Art Bead Scene challenge, Homer inspiration

I shared an entry for the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge the other day and I was thrilled to see it up on the blog Monday as a featured design. Since it wasn’t the original plan I had I thought I better hurry up and get my “real” entry done and show you.

Here is the Winslow Homer inspiration once more, so I can explain my thoughts.



I mentioned before how that glistening water really caught my eye.  It instantly reminded me of a polymer veneer I had in the works with silver leaf.  I retrieved that polymer and got to work reconditioning it, waking it up – if you will. I  took a blade to the sheet with a very loose hand and cut it into a whole bunch of undulating strips.  I layered these stripes over a freshly mixed marine blue to create my own shimmering waves.  [note this difference in “settled clay” versus “fresh mixed” is what creates the crackle and tear you see in the white section below. I think it’s probably important to note that those cracks are healed in the process, so the surface itself is totally smooth and strong but maintains the charm of the imperfection].

I also think you can’t help but feel the presence of the boat approaching from the left.   It gives a sense of movement with the sailor leaning forward as if to see how much room to pass by.  (I’m no art critic, this is just what I see intended or not).   This had me thinking of the shapes of the boats in the water and this was the starting point for creating the focal beads for my piece.



Do you see it?  Think of yourself as observing the boats from above.  I wanted to have a focal with that slight intrusion of second body moving towards that focal point.  Now a bead this shape is not meant to be at such an angle but with the joy of polymer I was able to create a channel along the top to secure it in that position, no flipping over – take that gravity!  Continuing on the nautical theme, there just had to be knotting, and I didn’t have any white rope on hand so I went ahead and made three white knotted rings of varying size. This is also where the pennants started, I think they add some whimsy.  There are three crystal water drops and another silk sail reference to round out this all marine theme. 

Here are more of the details of this necklace I think I shall call “when two ships meet”.



There was one other element I couldn’t work into this design without things getting crowded so I think there just may be a third and final entry this month! We’ll see.

Confession time

So yeah, about tomorrow…and how I told you fine folks I would have more to show off from my bead soup in time for the third reveal.  Well instead of actually finishing pieces of jewelry I made four or five more types of coordinating beads.  I sat down to create and still, one idea I had in mind – I hadn’t made the right beads for.  Story of my life. But the great news is there will be so much beady goodness going on tomorrow no one will miss me! Find the third reveal links here.  I do promise when the pieces are done I will be showing them off, it’s going to be a whole collection by the time I’m done.