Sunday 26 January 2014

The creative continuum of seven artists–reveal one!


***If you are here for the “Grow Your Blog” hop you can find that specific post right here***

Monique of A half-baked notion is first up on this little monthly blog hop masterminded by sweet Alicia.  Monique used inspiration from the National Gallery of Canada exhibit: Artists, Architects & Artisans.  I’m a lucky small town Ottawa girl with big city treats like a National Gallery to go visit – and visit we did.  The Gallery does an excellent job making the space interesting for all ages, Averleigh had a great time and did not want to leave.  They had a table full of supplies, and an employee to direct you to them, set up in the Garden Court to make “miniature environments”.  They handed me a piece of heavy stock paper with instruction to fold and cut to make the floor and two walls of a room. Then you could choose to make your furnishings from pasticine and there was assorted crafts stuff for decorating.  Averleigh chose just to draw instead but the idea got stuck in my head.

all in a row

With the new year here, I had been tidying up the studio and found these unfinished wood dollhouse armoires.  I seem to remember they were a quarter or less, and you know, I needed them.  I had to get to painting them and decided I’d make all the interior white so I can use them for the much higher purpose of storing some special beads in my studio.

long scale earrings

Oh look it can hold earrings!  These are a bit of a warm up to the main event.  Monique sent along the pretty wood squares and I matched them with a little frosted blue glass, a jet black octagonal type crystal (32 unequal faces called ?) and a bronze coloured enamel headpin.  It’s the exaggerated scale of the huge kidney ear wires that remind me of the era.  Actually, I really need to show you the necklace to walk through all the inspiration…

pour me a gin

Monique’s butterfly is exquisite and I knew I had no desire to add any of my own polymer work, I was just looking for a way to showcase it.  After seeing the beautiful iron work at the exhibit I had all kinds of fanciful antennae ideas floating through my mind.  I eventually pulled out my super special piece of reLuma from my friend Annie.  This piece of glass is from a gin bottle, it’s a square diamond and it is blue – that’s a trifecta of awesome for me.  Once I wrangled that 16g wire around the glass the rest kind of fell into place.  I love the czech glass that Monique included it’s such a beautiful match to the faux wood of the pendant. 

clasp

I recently acquired those black crystals from Andrew Thornton in a mystery box of goodies (so full of wonderful things).  They were just the thing reminded me of these dramatic iron light fixtures from the exhibit.  The lampwork in the centre of the horn ring  is from Bead Abundant

artisan butterfly a deco

I’m sure there is special term for the proportions of the time, but I don’t know it.  That equivalent of the golden rectangle was what I was going for and I certainly enjoyed the pursuit.

back appreciation

A moment of appreciation for the beautifully finished textured back of the pendant.  I can recall being very concerned myself about making the back special on a piece so I sanded and buffed it so smooth, it was beautiful.  But the first time I wore it I found out that is really the worst since all that did was allow it to stick to my chest in the most irritating fashion.  This is how to do it right!

in circle

What a treat to create with beautiful things collected and made by friends.  I’m very excited to see what the rest of our CC7A group created!

Here’s the team:
Monique of A Half-Backed Notion
Christine of One Kiss Creations
Cynthia of Antiquity Travelers
Sally of The Studio Sublime
Therese of Therese's Treasures
Alicia of All The Pretty Things
and me makes 7

It’s such a privilege to be invited to take part in this blog hop continuum, that Alicia, sweet and clever!  My mind has already started turning around ideas for next month, featuring Christine’s piece and inspiration of “round and round”.  In truth, March is further ahead in my brain but I like to invent rules like I have to do each month in order, just to add my own crazy into the mix.

13 comments:

  1. You have such fun with this challenge!!
    Both pieces are beautiful, love the combination of aqua and browns, and those dollhouse forniture is so cute!!
    Alenka

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  2. Wow Emma your necklace is gorgeous and so are the earrings you made. I love how you did the wire to make the antennae for the beautiful butterfly that Monique created. The glass open square was just the right touch to add to the butterfly pendant it give an impression of the blue sky.
    Therese

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  3. I am quite jealous you actually did see the exhibition (in a good way, not green jealous!) - as much as I wish to live in the woods most of the time, I know I'll miss the big city offerings (especially in the arts and science area). Both the necklace and the earrings are gorgeous, I love how you added a few special items and made such a unique piece, showcasing Monique's focal to perfection in the process!
    I had to smile at your comments on the blue diamond - you're so right :)
    Thank you for being part of the Continuum!

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  4. Emma~this necklace is so interesting and beautiful. The focal builds up to another focal which builds up to another focal and it all works! The colors are soothing and when I saw this, I thought it would rock with the classic jeans and white t-shirt! Those earrings would be swinging from my lobes every day! Really lovely work!

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  5. Beautiful! I can definitely see the inspiration of the iron light fixtures and I am enthralled by the blue glass, it was a gin bottle! The glass beautifully compliments Monique's wood inspired polymer clay pendant! The earrings are classic, I could wear them everyday! They have a great swing to them!!

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  6. Oh that is brilliant! frosted glass to bring out the blue paua shell of her focal! What a beautiful design and so unique - love it! Agree with Christine .... knock out necklace with jeans and a T! And those earrings ... I'd wear those everyday.

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  7. The frosted glass is just so perfect and gives the weight you were looking for I think. Beautiful necklace!

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  8. Every stop on this Challenge has been a moment of amazement for me... and again I draw in breath, shake my head and am humbled and proud to see a little piece of my work so generously elevated by the talent of my fellow artist. Emma, I had tears in my eyes when I glimpsed what you have made! Fresh from your personal tour of the Gallery, to physically connect with what is mere image to me, you have woven a singularly beautiful combination of form, function and story. The gradation of blues into silver grays, beautifully aligned with the golds and browns, and framed with fluid wire sculpture: I absolutely love this design!

    Your generous words of praise, especially as a fellow lover of polymer clay, are extra special to me, Emma :) Thank you so much for being part of an event I will treasure forever, and find inspiration in when the Muse yawns :)

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  9. BTW, I googled "octagonal type crystal with 32 unequal faces" (you knew I would, right?)... and got... nada :( But lots of interesting intel on crystals. Yummy!

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  10. Love how you made the pendant, so many neat elements going on which makes for a gorgeous necklace.

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  11. Emma the blue glass really sets off the pendant well. You made beautiful color choices.

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  12. Beautiful necklace, and the doll furniture reminds me of Dr. Who :-)

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  13. Oh goodness those armoires are so cute. What a great way to display and photograph earrings. Your focal is bold and amazing!

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