The Art Bead Scene challenge asks participants to make something inspired by a painting and using an art bead. This month the inspiration is “Jackknife Village” by Franklin Carmichael.
This art is copyrighted and is only used to show inspiration.
The first beads that came to mind when I saw the painting were some off-white raku rectangles with a crackle finish. I had been lusting after these beads by Duane Collins of Elements Pottery on my etsy favorites list. It wasn’t too hard to twist my own arm to buy them so I could use them for the challenge! They remind me of the houses in the painting, which I imagine to have cracked and peeling paint.
I kept concocting designs in my mind with elaborate construction challenges. For years I’ve been stringing beads, but beyond using a crimping tool, I had barely so much as wire wrapped a bead until recently. So my fantasy of a leather and linen faux dual strand necklace with blue beads that moved like water was, well, less than realistic for me at this time. Sounds fancy, though, right?
I did use one of the blue beads I had in mind that seemed to have the exact variegated colors of the water. As I worked on the piece, I liked how it came together. Simpler than I had planned, but asymmetrically pleasing with added shapes in other colors that jump out of the painting – muted yellow and orange. After I had decided on the beads to use, I wanted more texture in the piece overall and more weight beside the orange bead to balance things out, so I used a little wrap of WoolyWire, which I had in a blue and orange color scheme. I find a little piece of WoolyWire makes lots of things nicer.
I also like a dangle, and wanted a richer yellow color, so I added a drop made with bird and perch beads by Jubilee. I finished the necklace off with a large and lovely hook clasp by Contents Jewelry and some orange waxed linen.
I think it’s a fun, casual summer necklace. I wore it today, and it felt and looked great. I enjoy challenging my skills by making something inspired by a painting. I hope to continue to grow and improve.
Thanks for reading!
Bead Love 