November 16, 2014

I Took the Art Bead Scene Challenge


So it's time for another round of the Art Bead Scene editors taking a turn at creating jewelry the monthly challenge and sharing our work in a blog hop. This month's painting is by Martin Johnson Heade.

For the challenge, I dug into my bead boxes to see what I already had and started my projects from there. I would say I was inspired by the challenge but not in a literal way. My pieces have hints of the inspiration painting, but I found the beads led this way this time around!

I started this necklace with my Orchid pendant. I made this pendant early this year in honor of Pantone's color of the year: Radiant Orchid.

To accent the pendant I paired up lampwork from Sea of Glass, ceramic round from White Clover Kiln. The purple ceramic charm from Marsha Neal reminded me of the shape of the nest in the painting. I thought the butterfly charm from Gardanne pulled in some of the darker colors from the painting, the Green Girl Pewter nest seemed an easy pick, and then the copper leaf charm from Vintaj added a little tropical charm along with a tiny glass teardrop. The design has a toggle clasp above the pendant with a copper branch and a fine brass chain.

I tried to capture that lush feel that the painting has with lots of layered elements.

The next piece is further removed from the subject matter and pulled the inspiration from the colors of the painting.

I started out with a pink ceramic owl pendant in the same shade as the orchid - the pendant is from Andrew Thornton. A Diane Hawkey Inspire bead brings a little message to the necklace - always good to encourage random inspiration! A tiny orchid bird that I made is paired up with a green ceramic bead from White Clover Kiln. I added a few wrapped beads that has sari silk ribbon and seed beads. 

This necklace just makes me all kinds of crazy happy, must be those fun and playful colors! 

Earrings with enamel leaves from Gardanne, speckled wobbles from me and Czech glass from a little punch of color. 

For the next set, I pulled the color palette back and focused on the purples with a neutrals of grey and my metals. The lampwork headpin is from Pumpkin Hill Beads, the pewter nest is a Green Girl Studio creation and then I paired them up with my speckled wobble and tiny bird in shades of orchid and lilac. 

Matching earrings with enamel oak leaves from Gardanne, my wobbles and Czech glass.

And then I felt like I only make pendants for these challenges so I wanted to work up a bracelet. I don't make enough bracelets - what's up with that? I started with my tiny bird in emerald and few wobbles, added in a great ceramic bead from Starry Road Studio that looked very nest-ish. The toggle is from my friend and fellow ABS editor, Mary Harding and then I used a Vintaj leaf that I textured for the other side of the bracelet. The leaf is from Pumpkin Hill Beads.


 I really love how this turned out!

I have mixed my metals using copper, brass, and steel/arte metal to play with the darker colors found in the painting. 

And to finish today I have a pair of earrings that fit the tropical theme with enameled leaves from Gardanne and my speckled wobbles (can you tell they are a fav!).

Head on over to the Art Bead Scene today to check out what everyone else has done. And you should definately pull out your beads today or later this week and play along with us!

Art Bead Scene Monthly Challenge

The ABS Editors Take the Challenge Blog Hop - see what everyone made for this month's challenge!

Humblebeads Jewelry  - these will be available in my jewelry shop later this afternoon.



9 comments:

Tari of ClayButtons.com said...

Wow Heather! Everything turned out Fantastic!!

Claire Lockwood said...

Wowser! I'm feeling a bit ashamed of my meagre effort! These are all fabulous, but I especially love the bracelet. All together, you have so many lovely pieces to show from this challenge. And I need to get me some of those wobble beads!

baymoondesign said...

Great job! I love how you layer the components.

Mary Harding said...

I have been traveling or would have exclaimed in delight sooner to your fab collection of inspirational jewelry pieces!! I love the path all these unique and wonderful art beads led you to travel! I was so pleased and surprised to find my fir bough toggle clasp nestled in with all the lovelies in your bracelet. Thanks so much!

Becky Pancake said...

Wow Heather that is a lot of wonderful pieces.

Rebecca said...

Gorgeously inspiring as usual! I really love the colours you have selected here - the sparkly wobbles are particularly fab.

TesoriTrovati said...

Awesome! I love the mix of art beads you pulled together for all of these. The colors are so awesome. I think I was intimidated by so much going on in this painting, but you have given me a kick to look at it again! I did manage to make the piece for the Simple Truths Sampler, but I didn't get around to photographing it. Maybe I will have to make something with it as well! (I also thought it was coming this weekend not last, so I am way off!) Enjoy the day. Erin

Carol Briody said...

Oh, these are all so beautiful! I think my favorite is the last pair of tropical-leaf-inspired earrings. The colors of your chosen findings/art beads are a perfect compliment! Thank you for inspiring us!

Karen Totten said...

Very beautiful collection! I love your use of color and texture.