When Pat Bolgar begins to create a new piece of jewelry, she draws upon her extensive education and her rural surroundings. Having studied Drawing, Painting, Printmaking and Fashion Design,* she is in an excellent position to reference classical and contemporary art and design. But perhaps an even more influential factor is the botanical landscape in which she lives. It would be hard to imagine a Pat Bolgar piece that didn’t directly or indirectly reference nature’s beauty and design. “Plants and flowers of all sorts find a place in my studio and help to inspire me,” she says. “Living in a rural area, I am surrounded with nature’s foliage, giving me quiet solitude for joyful creativity.”
But what Pat is really all about is color, and the excitement shows when she talks about the color blends she can achieve with Polymer Clay, the most predominant material in most of her work. “Many carefully planned polymer clay color blends are my starting point,” she says. “With my color blends, I create a series of polymer canes using the millefiori technique. I also employ other techniques such as mokume- gane (a Japanese metalworking procedure which produces a mixed-metal laminate with distinctive layered patterns), alcohol inks and stenciling.”
Having created the polymer blends, she adds Fine and Sterling Silver, Gold Foil, Copper, Bronze, Gemstones and any other embellishments that will enhance the look. “The metal elements are designed to compliment or mimic the polymer designs. I may saw, hammer, solder, sand, drill and rivet the metal.” The beautiful polymer colors and the textured metal accents give the jewelry the unique look for which it is known.
Pat is well recognized for the excellence of her work by experts in the field. Her art has been featured in several books as examples of fine design and craftsmanship, as well as numerous magazine articles on the subject.** Throughout the year, Pat exhibits her work at many art and craft fairs, from which she has received awards and prizes. More importantly, these fairs give Pat the opportunity to make new friends, and to reconnect with past purchasers who follow her work religiously.
* Pat’s degrees are in Printmaking from the University of Kansas, and in Fashion Design from Virginia Marti College of Fashion and Art (Lakewood, Ohio). She has completed coursework in Silversmithing at the Cleveland Institute of Art.
*Polymer Clay Mixed Media Jewelry, by Shirley Rufener; The Encyclopedia of Polymer Clay Techniques, by Sue Heaser; Metal Clay and Color (authored article Polymer Petals, 2012; Polymer Clay Global Perspectives, Cynthia Tinapple, 2013; Metal Clay Artist, Volume 1, issue 2, 2010; Belle Armoire Jewelry, Volume 2. (authored article Polymer, PMC, and Fringe Bracelet), and Belle Armoire Art to Wear, May/June 2007, to cite just a few.
But what Pat is really all about is color, and the excitement shows when she talks about the color blends she can achieve with Polymer Clay, the most predominant material in most of her work. “Many carefully planned polymer clay color blends are my starting point,” she says. “With my color blends, I create a series of polymer canes using the millefiori technique. I also employ other techniques such as mokume- gane (a Japanese metalworking procedure which produces a mixed-metal laminate with distinctive layered patterns), alcohol inks and stenciling.”
Having created the polymer blends, she adds Fine and Sterling Silver, Gold Foil, Copper, Bronze, Gemstones and any other embellishments that will enhance the look. “The metal elements are designed to compliment or mimic the polymer designs. I may saw, hammer, solder, sand, drill and rivet the metal.” The beautiful polymer colors and the textured metal accents give the jewelry the unique look for which it is known.
Pat is well recognized for the excellence of her work by experts in the field. Her art has been featured in several books as examples of fine design and craftsmanship, as well as numerous magazine articles on the subject.** Throughout the year, Pat exhibits her work at many art and craft fairs, from which she has received awards and prizes. More importantly, these fairs give Pat the opportunity to make new friends, and to reconnect with past purchasers who follow her work religiously.
* Pat’s degrees are in Printmaking from the University of Kansas, and in Fashion Design from Virginia Marti College of Fashion and Art (Lakewood, Ohio). She has completed coursework in Silversmithing at the Cleveland Institute of Art.
*Polymer Clay Mixed Media Jewelry, by Shirley Rufener; The Encyclopedia of Polymer Clay Techniques, by Sue Heaser; Metal Clay and Color (authored article Polymer Petals, 2012; Polymer Clay Global Perspectives, Cynthia Tinapple, 2013; Metal Clay Artist, Volume 1, issue 2, 2010; Belle Armoire Jewelry, Volume 2. (authored article Polymer, PMC, and Fringe Bracelet), and Belle Armoire Art to Wear, May/June 2007, to cite just a few.
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