January 2019 ABS Challenge - Mother Nature Light and Dark

I love challenges.  They get my juices going, sometimes in surprising directions.  I had been working with more tribal color beads and styles when I saw Heather Power's lovely illustrations depicting woman draped in necklace garlands of leaves, and butterflies and flowers.

 To say I was enchanted is putting it mildly.  It inspired me to think of a new skinner blend (for me), mixing shades of burgandy and gold to create rich earthy colors which I then used to create a large focal flower.

I wanted the flower to be more than a normal centerpiece.  I wanted it to draw the eye through the necklace which got me thinking of creating my own version of a garland.  I blended some poly clay greens to create leaves but, after baking, felt they still were not dark enough so I used alcohol inks to add gradation.

The leaves and flower sit on a base that is dark bronzy gold blending into a deep deep brown black.  I finished it with an organic flower toggle clasp.

Here tis.

Next, I began work on creating a similar necklace in the lighter palette.  I opted for a beachier island color variation than the illustration posted and I wanted at least one critter in this necklace.  The skinner blend I created was using peacock blue and various greens I blended together and mixed in white to get a lighter shade.  To get a really light shade, after I skinner blended the colors, I added a really thin sheet of white over the blended colors and ran that through the blender a few times.  Did that once more to get the lighter brighter beachy color I wanted.  

 I think the dragonflies of Key West decided they should be the critter because a swarm of them flew right by my ear the day before I started this piece.  I never had that happen before!  To appease the dragonfly gods, I added one dragonfly to this piece.  It's sitting on a pod with a water hole in the middle.  At least that is what I envision - why not? 

 Lastly, I created an organic toggle clasp to tie the piece togther.   To tone the colors down a bit and give the piece a more weathered look, I antiqued most of the beads with a bronze metallic paint.  

This is a similar necklace I created but did not submit.

Here are Heather's wonderful illustrations alongside my necklaces.

 And here is the link to the Monthly Challenge Page where you can check out other artist's work and enter yourself!  There are still a few days left.  Get to it!!!  

https://www.artbeadscenestudio.com/monthly-challenge/