ArtBead Scene August Challenge Poster Illustration for American Cresent Cycles, 1899

This month's ABS challenge ..an illustration for American Cresent Cycles, 1899 by Frederick Winthrop Ramsdell.


Ramsdell was an American painter who studied in both New York and Paris. While in Paris he became heavily influenced by the Art Nouveau work of Eugene Grasset and Alphonse Mucha, as can be seen in this striking, though derivative, bicycle poster. Ramsdell depicts a woman and her bike with her tresses and her dress blowing in the wind.

So much of this illustration  is wonderful for me..from the style of the lettering  to the detail on the flowing gown to the discreet crescent rising in the back ground hills. 
I had decided to take a break this month of August , but that crescent..on my mind. I had found a wonderful hand carved crescent at an arts and craft fair here in the Azores 2 years ago. A local carpenter had shown his surprising artistic side, and had a few exotic wood focals and sculptures on the table in his booth..snapped them up right away!   And now.. finally.. an  inspiration..perfect!

Coupled with a beautiful and mysterious greens,browns,grey raku bead from (once again..:) Dorcus of Wondrous Strange .


A vintage gleaming brown crystal and lots of delicate chain..thinking of the girl in the poster and her brown locks..and finally,dangling vintage glass amber yellow leaves with tiny white flowers..for the flowing gown.