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As we close the Twentieth Century and forge into a bright and exciting future, Trudy E. Schwartz-Burrill, a talented artist and designer in her own right, had a vision. She wanted to do something that would help to promote Polymer Clay, the medium she has grown to love.
A Calendar! But not just any kind of Calendar, an International Juried Calendar! What better way to document the many accomplishments made over the past few years, as well as to celebrate and mark the growth of Polymer Clay Artists and their work, along with their many contributions to the medium during the closing of this century. A grand showing of the BEST of the BEST!
To further impact the advancement of Polymer Clay into the Future, this project is only number one of what I hope will be an endless line of Juried Polymer Clay Calendars - published material which will document the accomplishments of Polymer Clay Artists as the entire medium reaches out to take it's rightful place as the:Art & Craft Medium of the New Millenium
PersonaLEIGH I wouldn't know where to begin such a task, but Trudy, being well educated in this type of business venture, and thoroughly jazzed with the unique idea she had developed, plunged ahead like a champion. Her goal was to make this calendar a representation of the many artists who have been working with Polymer Clay for years.
And not just Teachers and Artists who are thrust into the limelight because of their abilities and their presence in the Polymer Clay Community, but those artists, crafters and hobbiests who worked behind closed doors, learning, creating, experimenting, testing and inventing without the benefit of published literature or hands-on instruction. Every Polymer Clay Artist was welcome to send in their entries knowing that they had an equal chance to have their artwork singled out. This might be their opportunity to be part of the History of Polymer Clay!
Born in the late 1930's in Germany, Polymer Clay is a magnificent Art & Craft medium that comes in an amazing selection of colors. This clay can be mixed, molded, shaped, caned, stamped, carved, sculpted, flattened, stretched, rocked and rolled into an endless array of useful and decorative items for the house or for personal adornment.
Its popularity is growing fast and furious as many of us devote hours of our day to try and get the word out as well as experimenting, dreaming, and pushing Polymer Clay, trying to find its limits. We realize there is still a huge black hole where the limits of Polymer Clay are hidden. Each day, new and exciting developments can be found as the internet becomes a melting pot for these Polymer Clay Scientists, Artists and Designers, sharing our failures and rejoicing with our successes. 
Beads, buttons, wall hangings, bottles, boxes, molds, vessels, baskets, barrettes, purses, tools, collage, rubber stamping, containers, postcards, mixed media, jewelry, puppets, lamps, candleholders, clocks, masks, figurines, paintings, ornaments, sculptures, memories... it's endless. As a polymer clay artist, I can tell you that the future of Polymer Clay has no way to go but up. The only things lacking are the extra hours in the day we could dedicate to sleeping and cleaning, things I assure you most Polymer Clay artists could use some help with.
What makes this medium even more appealing is the ability to cure or bake the clay at a low temperature, which means no fancy expensive kilns and no heavy outlay of money in order to just see if you like it. In addition, there aren't many tools needed to get started in creating with Polymer Clay - your hands are your best tool. Many of us use objects found around the house as our basic implements of creativity. As you progress you decide how much money you want to invest in your workshop supplies.
This year's calendar is a work of art! The photographs in this review are just a small portion of the photos to be found in the calendar. When I received my first copy, I sat for hours just reading about all the wonderful entries who won the right to be on the monthly pages - 48 different artists were given a place of honor on the winners' podium. What joy I felt to have a piece of my own sculpture in among so many incredible works of art. As an added wonderful feature, some of the entries that didn't make the 48 coveted spots were given their own little "guest days" sprinkled throughout the calendar. The stories add dimension to each piece, and the biographies of all the artists help me to understand how widespread the Polymer Clay Community is. From England to Central America, from Bulgaria to the Jersey Shore, this INTERNATIONAL JURIED CALENDAR is sure to be a Collectors Item as the first one in a series, and as a living documentation of the strides in Polymer Clay.
As we look back at THE NEW CLAY, by Nan Roche, the first big book to show us what could be done with Polymer Clay, we see what we have done, how far we have grown. In the future we will also look back at this calendar as a scale to show the beginning. We look back now at the paintings of Michaelangelo, DaVinci, Van Gogh etc.. and see how their style and finesse has stood the test of time, I can't help but wonder how many of the artists in this wonderful calendar will be the Michaelangelos of Polymer Clay, as we look back from the future and admire those Polymer Clay artists who have stood the test of time!
Trudy, you did a great job, THANK YOU!
And Thank you from all of us who got the chance to see our contribution to the Polymer Clay Community made part of the History of Polymer Clay!
And now on to Calendar number Two!!!
Polymer Clay 2001
A Juried Calendar Exhibit
Click on this link to get more information on entering the next Calendar.
©1999-Leigh Ross