Perfection in Imperfection

I was discussing with a friend the dilemma I was having about using a vintage brooch that I loved and wanted to design with, but it had a few minor flaws to it that though apparent, really didn't detract from the beauty and individuality of the design. At least that is the way I thought of it.

Now I don't have a set formula for what I require in a brooch or beads or any other embellishments, it just has to strike an inner chord of mine that stirs my imagination. That could be the unique design, the color, the material it is made from, or some other interesting qualities, and in that moment I am careful to look for imperfections as well. However, I never discount a piece if I find one or two things wrong with it because I am not looking for perfection in a piece that is old and may have been a beloved piece of someone in the past and used often for that reason. Don't misunderstand, I have many brooches that are perfect and I love those as well, however, those that are flawed truly show me what women of the past used and cared about and that is what drives the decision to get it even when it has had a small mishap or two along the way. I repair what I can when it is possible without being obvious or if it's not too complicated, but even if the flaw remains, it is still endearing to me because I know that its history was remarkable in some way to someone. I can just imagine the stories these lovely pieces of jewelry could tell if they could only speak.

Even though they sit silently waiting for the next phase of their future, and no one really knows much of their past, they do talk to those that listen and let them know that like people, they can endure much and still manage to maintain a beauty all their own and hold secrets only to be imagined and never told.

Customizing Beads

On my next project, Oriental Expressions, I found some beads that I really thought would be perfect for the design and ordered them. When they arrived, the color was wrong. I had already looked at so many beads that had to be rejected for one reason or another and so was not sure if I could find substitutes for them. When that happens, I turn to my Martha Stewart All Purpose Acrylic Paints that can be used on glass, and therefore, on glass beads. I used the satin finish paint for these and I couldn't have been happier with the results. Since the beads I work with are relatively small, it can be messy, and usually takes several coats of paint to cover completely and some time for them to dry and cure, but the results are well worth it.

I don't like to employ this method except in rare instances when there is no other recourse, simply because I am a purist and prefer to use materials that are 100% of what they claim to be. That is one of the reasons why I would not use any type of glue unless as a last resort to fasten things in my work. And only then the very best of the best that has proven great ability to hold and last indefinitely. My track record in the past with most glues has been disappointing at best, so I avoid them as much as possible. Stitching items onto a base with fibers is my absolute favorite way to go because of its longevity and what I think is just a classier look.

I'm also including a picture of the brooch that is the centerpiece of the design. I love the colors and how unique the design is of this vintage brooch.

Will be updating the progress of Ladybug Lake next time, until then I leave you with this thought:
"Searching for possibilities outside your safety zone will plunge you into learning processes that never stop".
-Michael Fleishman

Picture Perfect

I have been taking photos of the project Ladybug Lake with my iPhone which has resulted in the colors not being spot on. I have a small less expensive version of a Canon and will start to use it to take the photos to get better resolution and color matching. I'll experiment with it this weekend as we are supposed to get some rain on Saturday or Sunday, can't quite remember which, and that would be a good day to play around with it. I'll repost the pictures next week with the old phone camera and the Canon so a decent comparison can be made. Once my designs are finished and framed, I will look to really get the best pictures I can. I have a friend whose daughter is a professional photographer and maybe I could get her to do some shots for me at a decent cost. I know a setup to do product photography isn't that expensive and I may even try it myself if I'm feeling particularly brave and the price is right. I know how important good photos are to show off products in the best way possible to produce sales because I have shopped on Etsy and there have been terrible pictures taken to sell items and I'm not sure why they would think anyone would purchase something that is out of focus, too dark or too light. The really good pix really knock your socks off and reinforces the product's written description in a visual way that allows it to either speak to the purchaser in a true fashion or not.

I received my Miyuki bead shipment and they are absolutely gorgeous! The colors are wonderful and so different than the other beads they make. Stunning. I already had a design going using just beads before I even knew about these, but now that I have them I know they will be perfect for the piece. I love it when a plan comes together, especially when it does so unexpectedly.


As an aside, and while discussing beads, I have to tell you I am reading a book about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton which has so far been quite interesting. They mention the jewelry purchases Burton made for Elizabeth which made me go back to my copy of "Elizabeth Taylor, My Love Affair with Jewelry" to see them in color and beautifully photographed. I love using vintage brooches in my work (which I will be working to make happen hopefully before the end of the year) and she had some truly stunning newer pieces along with wonderful vintage ones. It's nice to be in good company with someone like Elizabeth Taylor when it comes to appreciating gorgeous baubles and beads!

Uniquely Needleart

So here is the latest on Ladybug Lake. The branch itself finally has the blue border around the whole thing and I think makes the design look more cohesive. I've been doing the filament sparkle on the left side of the work as I went but I think I will just plow ahead with finishing the water completely and then go back to adding the filament to it later. Actually, that part seems to go pretty fast. Next will be backstitching the stems to the leaves and then finally, getting the beads on it. I am adding these really sweet white flower beads to the design and have to figure out what color I will use for the center bead. I may use a crystal, again the decision making dilemma seems to be rearing its ugly head. I should check my biorhythm chart's mental status to see how much longer this uncertainty phase will last.

I was thinking while I was stitching on my piece how difficult it would be to replicate this piece exactly if someone tried. I mean, just perfectly matching the way the fabric marker worked with the linen floss in coloring it would be very hard if not downright impossible. I even noticed how the stitched rows also had very slight variations in how the stitches laid and thus produced subtle color differences. Even the way the blended filament fibers laid on top of one another varied from stitch to stitch. So while photographs can easily enough be duplicated as prints, and even clever forgers can duplicate paintings by the masters, reproducing a piece of original needlework art would require a herculean effort that I'm not sure would result in a perfect match. Taking a photo of the work would not reproduce a proper image of the work at all as it could not display the actual textures and reflection of light on the fibers. So a perfect replica, I believe, is not possible of a piece of needlework and thus makes them very unique, and I think that makes them even more valuable and less plentiful than other forms of art.  There could be the possible exception of sculpture to this, as again, capturing the nuances of light and texture is difficult with them as well. However, cloth is not as heavy, does not break when dropped, and is easy to store. How great is that!

Inspiration Happens!

So what is my inspiration? Is it a flash out of the blue? An object? A certain media? A picture? A glimpse of nature? Actually all of it applies. For Ladybug Lake it was actually some glass ladybug beads that I had in my stash. I made some stick pins with some of the beads and was struck with an idea for a design. It was slow going with a rough sketch, then graphing it a couple of times to get the final design. Then it was time to get the colors and then materials selected. The actual story behind this is a motorcycle trip my husband and I made with some friends to the top of a mountain one spring. It overlooks this beautiful big lake and the day was gorgeous with the sunshine dancing across its surface and making it look like it was dotted with diamonds. We were so fortunate to have been there the day when thousands of ladybugs happened to be there too on the scrubby vegetation scattered about the landscape. We stumbled across a slice of heaven that day making it one that I will never forget. When I started the design I knew that water would be an integral part of the design and wanted to give the same impression of the light dancing across it by adding blue and silver blending filaments. Even though it meant a lot more work, I knew it had to be added.

In this case the beads sparked the inspiration, but it was a grouping of that along with the experience and the fibers that made the design happen. In another design I am working on it is the beads AND the fibers that inspired the design. On another I am working on, it is a piece of vintage jewelry that drove the idea. In another I have in mind, it is what I saw of nature on a university campus. So my inspiration comes from everything and anything and I love that unpredictability for my art. I love doing the work and seeing it all come together fills my heart with pride and the joy it brings to myself and others is the icing on the cake!