Media Reviews: Push Play for PMC Video

Push Play for PMC Video:
Intermediate Techniques
with Celie Fago & Tim McCreight
Running time: two hours
PMC Guild, (970) 419-5503, PMCguild.com.

Reviewed by Mary Maynor

A Sunday afternoon private workshop with two of the great PMC masters, Celie Fago and Tim McCreight — my best description of this video. The pace is nice and mellow and allows the viewer to absorb and take notes. The quality is great with clear extreme close-up views.

The video is made up of six sections and an appendix. McCreight heads up the first section with a ring project, full of ideas and use of low-tech tools, including texture tools made from popsicle sticks. In the second section (Cuneiform Pendant) Fago takes the viewer through the whole process of making a pendant, working with leather-hard PMC clay, and using carving techniques. The third section covers molds, making buttons, adding loops, and setting stones. McCreight demonstrates mold making using the end of an orange, then creates two different buttons using this one mold. One might come away looking at produce in a whole new light.

Attaching components by using slip is the focus of the fourth section. These techniques are a great foundation and allow one to build just about anything with imagination and PMC. The final two sections are Firing and Finishing, two important steps when working with PMC. Kilns, shelving, polishing papers, brushes, cloths, and burnishers are also discussed. The Appendix consists of technical or chemical descriptions of PMC and PMC+. Ways to use different roller tools and oxidizing silver are also presented to the viewer. Finally, resources for purchasing PMC, tools, and supplies are given including addresses, telephone numbers, and Web sites.

This video presents an intermediate level of techniques. The viewer should know the basics of PMC to avoid any confusion. This is a great addition to any library.

Visit www.PMCguild.com for ordering information.

Mary Maynor currently lives in San Antonio, Texas, teaches children and adult classes and workshops, maintains personal artwork for sale and exhibition, and operates three physician’s transcription services specializing in orthopaedics. Recently certified in PMC, she says she is “hooked” with a passion and hopes to bridge her background of papermaking, printmaking, and book arts.