23 Days of Inspiration: Monet

 

My Monet beads were the first one's I created that were inspired by a painting.  We have a Monet at the local art museum and I've seen a few of the bigger ones in person in NY and when I was younger.  Seeing these painting in real life are like nothing like seeming them a few inches big on a computer screen or in a book.  They take up whole walls.  They are huge and magical, you feel like you've step inside Monet's garden and become lost in his vision and spirit that celebrates the beauty of nature.  I just love them.  He studied this subject for many years and as he aged and his eyesight failed they become more abstract and luscious studies of color.

 

23 Days of Inspiration: Faux Bois

 

Faux Bois means "fake wood" in French.  I first saw crafts with faux bois on the home page of Etsy in a beautiful treasury.  I had created a faux bois bead years before, it didn't have such a catchy name.  I think I called them bark beads.  After seeing the treasury I created a few limited edition sets and have since revisited the themes a few times.  I like putting the brown, creams and whites with softer colors or navy and purple.  Much like the Klimt painting from yesterday.

 

And of course, since even though the art work crosses over into a different medium, it's me doing the creating so I've noticed some similar themes running through my beads and illustration.  Here are two examples of the faux bois pattern in my prints.

If you like my illustrations, be sure to check out my Humblearts Zazzle shop for products that feature my artwork.

23 Days of Inspiration: The Kiss

Who doesn't love Gustav Klimt's painting, The Kiss?  It's a masterpiece isn't it?  I tend to get wrapped up in the surface of the painting, the design.  It's beautiful in subject matter and the embrace, but what I found myself drawn to is the painstaking detail worked in the flowers and clothing of the couple. 

For the show I've been working on a series of beads inspired by his Birch Trees.  You can see the painting here.  The beads, you'll have to see them at Bead & Button or wait until I get back!

23 Days of Inspiration: Dandelions

"Dandelion Wine. The words were summer on the tongue. The wine was summer caught and stoppered...Hold summer in your hand, pour summer in a glass, a tiny glass of course, the smallest tingling sip for children; change the season in your veins by raising glass to lip and tilting summer in."

-From Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine. 

I loved that book when I was in high school.  My oldest daughter just read it and it was a hit with her too.  I think it appealed to our small town sensiblity.  The dandelion beads - all of summer bottled up and strung around your neck!

Dandelion photo by Mimimargfiend

23 Days of Inspiration: Squirrels

Once I started making the birds, I knew it was only a matter of time before I'd try a squirrel.  You see, if my family had a mascot it would be a squirrel.  Evangeline wanted to make a banner for our camping adventures that said "Evil Squirrel Troop 11".  Jess calls us his squirrels and sings the girls rock songs with the word squirrel instead of girl.  (Squirrels just wanna have fun...I wish that I had Jesse's Squirrel, that one is just for me.)  We also have squirrel artwork throughout the house and they are often in my illustrations.

And if you have squirrels, they are gonna need acorns. 

(One of my illustrations for a picture book that I wrote and hope to sell soon to a publisher.)

 I have a little army of squirrel beads ready for Bead & Button along with my other woodland creatures! 

Beware of the cuteness.