ArtBead Scene July Challenge 'Morning in the Garden at Vaucresson'

Morning in the Garden at Vaucresson by Edouard Vuillard 1923 reworked 1938..July's challenge for the Art Bead Scene blog..love these challenges..so much to learn..
" With its riot of flowers in the foreground, Morning in the Garden at Vaucresson hearkens back—as do many of Edouard Vuillard’s post-World War I paintings—to the Impressionist garden scenes of Claude Monet and Pierre Auguste Renoir. It depicts the country home and garden of Jos and Lucie Hessel, an art dealer and his wife with whom Vuillard shared a long friendship."
At first glance, I thought this painting was a tapestry ..with its myriad soft colors and seemingly boundless tiny flora all set in a place where I longed to be..I was once accused of being a hopeless romantic..this challenge I would go for heart and soul.

Once again I opted for a textile cuff..a distressed (by sun and sea) ocre green  velvet..ooh perfect ..so like the painting.. and with a distressed geometrical pattern. To my surprise the painting of this captivating jungle of a garden was actually, I discovered, a very orderly composition with distinct geometric lines.. the distressed creased lines in the velvet mimicking them.




And ..once again the main focal art bead from the wonderful stillpointworks..I think it is my all time favorite bead..fantastically organic and strangely beautiful.

I added a hand dyed velvet 'bail' ..it hangs on a vintage pin with vintage glass leaves 'pinned' to the cuff..easily removed to be worn as a pendant if wanted.

I couched and embroidered more velvet and wrinkled viscose fabric strips ..added about a billion beads..from labradorite to faceted pearls and much more..

Such a treat..going wild with all my favorite bead stash..so here it is.. Morning in the Garden.

Tea..and the Azores

 Where is the only place in Europe where tea is cultivated? 
Here in São Miguel..the Azores.

The Portuguese introduced tea to the Dutch, and through trade, the Dutch brought the tea to France, Holland and the Baltic countries.  In 1662, Catherine Braganza of Portugal married King Charles II and brought tea to the royal  court of England for the first time.
In 1750 the initial trials of tea occurred on the  island of Sao Miguel in the Azores. 


It was in September of 1874 two Chinese tea experts arrived from then Portuguese Macau and introduced the art of commercial tea cultivation to the island with the first tea being produced and sold in 1883 under the family compound of Gorreana.   

Gorreana's tea estate is the only remaining of the 14 original tea producing estates and has remained family owned and operated for 5 generations. Black and green teas are still produced using ancient techniques that have been passed down at Gorreana for over a century. 

 






 I find it delicate and fruity.. and just delightful iced with a spring of fresh mint..

Art Bead Scene June Challenge.. 'Ophelia'

Ophelia by Odilon Redon

c. 1900-05; Pastel on paper mounted on board, 19 7/8 x 26 1/2 in; The Woodner Collection 

This month's challenge from the Art Bead Scene blog challenge is 'Ophelia'.."The depiction of Ophelia seems not at all tragic, but rather an idyllic scene of a naked bather in a limpid pool of flowers. The design and colour scheme is masterly and original, being merely suggestive of the tragedy of death after rejection and madness." - Tony Thomas

The genius of this painting..sweet and beautiful, yet disturbing and tragic. I opted for black and touches of luscious color..yellow and orange..swimming in blues.

 I love the 'roundness' ..everything seems to come around..the end to the beginning. It is interesting that there is some discussion on how it should be viewed ..as pictured above or turned to its side...for me it seems to work any way.
 





StillpointWorks once again inspired me. Her wonderful polymer clay bead is the focal and the beginning. The blue tone was perfect, the etched uneasy surface giving just the right feeling ..along with black silk vintage trim, yellow opal crystals, a matte pink vintage lucite bead ..with a very black obsidian chunk, mottled  blue czech beads and finally a glassy cobalt blue dangle to capture the deep blue of the pool where Ophelia rests...

Secret Shops..revealed..II

Ok ..this shop is probably my biggest secret.

Unassuming at first glance, seemingly an unlikely place to find wonderful forgotten bits of the past..
.Laramie Studios on ebay.
A fav for almost 4 years now..it is the kind of shop that when opening a newly arrived package, I ALWAYS squeal with delight. These vintage finds never fail to be much more than expected. The metal findings are hefty, the details fine, and never 'melt' (like so much of the modern stuff ) when doing the heat patinas..and wow..how they come to life when patina-ed.



It was here I learned to love vintage plastic and lucite..lol I stiill cringe when I type 'plastic'..but these lovelies are wonderful! These white 'matte' leaves actually 'rustle' and 'clink' like fine porcelain..

The owners Laura and Elspeth are friendly and efficient ..and..!!.at the moment..there is a 50% sale going on in their ebay store for the next couple of days. Don't be put off by the dull ebay photos..there is a treasure trove to be found here.

                                                 My latest ..probably 50%  'Laramie'..

Azores...

My husband walked in the door the other day..so pleased with himself..'..I have something for you!'..ooh..?? I thought..must be goood...lol..had to swallow..my 'EEK!' ..and grin a rather yellow smile..

It was a very fresh (almost squirmy) HUGE squid!

Ha..welcome to the Azores.
  I.. who until my 20's, fish and seafood,apart from the odd shrimp or clam, had been basically square and breaded (as in fishsticks).. have learnt to be very brave..cleaning and cooking these lovelies..but well worth it..yum! Grilled with a bit of garlic, lemon and white wine ..yes ..can be easy to adapt.

My Secret Shops..revealed..

I want to share ..
.. a few of the wonderful shops I've found (on etsy and no so).
This first post presents..
Alchemy Shop  from Latavia..old Europe. A magical place full of unique vintage 'treasures'...

Tho' I visit almost every day..I have actually only bought one precious 'find' from here..but what a prize! I didn't even fav this one, as I usually do..hesitating, debating, wishing..right into the cart on first sight. Friendly and fast service and..delightful packaging!

I am pondering ..an image for the focal? ..or something else..This is a photo I took of a lonely chapel on a lake..here in São
 Miguel...I'd love some thoughts, comments or opinions..:)

The Lonely Chapel..Nossa Senhoa das Vitorias,Lagoa das  Furnas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..and another image pendant in the making .. distressed photo print on pyrite stone.

ArtBead Scene May Challenge 'Hide and Seek'

 Cache-cache (Hide-and-Seek), 1873

 by Berthe Morisot

Oil on Canvas, 18 1/4" x 21 3/4" 

Art Bead Scene blog's monthly challenge was truly a challenge..this engaging painting by Berthe Moiret ..at least for me. The wonderful earthy greens ..so familiar.. so easy to work with..but black and white? I had never, up until now, used or appreciated black and white in jewelery. The more I gazed on the this bewitching composition the more I admired such skill for color and composition. I found it very difficult to re-create any thing near this genius.  Feeling that black and white could not be left out..the spark or what makes it 'pop'..I did my best resorting once again to a familiar medium..textiles.

Vintage silk crepe plisse and a bit of black velvet ribbon coupled with a vintage black glass saucer  bead with vintage black and white enamel flowers.

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A totally wonderful and earthy raku art bead from WondrousStrange gave the greens and emeralds  life.

    A mix of labradorite, jade, faceted pearls, grassy green velvet and taffeta ribbon complete the picture.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75106145/silk-crepe-bracelet-assemblage-cache

                                                   

April's challenge..Finches and Bamboo

Oh..the delight and anticipation of interpreting 'Finches and Bamboo', painted by the Chinese emperor Huizong, 1082-1135.. almost 1000 years ago!

The Art Bead Scene blog's pick for the April challenge was perfect..
 
For what had touched me..beside the age of this painting , was not only the painting's sensitivity and delicate beauty, but the subtle texture .. the inks on silk. Fabric..my fav!

The images, and sound(!), and touch(!), of the dry rustling faded silk were dancing in my head..and just what I had been hoarding for years?...a length of  parchment colored wild silk fabric.

With a few brush stokes of paint I reddened the edges, added a strip of dupioni silk for the dark browns and a fabric cuff was born ..then..well ..lucky me.. I have a fantastic stash of  the most awesome art beads from Shannon of missficklemedia.. Her patina-ed beads and chains were perfect for the 1000year old 'look' ..the soft patina greens complimenting the 'canvas' color  as did the bamboo leaves in the painting.


One very ancient looking button from missfickle 
was the perfect final touch.
                     



I must leave here a note on how these monthly challenges from the Art Bead Scene are so good for me..to be able to have an excuse to create and dream at will. Not bound by the market.. what is popular, what  is cost-effective, what is best for SEO...blah..and yuck.I know, necessary.
But it is almost as if these hours dedicated to attempting, in a very small way, to pass on the beauty created by these master painters in another medium, adding and taking away as I please,whatever moves me ...are actually mini holidays!     Thanks ABS.:)

Sacred Spring, Sweet Dreams... ArtBead Scene March Challenge

 The March challenge from the wonderful Art Bead Scene blog..Even though I just recently discovered  Art Bead Scene, thanks to Shannon of Missficklemedia, I am so excited about these challenges..only my second but the great folks at Art Bead come up with just the BEST inspiration for these challenges...





Sacred Spring, Sweet Dreams... 
Gauguin painted this after he moved to Tahiti in 1891, seeking inspiration from the native "primitive" culture, which he regarded as more real and more sincere. It is characterized by clear outlines, flat forms, and vibrant colors, which reflect the influence of native art on the artist



 At first I thought..oh yuck..not my colors..boy, was I wrong! Leave it to the 'masters' to prove  just what we can learn from them.

This painting and its wonderful subtle warm colors and primitive style began to grow on me ..each day as I sifted through my stash..each night those colors clinging to me before dropping off to sleep..and what art beads did I have? 

Of course! Something very special  from Claire Maunsell..of stillpointworks..called..'Lovely Fly Beads'..I remember so well the phrase that made me buy them..an admirer had said.."They are so interesting. They look like they've been jiggling about in some Medieval peddlers pocket for years..."

I do believe I take  inspiration too literally.. I added flys (beads) and limes and pineapple leaves for the girls' picnic in the painting..The fantastically detailed limes and leaves are actually for doll house miniature collections.

A very vintage silk embroidered  trim from India had just the tones to tie all my other found bits and vintage pieces all together.

 ..can't wait 'till next month..:)

My Twilight Blue and ... 'Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose'

John Singer Sargent's wonderful  painting  'Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose 'was chosen as the inspiration for the February challenge of the Art Bead Scene blog. 

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Intrigued by the painting, I decided to investigate ..here follows an excerpt from the JSS Gallery site ..

"..The seed of the idea was first planted in the fertile garden of the Lavington Rectory in 1884 when Sargent was staying with the Vickers. The white lilies in full bloom around the two children in a garden would be the framework on which he would mount this most ambitious project. The idea (a purely fanciful one to be sure) was to capture, not the most perfect sunset, but the affect of the most perfect sunset has, in terms of color, shadows and light on a scene. But it was more than that. How about the artificial light of Chinese lanterns at the precise moment of twilight when lanterns and sun are at perfect equilibrium!  -- Could he paint that magical transient moment that lasts no more than a couple of minutes most -- capture that most perfect color of mauve when the sun is still flush in the sky and the lanterns glowing equally?  Not create the scene from his mind or memory of what it would or should look like, but actually capture it -- could he paint the exquisite beauty between those two minutes?  

Of course not. No one could paint in two minutes and even come close to a faithful adaptation no matter how prepared he or she was prior. But what if he painted only for those magical minutes every day?  If he was faithful, if he kept true to the principles of Impressionism -- painting only what he saw and not what he thought he saw or wanted to see, if he did it every day for two minutes could he capture lightning in a bottle so to speak?..."

And so..a medley of blues is born.. a jumbled array of ribbon  and rags with chains and vintage beads of all sorts and species. Hand patina-ed, handpainted..hand distressed in a attempt to obtain the peaceful 'twilight' tone and dusky textures of  the painting.

The main stage is taken by a beautiful melancholy blue raku cross focal pendant by a favorite and most talented etsy artist, Dorcus, from Wondrous Strange.
Lush midnight blue and faded grey velvet , dusty blue green vintage calico print fabric and sun-faded lavender silk rag strips make up the ribbons..  inspired by the little girl's dresses.  

                                                                              
  I thoroughly enjoyed the last few days.,distressing,constructing..dreaming. ..faintly hoping the necklace may evoke perhaps just a small bit of that wonderful and peaceful, melancholy 'twilight' that John Singer Sargent so wonderfully captured on canvas.

Santa Maria

Sailed to the neighboring island of Santa Maria..population..6,000.. 'a jewel' in the Atlantic.

It was here that Christopher Columbus sought refuge in 1493 on his return from his voyage to America.

Santana..St..Anne

St. Anne's feastday was July 26..








http://www.etsy.com/listing/52600938/necklace-pendant-saint-anne-tile-image