All About: Ravensdale 1998, The Art of Polymer Clay
Elise asked me to lead a small team of volunteers to research and write about gatherings that influenced the development of polymer as an art medium. This is the third of these posts and we hope to follow up with more. Special thanks to Meredith Arnold who organized all these materials about Ravensdale 98.
Sponsoring Organization: Northwest Polymer Clay Guild
Dates and Place held: The Evergreen State College, August 2-9, 1998
Mission Statement: The second conference sponsored by the NWPCG to promote and expand the skills of artists and hobbyists in the art of polymer clay.
Event Chair: Meredith Arnold
Steering Committee:
Meredith Arnold: Site Chair
Administrative Chair: Karen Murphy
Treasurer: Cathy Gilbert
Programs Chair: Dori Grandstrand
PR Chair: Jann Lindsey
Presenters and Topics:
Jamie Allen – Masks
Meredith Arnold – Quick and Easy Metalworking for Polymer Artists and Transfers
Mike Buessler – Mica Shift Mike’s Way
Maureen Carlson – Dolls in Polymer Clay
Dan Cormier and Tracy Holmes – Cylindrical Boxes
Kathy Dewey – Mice
Gwen Gibson – Wall Art Shrines
Leroy Goertz – Coiling Gizmo
Linda Goff – Wire and Polymer Pins
Dori Grandstrand – Mica Shift Technique from Another Perspective
Corrine Gurry – Metalworking Techniques
Lindly Haunani – Color with Margaret Maggio
Sue Heaser – Miniatures
Chris Hentz – How to Make Your Own Tools
Tory Hughes – Imitatives
Klew – Petroglyph Canes
Margaret Regan- Cane Technique
Daniel Peters – Constructions
Carolyn Potter – Goddesses
Margaret Maggio – Color
Barbara McGuire – Portrait Canes
Barbara Minor – Silkscreen on Polymer Clay
Karen Murphy – Beginning Polymer Clay
Nan Roche-
Marie Segal – Cane Techniques
Cynthia Toops-
Carol Zilliacus – Color Quilting Techniques
Pier Voulkos – Mica Shift Pier’s Way
Elise Winters – Paint Effects
Keynote Speaker: Editor of Michael’s Creates! magazine
The Rave Exhibit: Reinventing the Box/New Forms for the Millenium
Co-chairs: Judy Kuskin and Merri Hill
Donations were provided by The Clay Factory, National Polymer Clay Guild, Artifactory, Polyform, Edberhardt Faber, Amaco, Accent Imports and others.
As this is an ongoing research effort, we welcome additions or corrections to informational posts about these events.
I work in in metal, lampwork, seed beading and polymer clay. I also write about crafts and have reviewed books for several publications. Polymer Clay's growth in popularity in the late 20th Century coincided with the rise of the Internet. Coincidence? This co-evolution provides an unprecidented opportunity for curators and polymer clay artists to share a first person account of the history of the medium with a vast number of people. The Polymer Art Archive is an important part of that effort and I am happy to be able to contribute to it.