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The Millefiori Technique
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The Millefiori technique derives from a Venetian glassmaking process; however, in place of glass, Raw Art uses Polymer Clay. This innovating and flexible medium facilitates the creation of very intricate and elaborated designs than those produce with glass.
Polymer clay comes in a full spectrum of colors, but Raw Art often mixes their own allowing them to achieve a broader palette. They combine the clays into intricate patterns, roll them into cylinders (called canes), and then they slice into thin cross-sections. This process is very similar to that of rolling dough for cookies or for making candy. The slices are molded into objects and then baked to harden the clay. Each item is individually designed and is a unique work of art. Raw Art practices high standards of professionalism, and customer service insuring that every art piece is individually crafted, functional, and unique.
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The production of Millefiori patterns was developed in Italy and can be traced back to the middle ages, to the ancient Egyptians and Romans who worked on glass. Raw Art has taken Millefiori to another level finding its inspiration for their color mixes in elaborate tiles found in Mexico, Spain, Asia, and in the Southern California Malibu Pottery Works.
New Directions: “Painting with Clay”
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Raw Art's most recent innovative works depart from the Millefiori look, and the artists describe their new style as "painting with clay". Instead of rolling the Polymer Clay, they mix colors with a pasta roller, achieving a mottled, marbleized, blended look. The new mix is combined with other rolled pieces, and sometimes painted to produce an entirely new look.