Carolyn's Bio:

Carolyn Skei Carolyn is a long-time member of NTPCG and is thrilled to have been a part of the revitalization of the guild in the early 2000s. (“Average attendance was about five struggling clayers back then,” she says.) She served on the board for many years and helped shape the guild’s first by-laws. A lover of mixed-media art, she has recently won awards for her art quilting. She is the editor of Neil Sperry’s GARDENS magazine.

Carolyn will demonstrate how to make the Stroppel cane which is a technique developed by clay artist Alice Stroppel as a way to use miscellaneous cane slices that would otherwise go to waste. The technique is simple, but it produces very graphic, colorful effects. All that’s needed: slices of old canes, a few thin sheets of black clay, and a clay blade. Every stash of canes will produce unique Stroppel effects, and the uses are countless!



Shelley's Bio:

Shelley Traub has been following creative pursuits all her life. She began with beading and jewelry making and designs bead woven pieces and multi-media jewelry items incorporation found objects, wirework, polymer clay and, of course, beads. In college, Shelley earned money customizing clothing and accessories with paint, jewels and beadwork. Currently, Shelley is learning more about multi-media and altered art and has been experimenting with using new tools with polymer clay such as die cutters, letterpress, and paper embossing techniques.

Shelley will demonstrate how to take a ball of clay and work with it taking it through the different levels of texture which will allow you to use the same technique to represent many different things. The supplies that she will use include the following: very soft clay, a sharp pointed tool such as a narrow knitting needle or fine stylus, a tile for the base, powders, pigments or paint for shading and edging.

Finally, you will learn how to to manipulate the texture of your clay to create a moss texture, a coral texture or a flounced texture you can use for many different things.