Arbel and Christy Polymer Clay Instructors

Arbel and Christy

Polymer Clay Classes
Learning to create art in clay

We had another very successful introductory polyclay lesson series and expect to announce an advanced series soon. Let us know if you are interested in either beginning or advanced classes.
There are many techniques to learn, one builds on the other, the results being very inspiring. The classes are designed so that the participant leaves with a complete piece knowing the new technique. By the end of the classes, all the techniques can be combined and the artistic process can really take off.

You will learn the basics, how to avoid the problems and how to work with this versatile medium to create anything you can imagine.

Arbel Shemesh is a graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute, holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography, and a Graduate Gemologist.

She is presently employed at Fire Mountain Gems and Beads as the advertising coordinator; she creates the back cover ads on major beading magazines and the FMG catalog covers. You can view videos of Arbel instructing on the PBS show "Beads Baubles and Jewels" posted at www.firemountaingems.com.

Her passion for the last 30 years is designing and teaching, the last 2 years have been all about polymer clay.

Viewing a demonstration by Lisa Pavelka of the leaf cane, she was instantly hooked! After working for many years as a jeweler, the clay was relaxing, playful, colorful and just plain fun. Since then she has had the good fortune to work with a few of the great teachers of polymer techniques, Judy Belcher, Lisa Pavelka, Tamara Honaman and Beckah Krahula.

Christy Beeman was born and raised in Southern Oregon. After a ten-year absence in California, she returned home to work for Fire Mountain Gems & Beads in the Publishing Department. She now lives in Merlin, OR with her husband and enjoys spending her time outdoors with her family and her canine creatures.

Christy comes from a family of artists where most of her inspiration came from her father who taught her to watercolor as a child.

"My father has such a love for the outdoors, nature and art. He really inspires me to keep art as a part of my life in any way possible." Christy says.

For anyone who loves art or jewelry, working with polymer clay is something every artist has to experience. There is nothing you can do wrong when working with clay, whatever you make is its own little masterpiece.

Christy has been working primarily with polymer clay and her work is currently on display at "Never a Bum Steer", located at 125 SW "G" street in Grants Pass

To see a complete listing of this months classes
click here

Things that you will learn about.

Blue Jewel Box

Make your own jewelry for every outfit

Just the first in a long rewarding journey in
Polymer Clay