The Art Market Gallery: Member pages


Kristine Taylor Jewelry E-mail: kdtdesigns@comcast.net Artist's website: homepage.mac.com/designsbykristine/



I am inspired by good design and beautiful color. My current work blends contemporary and ancient forms with abstract images. I use a blend of polymer clay and traditional jewelry materials to create unique, one-of-a-kind and limited edition pieces of Jewelry. My work combines elegant, contemporary forms with beautiful color. Materials My work is made primarily from an artists modeling compound called polymer clay. Polymer clay is like a moldable paint. The clay is made of bits of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) suspended in a plasticizer. Polymer clay is hardened in a conventional oven at 275 degrees F. At this temperature the plasticizer evaporates and the bits of PVC fuse to make a hard yet flexible, solid material. Polymer clay is a versatile medium that can be sculpted, molded, stamped, textured, carved, sanded and buffed to a high shine. I chose polymer clay as my medium because its versatility provides me with many design possibilities. I use other materials including metal, fibers, stones and pearls with the polymer clay to create unique and elegant pieces of jewelry. The metal components of my jewelry are sterling silver, 14k gold-filled or 14k gold (occasionally brass or copper may be used). Process The polymer clay components of my jewelry are created by hand shaping and applying various surface designs to the clay. Surface techniques I use include texturing, caning, imprinting, applique, carving and transfer. Most of the components are sanded after they are cured to create a smooth matt finish. Some pieces are polished to a high shine.

Next artist: Lynnda Tenpenny