Freedom in Mokume Gane

Mokume Gane Wine Bottle Stopper

Embracing a Growth Moment
I marvel at artists who apply paint, with no particular plan in mind, only to have something beautiful  "appear" on the canvas. I can't fathom that kind of spontaneity. So what you are witnessing here is a growth moment for me. Another tiny step down the path of opening myself up to the spontaneity.


A New Creative Chapter: Enter Mokume Gane
I tried the mokume gane technique as part of the Polymer Clay Artists Guild's Monthly Challenge. There are lots of variations of the technique inspired by Japanese "wood grain" metal work. Every clay artist seems to have  his or her own "recipe."

I decided to experiment with one often called, "random." Basically, you take thin sheets of several colors of clay and stack them (sometimes with gold foil). Then you poke holes in the top, back fill them with transparent clay and squish the whole things together. You really don't know exactly what you are going to get until you slice into the block. Even the way you cut the slice changes things.

Letting the Clay Decide
 I have to admit, I kind of hated the technique. My first couple attempts looked far too random, even for the "random" technique. Now, I have to admit, I'm kind of hooked on mokume gane.

It's becoming fun to slice open the block to see what it reveals. In one block, I saw snow covered pine trees on a distant mountain. I created this little pin with a snowman carrying his freshly cut tree down from that mountain.

The Finished Products
I have been quite busy with this technique. Many of the fruits of my labor are now available in my Young Creative store. Don't forget everything is 10% off until Dec. 15 if you use the code YOUNGCREATIVE1 at checkout.

Vote and Win
You can also see how versatile this technique can be by checking out the entries in the PCAGOE December Challenge. Vote for your top 3 favorites and you have a chance to win a fantastic polymer clay prize donated by one of these artists. Go vote!