Creativity is the best thing ever. For me, It is the cure to all things, healing to all stress and the perfect relaxation.

The past months were full of preparations for my Slovenia and Germany polymer classes. I was basically planned to teach almost all my techniques – INKredible (alcohol inks), Extrudinary (extruder), liquid clays, faux ceramic, Brocade Collection (purses) and even my new macrame classes! Yep, I more or less packed all my studio and placed it in my suitcases! ;) (Did I mentioned I took 50 kg of project samples, tools and materials with me? ohh thank god I had my DH to help me carry it all!)

Now that I’m finally un-packed and hoping to relax a bit after that intense week, (help! Passover holiday!) I am happy to share some photos & videos of my classes & expreience.

I was invited by Mihaela Vindis, the acting manager of ART shop in Maribor, Slovenia to join her yearly “2017 Creative Week” taking place in a beautiful shopping mall named “Europark Maribor”. All classes are offered in a very intensive-creative week, featuring more than 20 craft teachers (international & local) and more than 1000+ students coming from all over Europe to attend the workshops.

This is without a doubt a HUGE festival of art, offering classes on all crafts, hobby and DIY such as wood, painting, wire, fiber, paper, fabric, polymer (of course), recycling, jewellery making, metals and so much more!

My co-polymer colleague in the event was the amazing Maggie Maggio and both of us were offering workshops demonstrating the many faces of polymer clay.

What can I say, the event WAS AMAZING! Incredible talent and vibe of artists and crafters! Perfect venue and VERY creative Slovenian people! Words can not express the energy going on! Outstanding atmosphere!

Here is a short video giving a short view (too short to my opinion!) of that fabulous event –

Video copyrights – ART Trade, Maribor Slovenia

Additional photos? Enjoy this presentation –

My next stop was at Ariane Freislebens’ gallery “Galerie Freisleben” in Ubersee Germany, which is, to my amazement, a gallery completely dedicated to the polymer clay art.

The gallery, located next to the beautiful Chiemsee lake, include collective polymer clay art by international artists both for sale and for display. It is the most beautiful polymer museum I ever saw! (Ariane also offer lodging for her students and guests and the apartments are as pretty as the gallery itself – such fine design! :)

The classes were fun and joyous, relaxing and educational, Arianes’ clay ladies students were dedicated, funny yet hard working artists enjoying a wonderful weekend full of clay! The classroom was filled with buzzing workers up until 23:00 every day! haaaa!

Ariane’s schedule is packed with talented artists coming to teach so make sure to check it out to be updated on her future classes.

So thank you Ariane for an amazing stay in your piece of heaven, your kingdom is the perfect dream of any polymer clay artist!

Photos? here is a fun presentation of the amazing weekend –

I wish to thank all my hosts, friends, students for granting me the opportunity to enjoy full days of clay, happiness and getting a 1st class treatment of a movie star! ;) Thank you Staedtler for sponsoring our clay! I am deeply thankful for everything and hope I will meet you all again!  <3

When I first started making polymer clay art I was all into production work.

Colorfull blessing key holders as affordable gifts

At first it was millefiori all the way, inside out and around, but after about 4 years I got bored and started looking for a new adventure. Still investigating my path, finding my artistic voice in the polymer clay world I turned to writing tutorials. This was my new way of expressing my creativity while teaching hobbyists to use this medium using the experience and knowledge I’ve gathered in time.

Over time I’ve learned that we, artists, tend to hide “production” side of our business. Why? Mainly because “production work” is not considered too artsy, it’s something you do again and again, you don’t “invent” the wheel, you just keep duplicating it. It’s kind of 50% art, not the full 100%.

Do we loose our artistic voice when we do production work? There was a time I believed that to be true but today, after “inventing the wheel” for more than 7 years, occasionally I’m drawn back to the therapeutic process of duplication. It’s so relaxing. Like baking the same cookies again and again. Some people enjoy ironing, some love folding laundry and I enjoy production work :)

Hamsa wall decor with home blessing in hebrew and english

Production line can give us a steady income when we don’t feel artistic enough to “eureka” something new but it can also become boring in time. I tend to switch between my both sides – Being creative and being productive.

While real production work reduces costs, for us, artists, the cost is nearly the same. Yes, we can fasten up the process a bit but it would be nothing like machinery or mass production. Time is still the same time and material is still the same material per unit.

I still run a small production line in my studio, it’s usually made-to-order: small souvenirs for a wedding or celebration, gifts to co-workers, retirements/farewell gifts and other events people want to give something to one another. I even have a completely separate website for that line of work, the site is called CreativeGifts.co.il and it is for local viewers (hebrew language).

Last month I was a part of several holidays shows so geared up for the task and made mountains of key holders, charms, hair clips, bookmarks gifts fitting a small budget. Naturally I’ve added my new polymer-macrame jewellery collection, which was a huge success.

Photos?

My table has a built set up handmade by my husband ;) It’s a wood-plexiglass construction planned to hold 2 photo frames. I’m lucky to have an engineer at home! This set up allow me to play with the items hung on the boards and I can use them at home too when I’m not selling outdoors.

I’ve used simple IKEA photo frames as a display for on table and used a small jewellery box to angle the frame a bit. The coloured frame gives a nice contrast to the displayed items.

See the blue, red and black frames holding the jewellery? IKEA photo frames

Black photo frame to display my polymer-macrame Stingray pendants

Stingray pendants on IKEA photo frame

I even got a beautiful picture of one of my customers – Thank you Mrs. Deirdre Gordon Stein for sending along this beautiful photo of you wearing my Stingray pendant :)

Here is a short glimpse into my table –

After returning home I had time to deal with the endless mess in my studio. I wonder where my blue genie – he always disappear when I need him!

Here are before & after shots ;)

Thank you for reading! See you soon :)

Iris Mishly.

Before :(

After! :)