Happy Monday my bead loving friends! I’m writing to you from Alabama where I’m visiting my mom for a few days. I hope that this week finds you all well and with more jewelry play time than I’m likely to have!
Are you as smitten with the gorgeous inspiration artwork by Ukrainian artist Viktor Ivanovich Zaretsky as I am? Seriously… wowza! I’m starved for color this time of year as a dweller in the snowy tundra of Minnesota, so Zaretsky’s work felt like a breath of fresh air and a promise that spring will come again someday. I have to be honest, that the third piece, Kalina Snow, didn’t really speak to me as much as the other four paintings… maybe due to it’s winter theme. Because of that, and my time crunch with unexpected travel, I decided to skip pulling art beads for that one. I’m sure if that piece speaks to you, wonderful ideas will come your way!
Before we dive into the beads, here’s my standard caveat: This isn’t in any way meant to be exhaustive or a shopping list… I realize that some of these makers are outside of the U.S. and that it’s always possible that not all my picks will still be available by the time you see this post. That being said, I’m providing a link to each artist’s shop in the photo captions for you.
A Girl in Blue
There’s a lot to be inspired by here… not the least of which being the gorgeous gown in Pantone’s Color of the Year! The dress is amazing with its mix of what looks like icy branches across the bodice, rich gold swirls, and the whimsical diamonds at the bottom which are also echoed in the background. You could also pull inspiration from the birch tree and the fantastical bird perched on its trunk. I’m also intrigued by the almost pointillism-esque background and foliage… the ceramic beads by Studio Damyanah capture that element pretty nicely.
Nastya, 1986
This piece seems the most reminiscent of a torn paper collage. There’s something more muted here despite the bright oranges and yellows as well as a more simplistic styling. The bracelet bars by Captured Moments were just too perfect for Nastya’s dress, don’t you think! I clearly focused more on the floral motifs and the colors from the inspiration here.
Portrait of Olga Kravchenko
I’m not always crazy about designing with shades of purple, but this painting might just change my mind a little. I kind of feel like the woman in this painting could be on her way to some fancy, 1970’s red carpet event… she’s got that funky vibe going on and I love it! The purples, the flowers, the dotty design on her bodice all make me super happy as do the touches of aqua in the background.
Eugenia, 1986
The extreme cheerfulness of the colors in this piece of artwork make it my favorite of the inspiration pieces. I feel like this is the most Klimt-like as well… perhaps because her body seems less grounded in reality, possessing some odd geometries. While the luscious colors drew me in, it’s some of the smaller details that keep me interested like the bells in the skirt of Eugenia’s gown and the details on her plunging neckline.
I had hoped to share a picture of some of the goodies from my own stash that I’m mulling over for my creations for Art Journey Two. Sadly, snapping a pic didn’t quite happen in my rush to get packed again and out of town. I promise that I’ve got some great possibilities under consideration. You will just have to wait a tiny bit longer to see what I’ve picked out!
Thanks for stopping by to get some art bead inspiration! Here’s to tons of happy creating as we continue through a whole new year of Art Journeys! I hope that I’ve given you some ideas to get you going for our second Journey of the year… Go to our Art Bead Scene Lounge Facebook Group to submit your creations for this Art Journey HERE. Remember, you can enter as often as you like… the only rule is that you have to use at least one art bead or component.
Sarajo Wentling, Your Monday Muse
Ann Schroeder
March 4, 2020 at 10:02 pmI always love seeing the beads you pick out. I have to admit, I don’t use purple that much either, and seeing what you’ve picked for the Olga painting, I’m not sure why. I’ll have to see what purple I have in my stash.