For this challenge I rummaged through my stash and pulled a ceramic piece I have had sitting in my box for years - I almost didn't want to make anything with it because I love it so much: A trilobite by Diana Ptaszynski! I knew I wanted to finally use the trilo and I had recently added a cool ring from Joan Miller to my stash, so I threw them into my project box. That day I had a bead-in at my local bead shop, Cindy's Crafts so I knew I would have plenty of time to work out my design.
I began by snipping off the wire loop connectors from the trilo and bezeling it like a cab.
I didn't find exactly what I was looking in my search on Pinterest, however, after a while a general shape and layout came to mind...I immediately sketched it and despite my poor skills with a pen, I was able to capture the shape and some of the design elements I wanted to include.
As is typical with the way I work, I let the beads do what they wanted, adding design elements as they came to me. Sometimes this process gets me trapped in my own thoughts but if I consciously 'let go' I usually find that the end result is more pleasing than it would have been if I forced myself through the process.
But...sometimes in art things kinda happen without you realizing it. Sometimes you unintentionally create within your creation. This apparently happened to me...and I am still not sure how I feel about it...
Sarajo Wentling
Samantha Wescott
Kathy Lindemer
Patty Miller
Linda Landig
Renetha Stanziano
Samantha Wescott
Jen Cameron
Claire Fabian
Sue Kennedy
Niky Sayers
Lindsay Starr
At this point I really didn't know what I wanted this to end up looking like. Often I get stuck on the shape of the piece. It tends to work out better if you have a overall shape in mind when you are working but this time I had to do a little Pinteresting for shape inspiration.
I didn't find exactly what I was looking in my search on Pinterest, however, after a while a general shape and layout came to mind...I immediately sketched it and despite my poor skills with a pen, I was able to capture the shape and some of the design elements I wanted to include.
As is typical with the way I work, I let the beads do what they wanted, adding design elements as they came to me. Sometimes this process gets me trapped in my own thoughts but if I consciously 'let go' I usually find that the end result is more pleasing than it would have been if I forced myself through the process.
The more I worked on this piece the more I loved it. Sometimes you run into an 'ugly duckling' phase and then struggle to complete a piece because you aren't "feeling it". This one never reached that point for me. Somehow everything just flowed as I worked.
But...sometimes in art things kinda happen without you realizing it. Sometimes you unintentionally create within your creation. This apparently happened to me...and I am still not sure how I feel about it...
In a relatively short amount of time I had created a piece I truly loved without buying a single bead - all from my stash...and upon sharing the end result with others, found out that everyone thought it was a bird. *laugh* I just wanted to have a trilo and ammonite hanging out in a pool of beads...but weirdly - oh so weirdly I had created a trilo hanging out in the belly of a bird! Do you see it???
I used a metal clay brass ring by Gail DeLuca and a metal clay brass toggle clasp by One Sweet Bead to finish it all off. Intention or not, I love this piece, bird and all. And because my graphic designer mother said, "It's an awesome bird, own it!" I am officially calling this piece, "Oops, bird!" *laugh*
Don't forget to check out what these other amazing artists did with their stash!
Guests:
Kelly RodgersSarajo Wentling
Samantha Wescott
Kathy Lindemer
Patty Miller
Linda Landig
Renetha Stanziano
Samantha Wescott
Art Elements:
Jenny
Davies-ReazorJen Cameron
Claire Fabian
Sue Kennedy
Niky Sayers
Lindsay Starr
