Feb 272010
Feb 202010
Feb 192010
I have recently (you may have noticed) really been enjoying the internet beading world, meeting and making quite a few internet friends. Thanks to Lori Anderson and Cindy Wimmer, both jewelry designers, I met Erin, one of the 84 jewelry designers who participated in the Bead Soup Party. All three of these lades create wonderful jewelry – each in her own unique style.
Meanwhile, thanks to my new interest in learning what they are up to, I discovered that Erin is sponsoring a beading challenge based on The Solar System. Erin’s posts are all inspiring in different ways. Her Solar System challenge, however, inspired me to make a necklace. It is strange, since just a few days ago I listed some of my beads for sale, beads I hadn’t been inspired to use in my own jewelry. I named one group “Starry Night.” Go look at the picture of the loose beads – you’ll see why I pulled them out of the “For Sale” bin, and proceeded use them to make a necklace for this challenge.
The result: “Milky Way Necklace”
Milky Way Necklace Closeup
I added natural stick pearls, silver seed beads, howlite stars and some other goodies to create a Milky Way with my glass beads. Learn what inspired Erin, check out what other challengers have done, and enjoy my necklace, “Milky Way.” Thank you Erin.
Feb 172010
I’ve finally got some of my beads listed for sale. Thank you to everyone who has requested this for so-0-0 long. I’ll keep posting new ones every weekend (Saturdays) that I’m not at a show. Happy Beading!
Feb 142010
I fnished my first sculptural piece, entitled: “Memories; Aegean Tideline”
Memories: Aegean Tideline
I changed it a fair amount from the first photo I showed you here. I totally cut apart the first crocheted “net” I made, and redid it using a smaller fishing line. I learned alot about shadow boxes (I’ve never used one before) – and am sure my second piece will be even better. “Tideline’ will be for sale beginning March 6, 2010 at The Gallery at Round Top. All proceeds will benefit ACT. Contact the Gallery if you would like to bid.
Feb 122010
Luna Park by Vestie Davis
I still haven’t finished looking at all the Bead Soup websites. Have you? My post and info about what I made for the Bead Soup Party is here. Meanwhile, I have been working on yet another challenge – The Art Bead Scene challenge for February based on a painting entitled “Luna Park” by Vestie Davis. Read the ABS challenge blog here. Garnering inspiration from this painting really did challenge me, since I don’t like the paintings’ colors, don’t like the paintings’ style of painting, in fact, just plain don’t like it. How negative is that? Hey, that’s the challenge part of it, eh? So, scratching my head, I blinked at those pinwheel things in the center, and thought “Murrini.”
Yep, murrini, those little intricate jewels that we lampworkers make by combining lots of colors of glass together into patterns, then pull out into a smaller glass cane. Afterwards, we chop the cane into little bits, and melt the bits into a bead. I forgot to take pictures of the murrini I made in Luna Park colors, however, here is a picture of other murrini I made and is leftover from other projects. You’ll get the idea. So, anyway, I made murrini in Luna Park colors, and was off and running.
Murrini
I made some hollow and flats beads, applied the murrini, and added decorations in other colors from the painting. Made some solid color beads. After all the beads were annealed, cooled, and cleaned, I strung a long necklace using them.
Bingo – a winner. All inspired by something I initally didn’t think was inspiring. How’s that for fun? ( and Luna Park does look like a fun place, I admit).
Here is the February Art Bead Scene challenge necklace I made -entitled, what else, “Luna Park Necklace.” Look closely and you’ll see the pinwheel murrinis. Enjoy!
Long Necklace Inspired by the painting "Luna Park"
Necklace I made with copper links and focal from Cindy and my glass beads and hammered circle links
- Beads Cindy Wimmer Made for Me
- Click For Bead Soup Party Players
Remember the Bead Soup Party? Each of us Party Players were given a partner by hostess Lori Anderson. (Thanks Lori, for setting up the party – go on over and follow the links to see what we all created). We exchanged beads, and then made something out of the beads our partner sent us. I had a ball!
See the picture of the beads my partner Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studio, made for me out of copper. Aren’t they great? Cindy writes for several books and magazines about making wire beads. Check out her web site to see what she does, and learn how she makes them. (And find out what she did with the beads I sent her!).
Look at the necklace I made with her beads! I love it. I decided early on to use some of my glass disks. I just didn’t know exactly how I would connect them with Cindy’s links. Eureka! I decided to let her intricate links stand out, and made some simple assorted sized circles out of brass wire, some of the copper wire she sent me, and some black steel wire. I used all sorts of jars and bottles to wrap the wire into circles, cut it, hammered it, and Jim taught me how to solder. I then slightly oxidized the cicles, buffing off part of the oxidation by hand. I think the three metals look great together with the glass disks. The copper focal bead sets everything off perfectly. I stepped way out of my usual design style thanks to Cindy, and I am thrilled with the result. Hope you like it!!
Feb 052010
I make glass beads, and almost always turn those beads into jewelry. My work carries the tag line “Wearable Art | Born in Fire.”
This month, however, I am beginning something new – Mixed Media Art. Actually, it is so new I don’t really know what to call it. Two other beginnings led me to start this new art.
I recently joined Art Bead Scene, a group hosting an event called “Blog Carnival.” Posting a blog on a secret topic with a group of other bead artists sounded like a fun challenge. I squeaked in under the wire to join. This month’s post, due today, and linked into the group on February 17th, is on the topic, Beginnings. How apropos, as I am beginning a new phase in my art.
I’ve been creating works of wall art in my head for about a year now, and telling myself, “Oh, I’ll figure out how to do this soon.” My procrastination has dragged on an on. I even discussed my ideas with Karen Vernon, owner of The Gallery of Round Top (one of the galleries that sell my jewelry). Karen said, “Just do one piece of wall art a month – just one. It will get you started.” Great idea, only January slid by and I still hadn’t done anything except sketch out another idea. I envisioned combo glass and fiber piece, suspended inside a shadow box. The box would protect the glass yet at the same time, since the work would hang away from the box, light could move around the glass. A crocheted net would enfold the beads. Flotsam and jetsam trapped in “An Aegean Tide Line.” I see it clearly.
Meanwhile (also at the last minute) Karen invited me to join ACT (Artists Changing Tomorrow). Here’s their mission statement: “ACT, Artists Changing Tomorrow, is a program developed to sustain and maintain the arts: visual, literary and performing. This program’s goal is to provide art education, school and community art programs and performances, and overall community arts outreach. The program is supported by artists, patrons and benefactors who are aware of the contribution that the arts make to society and who selflessly seek to support the creative process.”
Act’s first benefit auction/show begins March 17th – and guess what? All the pieces are 12” x 12” and can either be a flat painting, or a dimensional piece inside a shadow box. I picked up the box yesterday.
Here’s the sketch I did a while back, with a few of the beads I haven’t put in yet.
My sketchbook with a drawing of the wall box art, and a few of my vessel beads
And here’s the beginning of the piece, with some of the beads already on the crocheted net. It’s a beginning.
I’ll keep you posted as the piece progresses. Some coral and barnacle beads coming out of the kiln this morning – beginnings ———–!
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