A couple of years ago, I was experimenting with translucent polymer clay and silver leaf to create a button for my Winter Woods Vest. Besides the button, I also created a cabochon and a long, thin focal bead from that design sheet.
Using a dab of E-6000 glue, I affixed the cab to some Lacy’s Stiff Stuff backing and it sat there on my work table for a year as various designs percolated in my mind. That’s the way I like to work. I create a component that I’d like to bead and/or use in a jewelry design and then I just let it sit there in my studio where I can gaze on it periodically. The component image imprints on my brain and in my imagination and, as I go through my day-to-day experiences, it changes shape and grows.
My first inclination was to orient the cab as a vertical pendant. I knew that I wanted to use silver beads and grey pearls and played around with several designs but nothing felt quite right to me. At this point, I had added the silver beading around the cab. I liked the way the sparkly silver seed beads set off the silver leaf peeking out from under the translucent clay. Around that time period, I was driving into Boston a lot and images of reflections on the city streets, wet from newly fallen snow, joined the beaded cab image in my mind.
One day my intuition told me to turn the cab to a horizontal orientation and, at that moment, something clicked inside of me and the design started to fall into place as I peyote stitched the silver tubes. I think that the clean lines of the long thin tubes contribute a quiet, reflective, zen feeling to the piece. Underneath that hushed quiet glows the heart of the city.
Now that this piece is finished, my thoughts turn to the long, thin focal bead for another piece. I think I just might go with the same horizontal orientation. What do you think?
Just beautiful! I love the horizontal. Yes, do more of them.. they are in your mind.
Lovely! So Happy to see that you having time to create and post your beautiful art. The horizontal shape is especially suited for our decolletés. I am looking forward to the next one.
I love this piece … more!!! 😀 😀
Thank you ladies for your support and kind comments! 🙂
Oh, it’s gorgeous!!
Thanks Steph! 🙂
Karen, I love this necklace. I think the horizontal placement of the focal bead adds a surprise element to the piece. Your bead work is lovely, as always. (And I apologize for not commenting sooner. I tried to do so a few days ago w/my iPad but it wasn’t being cooperative.)
Thanks so much for your kind, thoughtful comments on my necklace, Amy! 🙂
I love this necklace, it’s gorgeous!!!
Thank you so much!!!
I think this is beautiful and especially like the silver wires peeking out of the silver tubular shapes. Well done. The clay piece reminds me of lit windows in high rise buildings.