June Art Bead Scene Challenge

Each month the editors over at the Art Bead Scene Blog choose a piece of artwork and challenge jewelry designers to create something using an art bead that is inspired by it.  For June they have chosen "Jackknife Village" by Canadian artist Franklin Carmichael.  To find out more about the painting and the artist from the ABS Blog, CLICK HERE. 

Jackknife Village, 1926
Franklin Carmichael
Watercolor on Paper

This is another time where I feel super naughty (and unorganized) for not knowing the name of the artist who made my focal bead.  In my defense, I bought it from a lampwork artist who was doing demonstrations in the Germany pavilion at Epcot when Eric and I were at Disney World for Christmas just after I started beading.  I never imagined that I would get as into jewelry design as I have... and the idea of selling anything I made (or even giving it away!) just seemed ridiculous!

Anyway, while the bead is a little brighter than the painting, it shares many of the same colors and the swirls in the bead feel reminiscent of the rolling hills as well as the implied movement in the clouds and water from the painting.  While the bead is mostly shades of blue, there is also a bit of pale yellow and even the tiniest bit of orange peaking out like in the buildings in the painting.  The bead also has a little bit of light green, which isn't in the painting, but I think the feel of it and the rest of the colors make it work for the challenge anyway.

This month I left things pretty simple and symmetrical to really let the focal bead speak for itself.  I finally broke out the sterling silver wire that I bought years ago and never had the nerve to use.  Gulp!  I had to fight my fear of messing up the pricier silver for all those wire wraps...but I did great.  I didn't have to tear a single link out.  Anyway, I used that silver wire to make links with a variety of Swarovski crystals in different shapes and colors.  Sterling chain (which I have also hoarded for a ridiculous amount of time) and a lobster claw clasp with a little crystal dangle complete the design.

If you want to see what other folks create in response to the painting, CLICK HERE to check out the Art Bead Scene Flickr Group page.  Enjoy!