April ABS Challenge

Evening Breeze

Time for the April ABS challenge !
 http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-monthly-challenge.html
This month the inspiration painting is "Boreas" by John William Waterhouse, 1903
I love these challenges because everyone looks at the same inspiration , yet each person sees it from a  different perspective .
The entries are always so wondrously varied.
However,it is usually clear where the each idea springs from.
We may choose the colors ,shapes or the subject matter.
Sometimes the artist's life or time may even serve as our design catalyst.
But, where do we find the inspiration for the structure of our designs ?

I  keep a book filled with cutouts,sketches and scraps of ideas that I may someday want to try.They might another artist's design concept.They might be ideas borrowed from other art forms that I believe I can translate into a piece of jewelry
When I copy ideas from another artist, I always try to give credit .
I usually try to tweak the technique to make it my own.

However, I do have ideas that aren't clipped or pasted in any book or journal. These are ideas filed haphazardly in my brain .If I ever knew their source, it is probably long forgotten . Most of the time I have no knowledge of how the idea got into my head in the first place. I always fear I am remembering someone's  design and  reproducing it without realizing that I didn't think it up myself. It's difficult to guard against this when you spend your days visiting blogs ,web sights and now pinterest ! All of these are feasts of delicious design . Sometimes we do "copy" without doing so intentionally. I'm not certain how this can ever be avoided.

For some time now,I've had the idea to use try using a big bead as a slide.I wanted to create a sort of bolo tie with ribbon .I thought if the ribbon fit tightly, the bead would slide. But, it would also stay put when needed. The bead /focal could be as close to my neck as  I wanted.
But, the slide effect would allow me to fit my head through without need of a clasp.
This is one of those wayward ideas that appeared in my head one day...source unknown !
It seemed just right for this month's challenge piece .
I wanted lots of wind blown ribbons in my creation .
A big floral bead was just the  Spring touch I needed for the slide element.I added some tiny pearls to mimic petals blown about in the breeze. Lest the wind seem to blow my creation  away,
I anchored it with a bit of chain and some charms.

At my house,by day, the Spring sun shines warmly .But as evening shadows fall, the breezes blow cool and strong through the blossoming treetops. The Waterhouse painting seems perfect for this time of year.

I do not know where my ideas for the details  of this design  came from.
But,I am very happy the construction of my new necklace.
this week
try a new idea, wherever it may come from...
and
Bead Happy!

m.e.