Creativity -- What a Concept!

This will be a short post today, but it packs a punch.

Business Week has an article online that states CEOs are looking for something we as artists and designer already have: Creativity!

We think outside the box. We do not wait for all the reports to come in before making creative decisions. We do not rely on the status quo. In short, we shake things up!

Bead Soup in Full Swing

Yesterday I sent off a package of beads and goodies to my Bead Soup Buddy, Heather Pyle. I mentioned that she is a polymer clay artist and an art quilter too. What I did not say or show is what she is sending me. She calls them Alamo Stone Beads because they were inspired by the sculptures on the Alamo. The Alamo was actually one of several Spanish Mission Chapels in and around San Antonio.

Now, what Heather (and probably you) did not know is that I am a descendant of Texas Revolutionaries for Texas Independence who fought to capture San Antonio before the big battle (The Battle of Bexar).

~~My husband would say my people 'fought with everyone', as one of those ancestors also fought in the Revolutionary War as well. ~~

So the Alamo is very special to me and to my mother's family. "Remember the Alamo!"

Another thing that is VERY special to me is limestone carvings like you find at the Alamo. I fell in love with limestone carvings from medieval cathedrals like this one from Lincoln England. Yes, it is in terrible shape, but you would be too if you were created in 1150 or so. Limestone is relatively easy to carve because it is sort of soft. It is also best suited for interiors because if water gets between the layers, it begins to flake off over time.

What I love about Heather's pieces is that they have that sort of worn and abused, flaked-off medieval look to them. I cannot wait to see these beads in person!

Sneak Peek at the Bead Soup Swap

My Bead Soup Swap partner is Heather Pyle. She posted yesterday what she is sending me (sly snicker, hands rubbing in glee).

This is what I am sending her:

Heather is a polymer clay artist and she loves working in color. She is also an art quilter like me. She commented that she loves to incorporate lampwork glass into her pieces ("hint, hint") so I have included three from Lisi, right in the middle there. The rest of the beads are amethyst, dyed fossil beads, dyed Freshwater pearls, some cloisonne, one of my hand-made clasps, and the focal is carved stone in the shape of two fish.

I hope Heather likes what I have sent to her. I am looking forward to seeing what all the other participants do with all the beady goodness that will be revealed the week beginning June 19th. Stay tuned!

Also, The LandArt Bracelet Challenge is still on -- Send me your photos of bracelets inspired byRichard Shilling's Land Art. See this post for more information.

Commission Finished!

I heard from my friend last night and she told me she really like the third design on the first photo, so that is what I finished this morning with the birds singing outside my open door. The piece just seemed to flow from my hands. I love it when that groove sort of happens, don't you?

And don't you just love the way Lisi's Lampwork Beads play with the pearls and rose and cherry quartz?

I probably should have waited until this afternoon to photograph the finished bracelet -- strong shadows and all, but I really wanted to move on with my day (so much to do!)

I have been a bit of a slacker -- I have not posted my Bead Soup Swap yet. I will post a teaser this afternoon, once it is in the mail.

Finished Pieces (and One Work in Progress)

After talking to my friend who has commissioned me to make two pieces for high school graduates, this is the first to be finished. It is for a lovely redhead with a distinctive style.

Here it is on my "old lady" neck . . .

and here it is on a backdrop.

Notice the handmade clasp? (I made it!)

And this is a work in progress: a bracelet for another graduate for the same friend.

What is your favorite version?

And here is a pair of earrings that are just gorgeous in person. They do not photograph well because there is a swirl of color that moves all aound each bead -- perfectly matched!

More photos and projects as I finish them.

Comments are ALWAYS welcome.

Now I get it!

Almost as soon as I had posted the previous post about these gorgeous beads I purchased from Lisi, I had 8 (eight!) comments about the beady goodness -- more than any of the previous recent posts. So I suppose I know what you want to see here:

bead p*rn!

(made famous by Kelly Morgan from Silver Parrot)

The photo above represents the 10 out of 80 beads incorporated into jewelry already, most commissions from friends. Tomorrow, I will post some photos of beads I recently purchased from Brazos Collection. I will be going back this week because they just got in a HUGE shipment from their suppliers!

Score!

With the sales I had over the last week and an honorarium from judging an art show, I made a significant purchase (well, significant for me).

Look at these lovely orphans from Art by Lisi Lampwork Beads. I see lots of beautiful earrings in my future! (80 beautiful beads -- I promise to take good care of them and find them good homes.) Keep a look out in my Etsy shop: www.ArtemisiaStudio.Etsy.com

What's Up?!

I have had an overwhelming response of three (that's right, 3) people about the Land Art Bracelet Challenge. Is this something that is just not appealing? Am I timing this all wrong for my faithful readers? Are you thinking about the challenge, even beginning a piece to enter but have not said so publicly? What's up?!

I will happily withdraw the challenge and offer it later if folks just are not ready for it at this time. I just need to know. Please let me know what you are thinking -- my crystal ball is in the shop for a tune up.

Emanda

LandArt Bracelet Challenge

As you all know, I am a big fan of the self-taught Land Artist, Richard Shilling. He lives in the Lancashire region (Northwest) of England and makes his art in the forest, meadows, and beaches near where he lives.

I have posted several of his works on this blog and many of you have found his work to be as inspirational as I have. I have corresponded with Richard and he has agreed to allow us to use some of his beautiful photographs of his ephemeral works for this challenge. If this challenge is successful and well received by you, dear reader, I will host another challenge at a later date.

Now, for this challenge. The images:

Here are the individual photographs:


Ice and Snow Sandwich Towers


Constriction Balance


Middlewood Trust Project


Icicle Sunset


Mayday Colour Totem

Here are the details of the challenge! {With Thanks to Kelly Morgan of the Silver Parrot for the text I modified for this post! No reason to re-invent the wheel!}

Select one of these photos and create a bracelet whose color scheme is inspired by the photo. Post it on your blog with a bit of explanation as to why you chose that particular photo and how you incorporated the color scheme into your bracelet. Come back here to the comments and leave a link to your blog post.

Please post a link to Richard’s site in your blog, so that he benefits from this challenge as well (http://jrlandart.blogspot.com )

Prize: Some Beady Goodness (one pound of assorted beads and things) and a surprise! More about that in a later post.

Rules:

1. You can create and post as much as you like, but you will only get one contest entry.

2. For anyone who publicizes the challenge (and links back here) on their blog, Facebook or Twitter, I will put in a second entry – MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE ME A COMMENT SO I KNOW YOU DID THIS.

3. I have to limit this contest to people with shipping addresses in the U.S. unless you’re willing to pay the shipping on your prize. If you are outside the U.S. but are willing to pay shipping, make sure to note that in your comment so I know about it.

4. Deadline to post your entries and comments is midnight May 31st.

5. Winner will be randomly drawn from all the entries on June 1st.

That should cover everything, but feel free to contact me with questions.

YeeeHaaa, 5,000 visitors! Thank You!

It seems like yesterday that I started to blog. I am not a daily blogger, though I would like to be, I just do not seem to have an interesting topic to share every day. However, with the help of you, and you and yes, you too, I have amassed over 5,000 (five-thousand!) visitors to my blog.

I never thought it would happen, but it did. THANK YOU!

Later today I will posting a design challenge using images from my friend and artist Richard Shilling, so please return to find out all the details.

Bead Soup Party 2

Click {HERE} to go to the Bead Soup Party Blog

Lori Anderson is at it again! She is hosting the Second Bead Soup Party and the deadline for signing up is fast approaching (May 7th). She is pairing us up to swap beads, clasps and focals to be made into something lovely by June 19th (the day after my birthday!). Below is an example of the sort of thing to be swapped between participants.

The first Bead Soup Party was a blast and I met so many lovely jewelry artists while going through the "reveal" blogs. Do join in -- it will challenge you and introduce you to a wonderful, wacky, creative group of jewelry designers. You know what they say, the more, the merrier!