Barbara McGuire
Encyclopedia
Barbara McGuire is an American
artist who is recognized for her works in polymer clay
, painting
and jewelry design
. She has written twelve books and numerous magazine articles on design and instruction including books on polymer clay, wire, beads, and children's art. Her books have been described as "among the most articulate and thoughtful books on polymer clay out there." Her artwork incorporates a strong element of traditional design with innovative materials and artifacts.
McGuire has appeared as a regular guest of the Carol Duvall Show
and has developed stamps, templates and molds for polymer clay.
, Barbara McGuire was always fascinated by art as a child, and after taking art classes, sold her first oil painting at age 13. Although she wanted to be a professional artist, she elected to follow her parents' advice and enter the restaurant business. She did, however, continue to create artwork as a hobby, and sell her work at local art shows.
After moving to San Francisco in 1980, she began working with polymer clay because it required less bulky supplies than other mediums. She also decided to pursue a career in artwork and took a job with craft distributor Stanislaus Imports. On weekends, she continued to attend craft fairs where she sold her artwork.
During a craft fair, McGuire came to the realization that there was a market for pre-made polymer clay canes and decided to go into product development. She approached American Art Clay Company (AMACO) with her idea. The company liked the idea and decided to manufacture the canes and to have her write a how-to book for the product, titled Friendly Clay Millefiori Cane.
Shortly thereafter, she became the creative director of Accent Import-Export, the importers of Fimo
clay. In 1999, she published Foundations in Polymer Clay Design, a book which helped distinguish her as one of creative leaders in her field. The book has been described as "a joy to look at" and "a must have for Polymer Clayers." In 2002, she released Creative Stamping in Polymer Clay which Polymer Clay Polyzine described as "a great reference chart for people ... who are adventurous with materials but don't ... really understand all the possibilities out there."
McGuire has continued to release books at regular intervals, and to date, she has written twelve books, with a thirteenth - Faces In Clay - in progress. She has also written crafting articles for numerous magazines and other publications.
In addition to writing, McGuire has been an innovator in her field. She is the inventor of the "Duo-Stamp," a two-sided rubber stamp
with an inverse and converse design that is popular with the stamping community. Her "Bead Prints" have been described as "amazingly artistic products of great quality and usefulness."
McGuire is currently affiliated with Polyform, who manufacture her new concept, "Shapelets," which are templates used for cropping and cutting shapes for jewelry embellishment and design.
McGuire's profile within the field has led to her appearance on several American crafting shows, including the Carol Duvall Show
where she is a regular contributor. Topics covered during her appearances include both polymer clay crafts and beading/jewelry making.
McGuire describes her work as edgy with an "an element of surprise and non-conformity" and says that her "ultimate goal is to give children and adults the permission and acknowledgment to be creative." She currently resides in Buford, GA, where she runs a classroom studio called Altered Art Source and a local art gallery where she sells her work. She has two children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist who is recognized for her works in polymer clay
Polymer clay
Polymer clay is a sculptable material based on the polymer polyvinyl chloride . It usually contains no clay minerals, and is only called "clay" because its texture and working properties resemble those of mineral clay...
, painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and jewelry design
Jewelry design
Jewelry design is the art or profession of creating, crafting, fabricating, or rendering designs for jewelry. This is an ancient practice of the goldsmith or metalworker that evolved to a billion-dollar industry with the odyssey from ancient cultures into the machine age...
. She has written twelve books and numerous magazine articles on design and instruction including books on polymer clay, wire, beads, and children's art. Her books have been described as "among the most articulate and thoughtful books on polymer clay out there." Her artwork incorporates a strong element of traditional design with innovative materials and artifacts.
McGuire has appeared as a regular guest of the Carol Duvall Show
Carol DuVall Show
The Carol Duvall Show is an arts and crafts show which aired on the HGTV cable channel from 1994 to 2005 hosted by Carol Duvall. It was also broadcast on the DIY Network from 2005 until late-2009...
and has developed stamps, templates and molds for polymer clay.
Background
Growing up in Traverse City, MichiganTraverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
, Barbara McGuire was always fascinated by art as a child, and after taking art classes, sold her first oil painting at age 13. Although she wanted to be a professional artist, she elected to follow her parents' advice and enter the restaurant business. She did, however, continue to create artwork as a hobby, and sell her work at local art shows.
After moving to San Francisco in 1980, she began working with polymer clay because it required less bulky supplies than other mediums. She also decided to pursue a career in artwork and took a job with craft distributor Stanislaus Imports. On weekends, she continued to attend craft fairs where she sold her artwork.
During a craft fair, McGuire came to the realization that there was a market for pre-made polymer clay canes and decided to go into product development. She approached American Art Clay Company (AMACO) with her idea. The company liked the idea and decided to manufacture the canes and to have her write a how-to book for the product, titled Friendly Clay Millefiori Cane.
Shortly thereafter, she became the creative director of Accent Import-Export, the importers of Fimo
FIMO
Fimo is a name for a brand of polymer clay made by German company Staedtler . Fimo is sold worldwide. Its main U.S. competitor is the American brand Sculpey. The material comes in many different colors; there are many finishes to choose from, and even a softener to use with it because it can be...
clay. In 1999, she published Foundations in Polymer Clay Design, a book which helped distinguish her as one of creative leaders in her field. The book has been described as "a joy to look at" and "a must have for Polymer Clayers." In 2002, she released Creative Stamping in Polymer Clay which Polymer Clay Polyzine described as "a great reference chart for people ... who are adventurous with materials but don't ... really understand all the possibilities out there."
McGuire has continued to release books at regular intervals, and to date, she has written twelve books, with a thirteenth - Faces In Clay - in progress. She has also written crafting articles for numerous magazines and other publications.
In addition to writing, McGuire has been an innovator in her field. She is the inventor of the "Duo-Stamp," a two-sided rubber stamp
Rubber stamp
Rubber stamping, also called stamping, is a craft in which some type of ink made of dye or pigment is applied to an image or pattern that has been carved, molded, laser engraved or vulcanized, onto a sheet of rubber. The rubber is often mounted onto a more stable object such as a wood, brick or an...
with an inverse and converse design that is popular with the stamping community. Her "Bead Prints" have been described as "amazingly artistic products of great quality and usefulness."
McGuire is currently affiliated with Polyform, who manufacture her new concept, "Shapelets," which are templates used for cropping and cutting shapes for jewelry embellishment and design.
McGuire's profile within the field has led to her appearance on several American crafting shows, including the Carol Duvall Show
Carol DuVall Show
The Carol Duvall Show is an arts and crafts show which aired on the HGTV cable channel from 1994 to 2005 hosted by Carol Duvall. It was also broadcast on the DIY Network from 2005 until late-2009...
where she is a regular contributor. Topics covered during her appearances include both polymer clay crafts and beading/jewelry making.
McGuire describes her work as edgy with an "an element of surprise and non-conformity" and says that her "ultimate goal is to give children and adults the permission and acknowledgment to be creative." She currently resides in Buford, GA, where she runs a classroom studio called Altered Art Source and a local art gallery where she sells her work. She has two children.