I had to get in on the Art Bead Scene Challenge this month – the painting was stunning, and had a mass of green-gold tones, which I adore:
Plus, painted by a woman, featuring a woman (and not in the ‘woman as object’ pose that often permeates, well, everything) – it was the perfect painting to make me join in *G*.
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The greens are more olive really – I still suck at photos  |
I have some gunmetal findings which I thought would echo the darker tones very well, and I brightened them up a little with some of my polymer clay beads made specifically for this challenge in lovely green and golds, with lighter leaf and vine motifs. The deep brown carved coconut flowers hint at the darkness within the orb, and I finished the necklace off with a polymer flower, again in muted green, which is a nod to the flower decorations on the central character’s hair.
Yeah…she’s had a hard life. And been sick a lot. I think she might be a bit of a drinker too.
Post-reduction, she was even more afflicted; her eyes droop and her pursed mouth telegraphs her displeasure very effectively.
There was a heck of a lot of waste at the ends, despite the precautions I took, and I somehow ended up with approximately the same amount of waste flesh coloured clay as I started with after I trimmed all the bad stuff away:
Still trying to figure that one out.
Do you think there’s a market for ‘Angry Women’ beads?
Sometimes, you want to write something that you’re pretty sure is not a good idea. It might alienate people, or rub them the wrong way. Am I going to publish this post? I’m not sure – if you’re reading this now, then the answer was yes. If you don’t like this post, I’m truly sorry, because I don’t like to make people feel bad.
We all have aversions to words – sometimes we have a reason for it, sometimes we don’t know why.
There are several terms I have a dislike for; feminine is one, girly is another. I don’t feel comfortable with the connotations that these words confer, because they imply that the reality of ‘woman’ is synonymous with, for example, softness, daintiness, and as such, weakness. I’m very much of the ‘gender as a mask’ school of thought, and I don’t believe that we need to ascribe gender stereotypes onto neutral concepts. There is no reason at all that someone with xy chromosones couldn’t wear dangly earrings, except for the cultural baggage we all put onto sex and gender.
Short point I have two xx chromosones and breasts. I don’t need a ‘feminine’ necklace to make me a ‘proper woman’
Don’t leave me hanging here with this post though: if you agree, please share this (social media buttons are below). If you disagree, tell me why – I’m really interested and despite the evidence to the contrary, I’m not a judgey person 
I find Sunday a great day for browsing around Etsy shops, taking notes about what I plan to buy – or what I would buy if I had the money. There are some lovely paintings on Etsy which are naturally very expensive, so thank goodness for prints; a great way to get a little piece of art.
Here’s a taster of Etsy artists’ shop I’ve been wandering around today…
A ** next to a listing denotes possible mature subject matter.
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| http://www.etsy.com/listing/44048724/original-abstract-landscape-painting by Michelle Geromel |
Mouthwatering abstract landscapes (yes, I said mouthwatering. They look delicious!), and bold figure paintings.**
Emily Balivet:
Art featuring various mythologies and goddesses, full of life and colour.**
Marni Mutrux:
Gorgeous painted studies of women.**
This artist uses fabric over wood to portray her art, and it works beautifully.
Among other subjects, this artist paints trees – but that’s saying too little. These tree painting are striking studies of silhouettes and colours, and I love the way that the trees are used almost as negative space.
Amazing figure paintings, as well as a beautiful, rich landscape series.**
The range and fullness of colour in this artist’s paintings is breathtaking; the warm and cool tones draw out life from the pictures.**
Deceptively simple acrylic lanscape paintings, that capture a mood in a few colours.
Hope you enjoy!
Well, here’s a proper inaugural post:
I love making Treasuries on Etsy – it’s like making a personalised window display – but they of course always expire too soon! So, here’s a selection of lovely things on the theme of Women in Art, featuring art by or about women, because they deserve to be seen as much as possible. (Edit: I don’t mean *women* deserve to be seen as much as possible, I mean this art does. Oh, you knew what I meant.)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20454214
A Year’s Time by J Downey: the expression on the figure’s face is just so tranquil.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24450024
No Juliet by K M Watkins: a less tragic, more empowering end to a classic.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24258359
The Ride by Pam Reinke: joyous and carefree.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12825107
Women Graduate by adelaise: portrays an important moment.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18037729
A Womyn in Question by giovannacoraggio: this woman’s expression is simply captivating.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21318266
Camouflage by mookiejones: no, it’s not a metaphor for women’s studies (well, I guess it could be if you perform a metaphorical squint, I don’t know), but it’s painted by a woman, and it’s stunning.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20086841
The Vote by meop808: a wonderful moment in history.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23159106
Rosa in Blue by Victoria Webb: wistful and melancholy.
Please go see them 
