Art Bead Scene Entries Summer into Fall 2009

This was an interesting group of months. The paintings were not as well known to me...which can be inspiring in the sense of not having pre-conceived notions.

July - The Cave Paintings of Lascaux

I really struggled with this. While I can see the merit of cave paintings as a way to communicate, I can't say I think of them as "art" and it took me weeks to find any kind of inspiration.

I knew the bead had to be silvered ivory for its ancient feel but... what would be on that bead? I couldn't see myself drawing a bull? In the end I used a spiral, an ancient symbol appearing in artwork of all kinds. And a man. Structurally, I think this is the most interesting piece I made all year.



The write up about this piece is here.


August - Katsushiki's The Great Wave Off of Kanagawa

August hit with a vengeance! The mountain in my backyard and the national forest just beyond it were burning. For nights, townspeople gather on the mountain that wasn't burning and watch the fires. We are still being affected by the ash and soot and I'm sure that's why I never blogged about these next two... that and I still consider them unfinished as there are things I want to change.

With the fires raging outside my studio, it was actually kind of pleasant to be working in a cool palette. I used my favorite blue: Bullseye Steel Blue.

And while I love the concept of the clasp here... In theory, you could have a variety of bracelet bottoms to go with the one focal if this were created in a more neutral palette... There needs to be a more secure way to hold the little silver bead in place.


Here is the description from the submission:
The art bead is my depiction of the great wave in glass.

The bracelet is made of 18 gauge sterling wire, Bali spacers, Swarovski crystals and seed beads. The sterling wire also serves as a clasp.

September - Kandinsky's Improvisation No. 23

Another Kandinsky...always an exciting color exploration. But I don't really find this to be soothing painting. I finally made a focal by taking a print out of this to the torch, squinting and pulling rods. I limited myself to those colors only.


I really like this necklace... my favorite of summer...however still unfinished as I feel the large bead caps near the clasp need to be moved further into the garnet section to allow for easier opening.

I was still reeling from the fires so here's the write up from the actual entry: The focal and spacer beads were made by me, Holly Dare. I love the swirls and dots and bold black lines in the painting and tried to play off of that in making the bead. The focal is irregularly shaped with lots of swirls and dots and twisted bumps. The spacers, while perfectly round, pick up the bold color scheme.

The necklace is made with copper findings, faceted garnet and bone-shaped Scenic Jasper.

One last series for review...check in tomorrow.