Bead habitat

Tags

abstract, bead embroidery, handmade bead, polymer clay, spectrum, textile painting

I’ve been a little bit distracted the past couple of weeks by a new tangent. I’m fascinated by the discovery of gut flora and the concept that our bodies are more of an eco system than a single organism (since there are more microorganisms in a human body than human cells). Sometimes the wonky polymer clay beads I make have some personality, so I think of them as “creature beads”. I put the ideas together to make a bead habitat where my creature beads could live.

Bead habitat by Cate van Alphen

I suppose it can be described as an abstract 3D textile painting. I tried to make something lush and varied like a rich ecosystem (something like a garden or rock pool). I used scraps of fleece fabric that I had to hand, but I think it would have benefited from having another layer of more decorative fabric over the top. The fleece gives a nice dimensional structure, but I found the solid blocks of colour a bit of a challenge visually.

Bead habitat detail by Cate van Alphen

It also includes some of my handmade polymer clay beads, glass seed beads and silk covered wire spirals.

Bead habitat detail by Cate van Alphen

I actually finished it last week (at least I think it’s finished), but then I discovered another, slightly related, rabbit hole which I’ll tell you about soon. Don’t worry, I still have some polymer clay beads ready for tomorrow.

Old is the new new

Tags

Art Deco, bead, bead embroidery, christmas gifts, flower, Jamie Cloud Eakin, kaleidoscope, mandala, new year, painting, plans, polymer clay, print, UTEE

I have been reflecting on what I liked about last year, and thinking about what I would like to achieve in 2014…

I’ve had a pretty good run with the Art Bead Scene challenges; I think they really helped me to focus on a project (and the deadlines made me finish). So I’d like to carry that on in the new year.

I have been playing with one of my new Christmas gifts, a melting pot, to make the earrings above (here’s a tutorial for the UTEE headpins). I’d like to experiment some more with that.

Since my playtime has been reduced/fragmented (with our new baby), I’ve mostly been making earrings, as they don’t take too long to finish. I’d like to think a bit bigger this year, and maybe spend some time exploring each idea. I’d like to work on something more substantial, something I can look back on and think “Wow, I did that!”. Another of my Christmas gifts was “Dimensional Bead Embroidery” by Jamie Cloud Eakin. That seems like a good place to start.

My sister is getting married later this year, so I have been helping her design some Art Deco invitations. I’ve been surprised at how much I actually enjoyed doing vector drawings again (it’s amazing how university can suck the fun out of things). So I have been dusting off my old print account on Deviant Art, and I’ll try to do some more paintings (digital, traditional, polymer clay or even a mix!).

I’m pleased to say I still like some of my old images. See?! I’ve been designing canes since ancient times BC (Before Clay). Now I just need to improve my cane building skills. 😉

So for 2014 there will be peacocks, Art Deco, bead embroidery, cabochons, complex canes, digital paintings, art beads, wonky UTEE AND … unexpected treasures I haven’t even thought of yet.

Happy New Year!

May every day be joyful and precious.