Saturday 29 March 2014

Art Bead Scene March challenge

If it is one thing I’m really good at it is coming up with the perfect design a couple months too late.  Still working on turning that around and increasing my studio “action” time borrowing from my dreaming, rearranging and blank staring studio time.  I come by it honestly.  I remember many occasions when my dad would head down to the basement workshop after dinner and them come up for the 11 o’clock news and my mum would look at me “did you hear the saw at all?” I’d shake my head knowing we were about to hear “still in design phase”.

Today, a wee step forward.

march ABS A Polymer Penchant

My entry for the Art Bead Scene’s March challenge  - during the month of March!

This bracelet was inspired by Adolf Dietrich’s Birds On Riser, 1944. (and the huge spring snow banks outside my door)



Thinking on that springtime snow, I imagined the base of this little feeder and all the little circling footprint of birds and squirrels you would see in that snow, eating up all that fell.  I knew I had just the beads from many years gone by to represent this idea.

march ABS A Polymer Penchant b

I made these little polymer coins at least five years ago.  They are sanded super smooth and feel like silk, harvested from a simple necklace that never quite had “it”.  The wood window bead and little blue bird, from blueberribeads were quick to fall in line. Some teeny pearls pretending to be bird seed and some little pink flowers trying to poke out from the snow finish off my literal interpretation.

march ABS A Polymer Penchant c

Oh, I glossed over the part where I took forever to actually make the bracelet since I couldn’t quite decide how I would have this little guy stand up this way, perpendicular to the polymer coins rather than in line.  In the end I’m pleased with the result, just wish I could move the process a bit quicker.

Back in February the ABS challenge featured the work of Paul Klee with The Rose Garden, 1920.  I had just created a series of long tassel necklaces in this same palette and the whole month managed to pass on by without me photographing them to share.



True to form, here they are a couple months later.  They also feature the darling birds of blueberribeads each sitting on a little crystal “egg”.  I created a polymer nest and polymer adorned tassel, along with my little wood burned beads. 

Spring thoughts copy

6 comments:

  1. well as they say "better late than never" . I too am a >cough< procrastinator >cough< and I suffer from the same syndrome as you ,dreaming', cleanin' reorganising and ,especially lately this winter, blank staring. The results of which, from you, are stunning. I love all your creations here and esp the window, that is an amazing idea to create the frame, and the wires create the mullions even though they don't continue all the way across. Brilliant! love the tassel colours , so cheery and spring like ,just what we all need after this seemingly unending winter.

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  2. Congrats on fixing the time machine, Emma :) Just don't post anything from a FUTURE challenge...

    I LOVE your interpretation of the Dietrich, especially the footprints-in-the-snow nod to our Canadian spring, and the subtlety of the bird in the window (possibly begging to be allowed indoors out of the late-season blizzard... oops, no, that would be here in New Brunswick LOL).

    I had a Dad with a rich interior life, too. I guess that's where I learned that it's OK if only a tiny part of what I dream/plan/create/tear-apart/recreate/give-up-on/resurrect even makes it onto the blog. Though I have to say, the pure discipline of my 100days/100pairs participation has forced me to keep it real. Somewhat *TeeHee*

    I love the tasseled birdies, too, but I think I may have already said so :)

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  3. I love how everything has come together in your bracelet... those white beads were just waiting for your window, it's a beautiful interpretation of the painting!

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  4. I love this sweet bird bracelet! and fits perfectly with the challenge

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  5. These are my favoritest ones of ALL entries for these two challenges!

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  6. I absolutely love what you have done! A brilliant piece of jewelry :)

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I'd love to hear what you think, thanks for taking the time to join in the conversation