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.

• 

• 

• 

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.

• 

• 

• 

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 – Hummingbird Surprise

Tags

art bead, Art Bead Scene, art charm, bracelet, hummingbird, macrame, necklace, NOV ABS, orchid, polymer clay

**Click here if you looking for the Art Charm Swap.**

This month’s Art Bead Scene Challenge inspired jewellery surprised me a little. Here is the inspiration painting:

“Cattelya Orchid and Three Hummingbirds” 1871 by Martin Johnson Heade
Oil on Mahogany Panel, 34.8 x 45.6 cm

Initially I focused on the orchid, and made some polymer clay focal beads/pendants inspired by it. I did string one of the orchids, but I figured it either needed something simple or something totally flamboyant. I went with simple since my supplies are still packed.

Orchid Necklace by Cate van Alphen

But then I thought the finished necklace was a bit too simple for a challenge piece.

Next I realised that the charm I received from Chris Eisenberg as part of the Art Charm Swap looked like a little hummingbird. I matched the beads and thread to the charm without reference to the painting. I made some polymer clay twist charms which are metallic green – they make me think of wings/leaves/petals. I added some AB coated beads and bright purple thread. The purple thread surprised me until I took another look at the painting and saw the throat of the hummingbird.

The charms are on a macrame cord with knots that twist forming a helix effect. I was thinking about the twist of the hummingbird’s wing as it hovers. I’ve been watching “The Life of Birds” on BBC catchup which has some wonderful slow motion footage of this (28:15).

Hummingbird Bracelet by Cate van Alphen

The bracelet is adjustable with the threads sliding through a central bead. I have left the ends quite long and added a little stack of beads to each so that they flit around the wrist like tiny hummingbirds around a flower.

Hummingbird Bracelet by Cate van Alphen

There we go – Hummingbird Surprise!

Orchid evolution

Tags

art bead, Art Bead Scene, Cate van Alphen, flower, focal bead, orchid, pendant, pink, polymer clay, purple

Back in 2010 I made my “Imperial Orchid” necklace. I really wanted to explore the idea further, but I never got round to it.

Imperial Orchid necklace by Cate van Alphen

So this month’s Art Bead Scene challenge painting was just the nudge I needed.

“Cattelya Orchid and Three Hummingbirds” 1871 by Martin Johnson Heade
Oil on Mahogany Panel, 34.8 x 45.6 cm

I started off making a pinstripe of magenta and lavender polymer clay as I could see those colours in the petals. Unfortunately the colours ended up too dark for what I was trying to represent from the painting.

Purple Pinstripe Orchid by Cate van Alphen

For the next orchid I made a subtle marbled mix of white and a speck of the previous pinstripe cane. I dusted on the pink using mica powders. I was much happier with these colours, but I preferred the proportions of the previous purple orchid.

White Orchid no. 1 by Cate van Alphen

So I tried again, and made a third orchid…

White Orchid no. 2 by Cate van Alphen

This time I was happy with both the colour and the proportions. It seems good things come in threes as today, for the third time, my work was featured on Polymer Clay Daily :). This time it was my Spectrum beads.

Polymer clay orchid evolution by Cate van Alphen

The outer two of these are now in my Etsy components store. I’m working the middle one into a necklace.

Art Bead Scene October Challenge – Autumn Beads

Tags

Art Bead Scene, Autumn, curved beads, earrings, handmade beads, leaf, magenta, OCT ABS, polymer clay, polymer clay beads, rust, ultramarine

With the new Bead category for the Art Bead Scene Monthly challenge, I dared to look at this month’s inspiration painting…

“Autumn” 1944 by Milton Avery
Oil on Canvas, 27″ x 35″

I may not have any beading supplies available, but I can still make some polymer clay beads!

I made a sheet of clay with blocks of colours from rust to cream and of course that magenta. I scratched in branching lines like the tree which I highlighted with white acrylic paint once I had folded cut out circles to form the beads. I also painted the edge of the beads with ultramarine acrylic paint to bring in some of the colour surprises of the painting.

I may have harmonised the colours too much. They don’t seem to pop as much as the painting. Maybe it’s because the bright yellow of the foreground is missing?

When I was finished making these beads there was enough clay for only two more smaller beads. Of course as soon as I have a pair of beads, I feel COMPELLED to make earrings.

They are pretty simple, but I only had my wire and those gold beads unpacked from making my Art Charms.

It feels really good to take part in the challenge again :).

Art Bead Scene on Pinterest

Tags

art bead, Art Bead Scene, handmade bead, pink and green, polymer clay

Since I packed up all my beading supplies, I have really been missing doing the Art Bead Scene Monthly challenges. (I haven’t even let myself look at the paintings in case I was inspired!). I have kept my polymer clay stuff out, so I’m excited to see there will now be a board for beads as well as jewellery made for the challenge on Pinterest.

Now all I need to do is make some beads that fit this month’s painting.

ABS May Challenge – Go Rococo

Tags

Art Bead Scene, art beads, bracelet, gold, handmade beads, necklace, periwinkle blue, polymer clay, rococo

Last month I didn’t manage to make an ABS monthly challenge piece because I was working on my Bead Soup*, so I’m pleased to present one this month. The inspiration painting is from 1741, the Rococo era.

Capriccio Padovano, 1741 by Bernardo Bellatto
Oil on Canvas 19.3″ x 28.7″ (49 x 73 cm)

For my colours I used the periwinkle blue of the sky and, in place of the yellow ochre of the brickwork, gold (because when I think Rococo too much gold is not enough). Then I thought of the Rococo interiors and I made a pattern like fossil rich marble.

I made a polymer clay focal that also functions as a toggle.

It comes together as a necklace.

But since I seem to get lucky when I make bracelets for the ABS challenges it can also be worn as a multi-wrap bracelet (cunning eh?).

I can’t wait to see what they have next month as inspiration.

---

* I’m giving away a set of beads as part of my Bead Soup Blog Party reveal, entries available until the end of May.

Birdies!

Tags

art bead, Art Bead Scene, beaded, bird beads, birds, bracelet, cuff, faux ceramic, felt cuff, polymer clay, sequin

The first thing that sprang to mind when I saw this month’s Art Bead Scene inspiration painting was “Birdies!” (in the voice of my 3 year old).

Birds On Riser, 1944 by Adolf Dietrich
Oil on wood, 57.5 x 50 cm

I made some faux ceramic bird beads using polymer clay. I gave them all different colourings as in the painting. My initial idea was to have a row of birds making a bracelet like a paper doll chain, but some of the cheeky birdies turned inside out. Instead I put them on a white felt backing to create a cuff with a sprinkling of beads and sequins to represent the icy snow.

I made some extra beads, so this little birdy needs a home. Leave a comment below if you’d like to adopt him (he assures me he can even manage an international flight).  If you share this giveaway on facebook/twitter etc let me know and I’ll put your name in the hat again for extra chances to win. 🙂

 

I’ll let you know the winner on Monday 7th April 2014.

Tweet! Tweet!

I won

Tags

ABS, Art Bead Scene, bead, bracelet, challenge, etsy, freeform beading

I haven’t been able to keep up with my blog reading recently, but last night I realised it was a new month (yes it took me 6 days) so I headed over to the Art Beads Scene blog to see the new challenge and… Surprise! There was my bracelet as one of the randomly selected winners for June.

So instead of going to bed early like I was supposed to, I stayed up browsing Tesori Trovati’s Etsy shop. 🙂

*Happy Dance*

Speaking of Etsy shops… I am starting to move everything over to my Etsy shop. (Long/silly story… either it’s a new feature that I can list in GBP on Etsy or I just didn’t figure it out before.)