Want to peek inside my mind as I develop a new type of bead?
Warning! It’s always a little scary and there’s lots of confusion. I jump in over my head cause I won’t know how to make the bead I’m envisioning. I’ll probably will be having to develop new lampwork techniques or explore the internet to see if the techniques already exist.There’s lots of stressful frustration, tantalizing excitement of new discovery and finally a sense of ahhh, I did it! (Or, heaven forbid…failure!)
What I knew for sure before I began…
- I wanted to explore other types of flowers that I couldn’t do with my sculptural techniques.
- I knew I wanted to keep exploring my silvered glasses and an abstract direction.
- I knew I wanted to explored my loves of Victorian Era & romantic flowers.
But, now, looking at my new floral beads, I see my entire life in these beads.
A closer look inside my head…
I collect antiques. I started collecting when I was 16 years old. My favorite era was the Victorian and more specifically, the Art Nouveau era. The principle themes of Art Nouveau were exposed cast iron as a structural material, incorporating glass as a design element, and attention to ornamentation with flowing lush curving lines inspired by vegetation.
The Art Nouveau movement started in 1893 at Brussels, Belgium with Baron Victor Horta.
Wonderful examples of glass work by Emile Galle and glass and jewelry by Rene Lalique are highly collectable.
The famous posters of decadent Parisian life such as the can can dancers were created by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec.
Then, there was Alphonse Mucha, the epitome of Art Nouveau, jaw dropping sensuous women and my hero of curly-cues!
In the United States, Louis Tiffany and John La Farge were creating innovative & awe inspiring stain glass windows with the newly invented opalescent glass. The infamous Tiffany lamps and jewelry were also made during is period.
Louis Sullivan built buildings with wondrous iron scroll work adorning the facades.
I LOVED every curly-cue and flowing swirl Art Nouveau had to offer.
Now, looking at my new bead creations, I saw influences from my passionate love for this era materialize as floral beads.
Fabulous secrets dwell deep inside us all!
When I taught art, I always tried to get my students to draw their inspiration from inside themselves. I taught them painting techniques but I never allowed them to copy because I knew there was something very special and unique waiting to be express from within each one of them.
Looking at my floral beads, I realized that I had captured the emotional awe & admiration I possessed deep within myself for the Art Nouveau Era. Pushing my artistic boundaries & connecting with this energy allowed me to express myself in a new and magnificent way.
So here are the fronts of a few of my new beads. The backs of the beads are lusciously embellished with abstract designs using silvered glass and other materials.
I hope you can take some time to explore ‘Art Nouveau Era’. You might fall in love, too!
What’s your favorite Era? Comment below.
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