Terry Kovalcik: Dimensional Painting with Metal Clay

by Metalwerx on March 25, 2014

More than two decades into a successful career as a visual artist, Terry Kovalcik experimented with precious metal clay. The fork in the road became a two-lane highway when he developed a slip painting technique that has gained him recognition the world over.

He first heard about PMC from his wife in 1999. Within a year he was certified by the PMC Guild after completing an intense, three-day course in which one must demonstrate expertise in a variety of fabrication and firing techniques. He was hired in 2005 as a Senior Instructor for PMC Certification classes held at the Rio Grande Jewelry Supply company in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Terry’s many years of drawing and painting led to him using a brush to add layers of depth for dramatic depictions in his metal clay jewelry. He has made objects with images using from ten to hundreds of layers in depths. It became known as “viscosity painting” when the technique was published in the PMC Technic.

“The objective is to create dramatic depth and to paint something that is from your soul and uniquely yours,” he said. “It’s exciting to create something out of nothing, just using paste.” This method allows him to bring form and movement to his pieces—and a little bit of whimsy. His jewelry has been featured in numerous editions of the PMC Annual as well as in many magazines and books.

Terry took beginning metalsmithing courses at William Paterson College. The classes came in handy when he took up jewelry making, but he learned much of this craft on his own, or by observing others. He soon found his work accepted into national juried art shows and winning prestigious awards, including first prize at the 2010 PMC Conference’s “Cultural Symbolism” show, for his “Food Chain” necklace. His viscosity painting technique is also included in PMC Technic, published by Tim McCreight’s Brynmorgen Press.

Terry prefers using PMC3 for his slip painting. He says it is stronger, smoother, and comes in a nicely designed receptacle. Other paste jars are too big for the amount of paste within, creating what he calls the “Mayonnaise Jar Syndrome”: when you try to scoop the paste out it gets all over the brush and can never be fully cleaned. He emphatically claims he hates the other jars and loves the “tactile feel of working with a brush. It’s like second nature to me!”

Terry Kovalcik illustration King and Queen

Terry now incorporates complex components that include moving parts, some of which will be included when he teaches “Hinged Lockets and Paste Techniques in Metal Clay,” April 4-6, at Metalwerx. The workshop will explore making a box locket with a hook/hasp closure integrated into the lid. Participants will design paper templates to make patterns and, working with 1 and 2-ply sheet clay, will practice dry construction, sawing, drilling, riveting, wire bending and finishing, to make hollow forms, sheet clay hinges, and closures. And, of course, the workshop includes Terry’s unique method of viscosity painting to give the locket decorative bas-relief effects.

“Lockets have been my biggest muse for metal clay. I’m intrigued by the mechanisms, structure, and mystery that can be contained within,” he said.

Although his illustrating days are far from over, Terry now spends most of his time on jewelry, both making and teaching. In addition to giving private lessons and holding workshops across the US, he returns to England this summer to teach a metal clay carving class and master level locket classes. His exploration of metalworking is constant, as his “bucket list” includes learning enameling and wax carving.

“Whenever I think about developing a new project, I’m drawn to the locket form,” he said. And every project begins with pencil and paper.

“Learn to draw,” he tells all his students. “It’s the basis for all art and the language of seeing. Even if they say they can’t draw, I tell them to just draw something using basic shapes—rectangles, circles, triangles, to get an idea down on paper. [It] helps work out problems that may come up as they start working with metal clay.” To get the most out of his workshops he encourages participants to research “what others are doing with metal clay, not to copy, but to spark ideas. And remember to push the envelope.”

Terry’s jewelry and artwork can be seen online on his website, his Etsy shop “Visual Twists”, and his Facebook page. There are still seats available for his class. To register, click here or call Metalwerx at 781-891-3854.

–by Yleana Martinez

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post:

WordPress Admin