Carnival Asparagus…

If you have ever watched me work, either at a polymer clay retreat or in my studio- you would know that I am not shy about making more than one… and recently I was challenged to expand my series of Asparagus Crown bracelets to include five more pieces. (One can only wonder at over 500 individually  placed cane slices- 15 x 2 x 22 spears?)

 

The color of the base clay used to make the spears varies slightly- from a yellower green designed to match a set of double-hole  resin beads that I had purchased at a bead show several years ago and wanted to experiment with, to a slightly bluer green that was mixed to co-ordinate with the turquoise tip cane I had on hand.

 

The first bracelet I made included in the tip segue way a purple cane. A color combination that I have used before- not as an exact copy from nature, but rather to capture the notion of the beautiful slates in actual asparagus tips.

The second bracelet was made using a warmer green for the spears  and a red-orange mix of fuchsia for the extreme tips, overlapped with  high contrast yellow green cane slices.

The third bracelet was designed for “air” in that there are half as many spears, separated with the half round resin beads.

And the fourth bracelet? …currently my favorite. Most certainly I am viewing this particular color combination in the context of the series, but most importantly- what I would like to relay to you is…neon pink, turquoise green and yellow green, while not being the natural colors of asparagus, are NOT supposed to work together. The entire time I was adding the cane slices to  the spears to make this piece, I felt “uncomfortable” about the color choice. And at the same time propelled to finish making it, beyond looking at the individual pieces, instead string the bracelet up and then putting it aside to look at another day.

“If you always do what you always did…you would always get what you always got!”

Black Garlic and Purple Asparagus…

  

When I think of garlic… black garlic is not something that immediately comes to my mind. Apparently this specially fermented food product is enjoying surge in popularity among chefs and food enthusiasts.

 

 

 

…and when I think of asparagus, teal green or purple  doesn’t immediate come to my mind. Despite having made asparagus pieces using unusual clor combinations before. At the moment I have engaged myself in the challenge of re-making (and presumably re-fining)  my Asparagus Crown Bracelet by making a series of five similar bracelets.

Colorful Breakfast…

The results of a web contest to design a color scheme inspired by “Good Morning” can be seen here at Zach Dunn’s web design,development and business blog- buildinternet.com It is interesting to see the variety of combinations that the designers submitted.

Here is another option for a “Good Morning” inspiration= a bowl of Fruit Loops. How would you mix the colors of Fruit Loops in polymer clay?  A great starting point would be two custom mixed primaries- red= 1/2 Fuchsia and 1/2 Neon pink, yellow = 1/2 Zinc yellow and 1/2 Neon Yellow - and Cobalt blue.

Colorful Food Stylist…

Currently I am working on the design of a new color workshop that will include five different techniques/approaches towards working with tinted translucent clay with an emphasis on mixing food inspired colors.

 

While my first inclination is to title this  workshop “Fantasy Food Stylist”… as almost daily I find myself styling food- either edible or fantastical polymer clay…

Perhaps “Taming Translucents” would be a better title for the workshop? I received this image of carved watermelons in an email this evening, which was a great reminder to me to re-visit my oriental food carving books.

Have  a grand Spring weekend- style some “food” or  mix some polymer clay colors that have the juicy, delectable, delightful feel of  edible wonder or  experiment with  carving  a  watermelon cane?

More Yellow Green…

I was delighted to stumble upon this fractal image of broccoli today = a whole new way to think about this wonderful vegetable  … you can read more about how this image was created here. 

 

I wonder if any polymer clay artists have fractalized  their polymer polymer clay pieces? To see more yellow green color combinations visit Color Combos on the web.

You can download Margie Deeb’s column = “Yes! to Yellow Green”  here on her web site , order her book “The Beader”s Guide to Color” or visit her blog.

 

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Colorful Asparagus…

I am thrilled to see my Asparagus Crown Bracelet featured on the Polymer Art Archives web site today- you can read more about my asparagus inspirations here.

 

Searching asparagus recipes on line…led me  back to one of my most favorite “recipes” – blanch in a large pot of salted water until almost tender- three-five minutes, depending on size and then drain. Serve with a dipping mixture of

• 1/2 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
• IT lemon juice
• 1t Old Bay seasoning

Mix together thoroughly and allow to chill for a couple of hours before serving. Or there are more recipes at the California Asparagus Association here.  And, yes the colors in asparagus include several variationsof the color Dark Citron. The Skinner blend that I use to make my asparagus tips for the yellower green versions =  a two color Skinner blend from a mixture of  4 parts Fuchsia, 3 parts fluorescent pink and 1 part white -blended towards a dark citron color and then wrapped with a mixture of half  black and half Dark Citron. For the bluer green asparagus, I use a deep desaturated violet wrap.

Colorful “Mustard”…

Here is an interesting post on a mustard colored accent wall at Apartment Therapy . While I am not quite ready to paint a mustard colored accent wall in my apartment- it is a wonderful color and condiment  to consider in the depth of winter.

 

To mix a mustard color using polymer clay = 30 parts cadmium yellow, one part fuschia  and one part ultramarine blue.

Or- you might want to try the yummy mustard potatoes I made the other day…

Colorful Blog…

I found this interesting blog today that  combines food, flowers and style = foodflowerstyle,  three of my interests- and their  accompanying web site. I especially enjoyed the color breakdown of the mushroom picture.

 

Ice Cream Colors…

The other night I had the opportunity to enjoy an “ice cream sampler”, admittedly NOT three flavors on the current Baskin Robbin’s line-up = Cranberry, Sour Cherry and salted Caramel. Eyes closed, the mouth feel, texture, sweetness balance and flavors were absolutely there!Eyes open… especially in the dim candlelight, all of the flavors appeared as “pale” renditions of vanilla ice cream (with the vanilla bean seeds strained out). Reconciliation took a moment to return focus to the sensitivity of my palate. Then again, I can’t imagine tasting wine without the visual cues?

You have probably heard the expression that we “eat with our eyes first”. But just how much does this color of impressions of how the food tastes? If you ordered pistachio or mint chip ice cream and they were not green, would you be disconcerted? If asked to compare two sour cherry sauces, side by side, would you unknowingly select the sauce to which the red food coloring was added?

Recent research has revealed that the color of orange juice,colors our taste perceptions. For more information please visit the chemical senses center. For some fun and inspiration food pictures= Studio Kitchen at Flicker.

Hope YOU are having a colorful weekend! Perhaps one that includes some delicious ice cream?