To celebrate the three day weekend (thanks, George and Abe, for having birthdays close enough to warrant a Federal holiday for you and the other presidents!), I've been spending lots of time today at the bead table, working hard on my first entry for the Art Bead Challenge.
These challenges have been so intriguing and inspiring, but this month I finally had enough time and an appropriate art bead, so yippee skippy, I'm finally giving it a shot.
The inspiration this month is The Conference of the Birds by Habiballah, from a manuscript of the Mantiq al-Tayr (The Language of the Birds) of Farid al-Din 'Attar, c. 1600. Isn't it spectacular? You can read more about the artwork, and the challenge, here.
My eye was immediately drawn to the peacock and to the lovely lavender shades in the stream.
I started with this porcelain focal by Forever Young, which I topped with a carved cinnabar bead with a phoenix (sadly, you can't see the phoenix in this photo, nor can I get the photo to display upright. Crap.)
Then I added a couple of carved bone beads, lavender jade, a carved agate barrel, a dyed agate lentil, copper wire, and fiber. I don't often use fiber in this way in my work, so this was a little added degree of personal difficulty for me.
The reveal date for all the challenge entries is February 29 (Leap Day). With such gorgeous art for inspiration, I can't wait to see what everyone has created!
7 comments:
Oh Wow Bobbie, I really like your necklace it is beautiful. I'm going to join this challenge one month I have come close a couple of time but just did not get things together in time.
Therese
dFantastic design, from the focal to those carved beads to the fiber. A wonderful interpretation of Attar's illustration. Although it was a challenge to include the fiber, I can tell you had fun with this!
Stunnning interpretation on the theme this month, I really love this necklace design! Awesome!
Bobbie, your necklace is gorgeous, starting with that stunning focal! I love all the colors and textures in this wonderful piece!
Bobbie, Gorgeous necklace! I love asymmetrical designs and this one is a beauty. That focal bead is so pretty and I like that you used fiber in the piece. I have a bag of ribbon I'm almost afraid of for some weird reason (not a ribbon kind of gal) but I might go for it. Great work! Beth
So many lovely treasures in one necklace! I love your use of fiber, it adds such a wonderful texture!
What a beautiful necklace! And the peacock focal is simply stunning. Is Forever Young on Etsy? I'm off to look now!
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