Third time’s the charm

With bead soup fixins needing attention I kicked it in to high gear to get my Art Bead Scene challenge pieces done – one whole day early!  I had hopes of getting it done right at the start, even had the groundwork going. True to my nature though, if I have the time, I take the time.
Let’s get down to it! Here is the inspiration



Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks an interesting choice to me.  In searching for a starting point I’m immediately drawn to the woman dressed in red.  I can’t quite decide if the body language is a relaxed enjoyment of keeping a good night going by one more stop. Or, if it’s more a case of “I thought we were going out dancing, what gives?”  Either way she looks finely dressed and could sure use some fantastic jewelry.
I hit up the library for some more inspiration to help with appropriate styling.  Forties Fashion by Jonathan Walford was a pretty comprehensive view of the era and helped me form some more ideas.  I decided to keep the palette simple black and red since she’s a red head in a red dress.  Lastly, with the poppies blooming in my yard that shape was stuck in my head too.

Here it is -- Hot Date



A little lava bead, onyx, horn, chain and fantastic button to set off my handmade polymer poppies.  These poppies took four separate curings to achieve the dimension and strength of all polymer connections – ie no glues.  I was torn about where to drill the holes knowing that the large front was going to want to obey gravity and tip forward if it were centre drilled I thought I’d just drill the top third. Then I decided part of the joy of poppies is the way they flow all over in any wind because they are exactly that, top heavy on a wispy stem. 



So leaning forward a bit, one will hang down.  Straighten up and it turns to the side.



Knowing that this would be a bit untamed I considered the back also, so you get one more poppy around the backside



She needed earrings, simple earrings.



Vintage, well 80s, aluminum chain links with polymer rounds attached by cotton cord.

Of course, I had more beads I made up before I had a design idea.  I thought they could come together with some leather for a funky modern bracelet.  But hammers and sleeping 2 year olds don’t mix the same way my modern bracelet idea doesn’t fit on this forties chick.



This will be taken apart, but there’s the start of an idea there… somewhere…

I’m happy I’ve been able to do the last three challenges after spending so long not joining in.  My new goal – finish out the year and do them all!