This theme made me think of a Bruce Munro installation, Reflections, at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in the winter of 2016-17. It was the only indoor piece in an amazing collection of winter lights. Kaleidoscopic imagines were projected down onto fabric covered tables spread throughout the auditorium. It was mesmerizing to watch the shifting colors and patterns! You can get a better idea of this piece over on his website HERE. You can also explore his website to see some other amazing installations he's done playing with light and color.
Now onto the jewelry!
Probably because of the Bruce Munro installation, I first thought of some bright charms by Jana Bliznakova of Happy Fish Things that have a fun kaleidoscope type pattern to them. The colors also made me think of the pattern on the left above. Unlike what I did with a similar set of Jana's charms awhile back, I decided to keep these simple. I just wire wrapped a few seed beads onto the charms' wire loops with some copper/orange colored wire and called it good! These earrings are plenty bold without any additional beads.
As I was looking through my art beads for possibilities (I'm always trying to use these so I can justify new purchases!) I rediscovered some fun wax resist tubes by Joan Miller that I bought at Bead & Button last year. The patterns in the glaze remind me of how the patterns in my childhood kaleidoscope looked... just in a less colorful palette. I added some brass bead caps and black and bronze Czech glass beads to the bottoms leading to an overall shape that is sort of reminiscent of a kaleidoscope and finished the earrings off with brass ear wires.
Staying with ceramics for this month, I also grabbed some fun little lentil beads from Golem Design Studio whose patterns reminded me of the images in a kaleidoscope. I kept things pretty basic and just added some antique silver colored beads to the top and bottom of the lentils. I wire-wrapped some small seed beads onto the arched ear wires for added interest though... not wanting to go too simple.
Head over to the Earrings Everyday blog to check out what everyone else was inspired to make this month!
Wow! These are all perfect for the challenge! You have an enviable hoard of art beads. Thanks for playing! Enjoy the day! Erin
ReplyDeleteYou must have a large stash of art beads! All of the earrings are wonderful. I especially like how you wrapped seed beads around the first pair to hide the wires.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite the variety! I love your earrings, and all the little things you've done for the accents. Very impressive!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kathy. I am always amazed by the kind of beads that you use in your work. You should post pictures of your stash sometimes. I would like to drool over it
ReplyDeleteBeautiful designs for the Kaleidoscope challenge!
ReplyDeleteAw, this was a really nice post. Taking a few minutes and
ReplyDeleteactual effort to generate a good article… but
what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and don't seem to get
nearly anything done.
All are beautiful and your choices are perfect (as usual). I like your technique on the last pair where you wrapped up the long ear wire.
ReplyDeleteAlysen
The first pair is my favorite, probably because it's the most colorful and also this small touch with the seed beads. All three are perfect for the theme and I appreciate the second one because it takes an artistic eye to see the pattern!
ReplyDeleteI love what you did with the challenge!
ReplyDeleteLove all of these - all excellent for the inspiration!
ReplyDelete