Spatial Composition Earrings

Tags

abs02, Art Bead Scene, art beads, earrings, modern, polymer clay

Here is another entry for the Art Bead Scene Studio’s “Art Journey #6“. This time the inspiration was modern constructivist sculpture by Katarzyna Kobro.

Spatial Composition No. 6 | 1931 | Katarzyna Kobro

I was lucky enough to win a package of beads by Erin Prais-Hintz (Tesori Trovati) so I had an easy place to start.

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My first pair of earrings feature Erin’s polymer clay components which I paired with hammered wire directly on sterling silver creole hoops. To me the inspiration sculptures are about primary colours and primary shapes so I picked up the circle and the line motif from polymer component. I decided to hang them on the hoops so that the wire additions could be moved to the front or the back to change the composition of the earrings. This also gives them a three dimensional existence like the sculptures.

The next pair of earrings feature Erin’s box charms. I made my own polymer clay components to go inside, but they didn’t feel right when I came to assemble the earrings. Instead used some of the glass beads that she sent and added the white polymer clay circles as a reference to the white curves in the inspiration sculptures.

The last pair of earrings I made were slightly accidental and are not quite fully developed. Originally I made the red polymer clay curves to go inside the box charms, but then I decided I preferred them on their own. However I had only made two for my original idea so I had to make another pair and wait till my oven was full to do another bake so that took an extra week.

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The curved components are free to move around the pins to create a variety of compositions. Originally these were just red, but last night (after I had finished making them into earrings), I decided they needed white for more visual contrast. Therefore I dismantled them to add a white outline and baked again. Looking at them now I think I should have made the little cubes different colours too, maybe blue or yellow. However that would mean starting from scratch so it’s not going to happen in time for this challenge!

It’s surprisingly difficult working with minimalist blocks of colour and shape. There’s no texture to hide imperfections or whimsical decorative distractions.

Firework Earrings

Tags

abs02, Art Bead Scene, artisan bead, ceramic, earrings, fireworks, handmade

Having finally finished my bracelet I was inspired to look at what the current Art Bead Scene challenge is. The inspiration this time is fireworks.

I made a pair of earrings using ceramic charms made by Sharleen Newland from Shaterra. (I’ve been hoarding these for a few years now and it looks like she now works with leather rather than ceramic.) Also, although you can’t see them, the jump rings are also significant because they came from a goodie bag of components sold to raise funds for Breast Cancer on behalf of Liz Welch who sadly passed away a few years ago.

Firework earrings with handmade ceramic charms

These were pretty frustrating to make with lots of undoing and redoing. I’m not entirely convinced that the earrings show off the charms to best effect. I think the tassels obscure rather than enhance the sunny burst, but within the context of the inspiration image they work tolerably. After I was finished it occurred to me that there might be more pop if the beads at the end of the tassels were gold instead of blue, but I didn’t have the energy to start again (again).

Anyway, I hope you like them.

Probably Definitely Finished

Tags

art bead, Art Bead Scene, bead, colourful, freeform beading, polymer clay, primary colours

Today I am sharing a bracelet that I started making back in March 2013 and which I have finally decided to declare finished! I began it as part of the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge. Since I was expecting to have a baby that month I didn’t really suppose I would finish in time, but seven and a half years is slightly longer than expected.

Here is the inspiration painting.

Deer In the Forest, 1911
Marc Franz
Oil on Canvas, 100.97 x 104.78 cm
Philips Collection, Washington DC, USA
(Please note this art is copyrighted and is to be used only as inspiration.)

And <drum roll> here is the bracelet. It’s my first real attempt at freeform beadwork. There was a lot of stop-start (mostly stop) and unpicking and redoing involved.

Freeform bead bracelet by Cate van Alphen

The focal art bead was made by me and is polymer clay with a foil core for lightness. I tried to balance the weight by using a glass nugget on the giant press stud closure. I haven’t worn the bracelet enough to decide if this has worked successfully.

Glass nugget closure.

The most difficult part with this kind of freeform piece is knowing when to stop. So I think it’s finished. Definitely… or at least I don’t think I want to do anymore to it.

What do you think? Was it was worth the wait?

Art Bead Scene Challenge – June

Tags

glass nugget, macrame necklace, MAY ABS, pendant, polymer clay

I’m pleased that this month I have completed a necklace for the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge. Here’s the inspiration painting:

“Literary Poster for the Century Magazine”, 1896 by John Louis Rhead
Original Lithographic Poster Printed in Colour with Letterpress

I made the pendant from polymer clay and a glass nugget. The sculpted spiral at the bottom reminded me of the roses in the image.

I picked up the olive-green colour in the cords I used. I decided to form slightly meandering macramé as a reference to the organic stems in the image. I added a scattering of gold pearls and bronze beads to echo the colours of the pendant.

It’s quite a short – nearly choker length so I have added an extender chain to ensure it will fit.

Art Bead Scene April Challenge

Tags

APR ABS, art bead, earrings, handmade, polymer clay

I have made two pairs of earrings for the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge. I made the polymer clay art beads for them too. Here’s the inspiration painting:

Jacob’s Ladder by Helen Frankenthaler
Oil on canvas, 1957

Here are the earrings:

Earrings by Cate van Alphen

The first pair of earrings is smaller and the beads are more regular. I paired them with green crystal cubes and seed beads on niobium pins.

The second pair of beads I made were more organic and irregular. They reminded me of seed pods. I made them into longer earrings with a leaf charm at the bottom.

ABS February Challenge

Tags

ArtVessel, FEB ABS, inro, necklace, polymer clay

I have finally finished sanding the polymer clay inro that I made for the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge. I combined this challenge with my personal challenge of making a vessel each week.

Simultaneous Dress next to the Simultaneous Car by Sonia Delaunay
Illustrated by George Lepape from January 1925

I had originally intended the inro to be a necklace pendant, but I also wanted it to be big enough to be functional i.e. a key and some cash will fit inside. As a necklace it’s a bit bigger than I’d be comfortable wearing, but I have strung it in a way that allows it to be adaptable… or maybe it just doesn’t know what it wants to become when it grows up.

Inro necklace by Cate van Alphen

If you pull the two beads below the box the cord can be tied in a knot, shortening the necklace into a strap so it can be used like a purse with tassels below. Similarly it could be tied to a belt using a larks head knot and worn in a more traditional way.

The little red ribbon is actually of vital structural importance and replaces the netsuke in stopping the sliding bead (ojime) from falling off the top of the necklace. It took me nearly a week to come up with that! I wanted something that wouldn’t be uncomfortable at the back of the neck if worn as a necklace. I like the cheeky bit of asymmetry it adds.

 

Art Bead Scene January Challenge

Tags

art bead, bracelet, Cate van Alphen, earring, handmade bead, JAN ABS, polymer clay, star, starfish

As my girls would sing “For the first time in forever…” I have made an entry for the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge. I do follow along every month and usually plan something, but I don’t often get to sit down and make it.

Landscape with Stars by Henri-Edmond Cross
Watercolor over graphite on paper, ca. 1905–1908

I had been thinking about making polymer clay star beads over Christmas, so I thought it would be easy peasy to make a couple for a pair of earrings. But, then I had enough clay for three stars so I thought the third would make a nice charm for a bracelet. So I made a few more beads in different shapes to make a bracelet. And a few more stars in different sizes…

Polymer clay jewellery by Cate van Alphen

In the end I didn’t use the third star charm and I now have a bowl of beads waiting to become something when they grow up. The bracelet ended up daintier than I planned. The chunkier beads in the bracelet irritated me – I think because I use my hands a lot.

Star bracelet by Cate van Alphen

Initially the earrings were just supposed to be the large star charm on the bottom hung from an ear-wire, but they grew.

Star earrings by Cate van Alphen

The back shows a little cross-pollination with Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night”.

Back of earrings by Cate van Alphen

Some of the stars twist around the wrong way but they look quite cute – like little starfish. Sometimes I feel like my sparkle is hiding on the inside too so that’s ok. 🙂

Art Bead Scene September monthly challenge

Tags

art bead, Autumn, earring, handmade bead, nature, necklace, polymer clay, SEP ABS

It’s a lucky coincidence that I have something for this month’s Art Bead Scene challenge. I’d just made a pair of earrings to co-ordinate with the Bronze Oddment necklace I made a while ago and, as I was uploading them to my etsy store, I realised the colours were perfect for this month’s painting.

View of the Pond at Charleston, East Sussex by Vanessa Bell
Oil on canvas, 79.8 x 84 cm

Here are the earrings. I used polymer clay beads which I made myself together with glass seed beads. They are attached to tiny brass washers I found in an old bracelet and bronze coloured niobium ear-wires. I like how the shards of polymer clay suggest the falling leaf motif of the curtain.

Oddment earrings by Cate van Alphen

And here’s a new image of the necklace they were made to co-ordinate with.

Bronze Oddment Necklace by Cate van Alphen

Art Bead Scene April Challenge

Tags

APR ABS, brown, Cate van Alphen, green, handmade beads, polymer clay

Although I’d like to claim full responsibility, the necklace I made for this month’s ABS challenge seemed to make itself.

Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, 1940 by Frida Kahlo
Oil on Canvas, 61.25 cm × 47 cm

It all started when I was taking photographs the polymer clay beads I made for my Etsy shop, and I was inspired to put the green and brown beads together.

I loved the combination, but unfortunately I only had four of the brown beads. The strand wasn’t even long enough for a bracelet, and they didn’t work so well together when “watered down” with other beads. Then I remembered when I was back at school (in my original zigzag phase) I did a drawing of the Midgard Serpent with small sections of different patterns all down the length. This gave me the idea to make a necklace using several short motifs of different beads.

Oddment necklace by Cate van Alphen

I call it an Oddment necklace, and it was a great way to use up some orphan beads. There’s no clasp – it just goes over the head. I like the way it looks different depending on the way it’s hung. I hope it conjures up some of the richness of Frida’s paintings.

Oddment necklace by Cate van Alphen

The short section of beads on waxed cotton cord is a nod to the intertwined thorns of the inspiration painting.

Art Bead Scene – December 2014

Tags

art bead, bead earrings, Cate van Alphen, DEC ABS, earring, handmade beads, monthly challenge, polymer clay

The earrings I made for this month’s Art Bead Scene Challenge may seem a little abstract because I can’t share all the steps I took to get there (yet!). The beads I used are handmade by me from polymer clay (other than the gold seed beads in the last pair of earrings).

Choir of Sint-Bavokerk, Haarlem 1635 by Pieter Jansz Saenedam
Oil on Oak Panel, 37.1 x 48.2 cm

Rustic sequin stack earrings by Cate van Alphen

Monochrome earrings – inspired by the geometric structure of the painting.

White stack and glitter bead earrings by Cate van Alphen

Earrings with gold glitter beads (because it’s Christmas). I thought I could get away with these because of the gold chandelier in the painting.

Offset stack bead earrings by Cate van Alphen

The last pair is a bit of a tangent away from the painting. I was worried the stacks of flat disk beads looked a little like electric power line insulators so I tried a pair with the holes drilled off centre. I discovered that I needed to drill two holes to prevent the beads spinning around inelegantly. I was trying to achieve a look of an impossibly precarious cairn. The idea is pretty much the opposite of the order and structure of the painting, but don’t tell the muse!