisanimpact.etsy.com 

Trend – Soft/Feminine Fabrication 

Light and airy, soft flowing and shimmery silks, chiffon, satins, high 

sheen velvet, and suede, with large soft folds and ruffles. On the bold 

side, designers are incorporating chicly tailored lines with geometric 

piecing of contrasting fabrics in stripes, wedges, and accented hems 

and seaming. 

Flower Pendant 

by Unique.etsy.com 

Design for the Trend 

Play with the luxurious fabrics they are using like velvet 

ribbons and strips or organza. Incorporate soft lines and 

feminine textures and use the new paper art clay to make 

soft folds and ruffles. On the geometric side play with 

weaving, color blocking and stripes of different clays. 

Aforfebre.etsy.com 

Trend Pieces 

More of the statement necklaces from fall, but 

also much simpler designs with, say, a long 

chain and one medallion piece. 

Walnut Square Necklace 

Bangles are hot for the wrist. 

by metalworks.etsy.com 

Happy Designing! 

Scalloped Lace Silver 

Cuff Bracelet by 

WhiteFly.etsy.com 


Challenge Contest 

Metal Clay Today is sponsoring the 

Spirit of Giving 

Competition 

Send us your 4” x 6” 300 ppi photos along with your name, 

the project’s title, and your contact information 

to editor@metalclaytoday.com by January 15, 2010. 

We will post your submissions at www.metalclaytoday.com 

and your peers will vote to decide who wins. 

Voting will take place from January 25th to February 15th. 

Winners will be announced on February 20th. 

Projects must include at least 50% metal clay. 

First Place Prize - Set of Dynasty Rubber Stamps 

Second Place Prize - 50 Grams of Silver Clay 

Third Place Prize - 25 Grams of Silver Clay 

METALCLAYARTS 

IN - ABOUT - FOR METAL CLAY 

TOOLS - GLASS 

KILN SAFE STONES 

LiL BeLLA Humidifier 

HAND CRAFTED ART JEWELRY 

WORKSHOPS CLASSES 

PRIVATE INSTRUCTION 

GALLERY - LINKS - SOURCES 

LiL BeLLA 

metalclayarts@gmail.com 

www.metalclayarts.com 

metalclayarts.Etsy.com 

DonnaLewis.Etsy.com 


Carpe Beadum! 

Seize the Bead! 

and ‘seize’ you did! 

We thank all of the artists who participated 

in Metal Clay Today’s first challenge. 

Carol Babineau 

Deb Brooks 

Sara Cole 

Jonna Faulkner 

Donna Lewis 

Deb Jemmot 

Check out the new challenge at www.metalclaytoday.com 


Gail Moriarty 

Victoria Siexas 

Lauren King 

Patsy Monk 

Linda Stiles Smith 

Michela Verani 



Carpe Beadum! 

Seize the Bead! 

Our readers voted and here are the results! 

First Place 

‘Roses Everywhere’ 

by Gail Moriarty 

Gail received a Ring Kit from GBU-Art.com 

Second Place 

‘Go for Baroque’ Beads 

by Michela Verani 

Michela received 50 grams 

of ArtClay Silver 

Third Place 

‘Leaf Ball Squared’ 

by Linda Stiles Smith 

Linda received a $25 Gift 

Certificate for ArtClay World 



Class Listings, Show Schedules, Organization News 

Calling all Guilds! 

Tell the world where and when you meet. 

Send us information about your class listings, show schedules... 

and meeting times and locations of your 

metal clay, artisan or jewelry making organizations. 

Please include your name, where and when, name and 

e-mail address of the contact person. 

We believe that it is important for all metal clay enthusiasts 

to have a forum for networking and promoting their work. 

International — Australia 

The First International Chapter of the PMC Guild 

The Victoria, Australia Chapter, based in Melbourne. 

Meetings are held alternate months with the next one scheduled for late September. 

For Information contact carolgregory30@gmail.com 

United States — California 

Metal Clay Alchemists Society of San Diego County 

Meets quarterly at the Lapidary Society 

654 Mildred St., San Diego, CA 92110 

Next meeting October 15, 2009—6:00-8:30 p.m. 

Contact Stan or Ann Rosier for more information 

All Metal Clay Enthusiasts are welcome! 

San Diego County Chapter of the PMC Guild 

Meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 6:30 pm 

5654 Mildred Street, San Diego, CA 92110 

Blog: www.sdcpmcguild.blogspot.com 

http://www.pmcguild.com/chapters/sandiego/about.html 

Contact Person: Melissa @ mwilcoxson83@aol.com 

Colorado 

The Western Slope Metal Clay Artisans Chapter 

aka Grand Junction Chapter of the PMC Guild and the Art Clay Society. 

We serve metal clay enthusiasts on the western slope of Colorado and in eastern Utah. We meet in 

Grand Junction, CO on the third Saturday of every month from 10 am to 2 pm where we have studio 

exploration time lead by our members as well as several seminars each year presented by nationally 

known metal clay artists. We are a ‘non-denominational’ group dually chartered by both PMC Guild 

(PMCG) and Art Clay Society (ACS) with interest in all types of metal clay. We have no local dues, but 

members are required to join both the ACS and PMCG after attending one meeting. 

Contact Cindy Holst Chapter Leader cindysancolorado@yahoo.com for more information. 

Florida 

The Miami Metal Clay Artists, which is the local chapter of Art Clay Society, USA, meets on 

the second Thursday of the month at 6:00 p.m. for social and 6:30 for meeting and project. We 

welcome all metal clay enthusiasts. Contact chapter leader Bernadette Denoux 305 273-8829. 

miamimetalclayartists@yahoo.com for more information. 


Illinois 

Suburban Silver Society meets the second Friday of each month, all metal clay artists are invited. We 

are a hands-on group, we work on a project at each meeting. New techniques and demonstrations are 

presented. For more information contact Deb Wojnorowski at fussyfinery@sbcglobal.net. 

Kansas 

The Kansas City chapter of the PMC Guild is an eclectic group of artists from the great Kansas 

City metropolitan area with a common interest in metal clays—PMC, ArtClay, Copper, Bronze. We meet 

the 3rd Tuesday of each month to share a hands-on exploration of a technique or media. Dues are 

currently $10.00 annually. Contact chapter president Lynette Fisk at bylynette@gmail.com or check out 

our website www.kcpmcguild.org for current meeting information. 

Massachusetts 

Greater Boston Metal Clay Guild meets every 4th Sunday of each month at Metalwerx, 50 Guinan 

Street, Waltham, MA from 7pm - 9pm. Each meeting we discuss new topics, ideas, have a demo, and 

discuss our current month’s challenge. For more information visit them at http://bostonmetalclay.com/ or 

http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=130525423846 

New Hampshire 

The Merrimack Valley Metal Clay Collaborative 

meets every third Sunday of the month, except holidays from 11 a.m. until ? at Art Clay Studio, llc, 

99 Factory St., Ext., Nashua, NH 03060 

Contact Carol at 603-560-5402 No dues 

www.freewebs.com/artclaysocietynewengland/ 

New York 

PMC Guild-Syracuse/CNY Chapter meets the 3rd Sunday of the month at 3:00-4:45 

at the Manlius Public Library, 1 Arkie Albanese Way, Manlius 

Ohio 

The Northeast Ohio Chapter of the PMC Guild 

meets monthly in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. 

For more information please contact the 

chapter representative at neopmc155@gmail.com 

Wanted 

beta testers 

The Artists Gallery is an online Gallery 

devoted to Metal Clay Artists who desire 

to have a web presence, but do not want 

the expense of developing a website. 

We are currently looking for 

beta testers for this program. 

If you would like to participate, email 

editor@metalclaytoday.com 

with your name and contact information. 

Glass 

Clay 

Classes 

Glass 

Clay 

and other Glass Technique Classes* 

* Photopolymer Mask and Images on Glass Classes 

Check it out at www.kaiserglass.com 

Or e-mail Barry@kaiserglass.com 

Classes: 

Photopolymer Mask 

Photo-etching Dichro, masking and painting 

And Blue other Moon Glass, Austin, Technique TX Jan 21-11 Classes* 

Kaiser Glass Studio, March 6-7 

Glass Clay 

Using Glass Clay to create elements for fusing 

Blue Moon Glass (Austin, TX) Jan 23-24 

Check it out at www.kaiserglass.com 

Or email Barry@kaiserglass.com 

Images on Glass 

Screen printing for jewelry and computer masks 

to create painting masterpieces 

Kaiser Galss Studio Mar 20-21 

*Photopolymer Mask and Images on Glass Classes 


Metal Clay 

Society of San Diego County 

This December, the Metal Clay Alchemists of San Diego County celebrated the season with a 

Holiday Potluck Party at a member’s home. It was fantastic… just the kind of evening you would 

hope for. There was loads of great and interesting food, lovely music and the constant chatter 

of friends catching up with each other. That alone would have 

made it special enough for me. I really enjoy the company 

of the Alchemists, but this year we added something new to 

the celebration. We had a charm exchange. The rules were 

simple: no charm could be smaller than a dime or larger 

than a quarter, and mixed media was encouraged. Everyone 

was impressed with the charms they received, and I’m fairly 

certain it will become a Holiday tradition! 

The Alchemists meet quarterly to talk about Metal Clay. 

Our membership boasts some nationally known metal clay 

artists, as well as beginning metal clay enthusiasts. It is a 

time of sharing, and encouragement. At each meeting we 

try to recognize the work of our members with our Featured 

Artist section in which we ask one member to talk about his 

or her work, and do a show and tell. During our last meeting, 

Jan Spencley was our Featured Artist. We’ve always known 

Jan to be very funny, but at this meeting we got to see just 

how talented she is, to boot! 

At each of our meetings, we have an opportunity to see a demonstration on a particular 

aspect of metal clay. Last month, Maria Martinez demonstrated her techniques for teaching 

new students how to work with the clay. As well as being our historian, Maria is a great 

teacher and I am always impressed with how easy she makes it look. 

In our charter, the Alchemists are required to provide 

educational opportunities for our membership. Usually 

our instructors are drawn from local talent, but we 

also try to have at least one well known instructor 

annually. 

Last year, we were fortunate to have Hadar Jacobson 

come to teach. Since our members number more than 

the number of students anyone could be reasonably 

expected to teach, we had a lottery to earn a spot in the 

classroom. Fortunately, we were able to accommodate 

most of the members and it was a wonderful weekend. 

Hadar is a great teacher and was Metal Clay Today’s 

first Featured Artist. We are all looking forward to 

seeing what interesting classes 2010 will bring to the 

Alchemists. 

You can find out more about our group by visiting 

http://www.GBU-art.com/index_files/ 

MetalClayAlchemistSocietyMembershipPage.htm 


Don Butler - The Carving Glove Guy 

5 small Dockyard Micro Carving Tools 

that have been of interest to PMC and Art Clay people. 

These tools are G2, G15, V15, 75V, SK 15... 

the smallest of the tools 

that Dockyard manufactures. 

Please visit our site at 

www.thecarvinggloveguy.com 


Book Review 

by Patricia K. Evans 

All That Glitters: 

Combining the Brilliance 

of Glass with Metal Clay 

by Dana Lee Peters 

Wapiti Mountain Publishing, 2009 

www.artesean.net 

Art Clay Master Instructor Dana Lee Peters brings a focus on combining 

metal clay with glass and porcelain. The book’s 14 projects span a 

range of techniques using not only silver clay, but also bronze and 

copper. The spiral binding makes for easy reference at the bench. 

Directions are generally clear and illustrated well enough that beginners 

with little clay experience should be able to succeed with most of the 

projects. Some techniques, such as the syringe pieces which require 

a careful hand with sanding, will be more suited to artists with a little 

more practice. Two of the projects make good use of laser cut dichroic 

shapes. Beginners to glass might have appreciated knowing that 

these shapes can be purchased pre-cut. 

The most unusual projects are Peters’s experiments with glass in 

bronze and copper settings. The glass emerges with a pitted surface 

due to the carbon used in firing, and colors may shift. Nonetheless, 

these pieces have an intriguing textural quality that makes her 

process worthy of further experimentation. 

The book includes a brief but informative section on basic fused glass for metal clay artists who 

have little glass experience. Peters confesses that she is not an expert in glass, which may explain 

the discrepancies in parts of this section. For example, Peters says that a full fuse occurs around 

1450 to 1550 degrees, but she gives her full fuse firing schedule as only reaching 1425 degrees. 

This self-published book could have benefited from the hand of a good editor. It is riddled with 

distracting typographical and mechanical errors, some of which are severe enough to interfere 

with the author’s meaning. In the description of different stages of glass firing, several sentences 

about annealing—a crucial part of glass fusing—appear to have been omitted. Nonetheless, All 

That Glitters brings a collection of interesting ways to work with glass, and it will be a good addition 

to comprehensive metal clay libraries. 

Pat Evans is a Senior Art Clay Silver instructor and holds PMCC Level III and Rio Rewards PMC 

certifications. Pat has been teaching about crafts and creativity to both children and adults for over 

20 years. She enjoys designing and writing about all types of jewelry, including metal clay, fused 

glass and wire-wrapping. Contact her at Pat@PatEvansDesigns.com, or check out her blog at 

http://patevansdesigns.blogspot.com/ . 


Product Review 

The Art and 

Design of Metal 

Clay Jewelry 

2010 Calendar 

by Holly Gage 

Be Inspired 365 days of the year. 

Holly Gage has combined the dazzling artistry of Metal 

Clay with the functionality of the calendar in The Art 

and Design of Metal Clay Jewelry 2010 Calendar. 

Keep up with your day-to-day events, and discover 

upcoming events such as the 2010 PMC Conference, 

Bead and Button Shows, and contests like the Rings 

and Things Competition in February. 

Be inspired by your favorite artists’ work as 

showcased in this beautiful calendar. 

Artists included are Julia Rai on the cover and 

Elizabeth R. Agte, Lorena Angulo, Claudia Atkins, 

Carol A. Babineau, Nicola Callow, Debbi Clifford, 

Angela B. Crispin, Bernadette Denoux, Lorrene 

Davis, Louise Duhamel, Pam East, Sherry Eckert, 

Marnie Ehlers, Jonna Faulkner, Liz Hall, Vickie 

Hallmark, Lora Hart, Leslie Jensen, Patrik Kusek, 

Donna Lewis, Maria Martinez, Cindy Miller, 

Christine Norton, Melodie Owen, Catherine Davies 

Paetz, Kate Qualley Peterson, Lyle Rayfield, 

Susan Reinemeyer,Diane Sepanskie, Jennifer 

Smith-Righter, Deb Steele, Katrine Tan, Marsha 

Thomas, Michela Verani, Linda Warner, Sarah 

Webster-Eastman, Judi Weers, and Holly Gage. 

To order a copy of the 2010 Calendar visit 

http://www.hollygage.com/pages/ 

theartanddesignofmetalclayjewelrycalendar.html. 


If you haven’t had a chance to take a class from Linda Stiles Smith, then you are in luck, 

because Linda has recently self-published “Metal Clay Basics & Bench Reference: A Toolbox 

Guide to Metal Clay’, that reads as though you are sitting in Linda’s studio ready to dig into 

that next project. 

Don’t be confused – this isn’t a project book, though Linda does offer suggestions for your next 

endeavor at the end of the volume, rather it is a compilation of the information and wisdom 

that just flows from her during class. 

In class, Linda isn’t stingy with her tips and tricks and Metal Clay Basics is loaded with all 

the great ones she has for every aspect 

of taking a gray lump of pricey clay to an 

exquisite piece of fine jewelry. 

Her method of getting a really smooth paste 

out of leftovers is excellent, but my favorite 

tip is how to make a small, elegant bezel for 

your gemstone using clay punches. 

The book has a spiral binding so it lies flat 

on your work surface. Another great feature 

is the space that has been allowed within 

the text to jot notes or tape info or even 

sketches. At 8” by 5” it is a nice size to have 

at your work area, not too big and bulky. 

One frustration I had in Linda’s classes was 

that while she is dropping her pearls of 

wisdom my hands were covered with olive 

oil and expensive gray paste, which wasn’t 

really conducive to taking notes. 

Now I have her wisdom in a book and I’m 

thrilled. If you have ever had a class with 

Linda, I know you will want this book. If you 

haven’t had a class with her, now at least 

you can savor her knowledge in her book 

and take notes while you’re at it! 

Price: $24.95 

Discount available when ordering from 

www.naturescapesstudio.com. 

Metal Clay Basics 

and 

Bench Reference 

by Linda Stiles Smith 

Book Review 

by Kathy Gallant 


Hurry! 

We have a limited quantity 

of rooms available!

Winter 2009 - Metal Clay Today

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