Outside Inspiration: Reuse & Repeat

March 6, 2015

Kathleen Tucci recycled jewelry hummingbird necklace

Earlier this week, I mentioned that you can avoid creating less-than-exciting pieces that use consistent repetition by adding variation or creating unusual or surprising visual impact. Well, today’s piece, created by jewelry artist Kathleen Nowak Tucci, has some serious impact while still using the same form, texture and accents repeated over and over. The impact of this piece comes from the gorgeous, shimmery color. There is a touch of variation in color, but I think this would still be eye-catching if it was all the same color. We sure do like our bright and shiny. Now, do you know what this is made from?

If you make your coffee with a Nespresso machine, then you might have recognized those colors from the capsules used in the appliance. Kathleen’s use of these started with a visit to a friend who used these. She was drawn to the beautiful colors and asked her friend to save the used ones. Now, she’s made a full-line of jewelry from these toss away cups.

I love that Kathleen has created something so beautiful from items we would normally toss out without a second thought. Well, that’s not wholly true. I bet polymer addicts would stop to admire the great colors and might have even wondered if they could be used in the studio. Actually, I know I saw some combination of these with polymer a while back. Although I could not find them just now, maybe you will come up with something of your own. Take a look at the many other beautiful pieces on her website, and if you’re intrigued, find a friend or get yourself a machine and see what you come up with. Nothing like coffee and art getting together!

A nod goes to the fabulous Helen Breil who sent me a link to this particular piece on the Beading Gem blog and website. Another nod goes to photographer Victor Wolansky who Kathleen praises for taking such a beautiful photograph of a particularly difficult piece.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

  tpa-blog-125x125-2015 LP-PA-FoilsDf0215   ice cream ad  TPA_McGuire_blog ad

Steady Focus

March 5, 2015

1556339_675370832514934_1415610203_o

Here’s another thought on that whole adding variation to repetition thing. Just as repetition doesn’t have to mean consistent and dull, variation doesn’t have to mean anything chaotic or crazy. The idea of variation is to give us something more to look at, to mix it up a little, to put enough interesting differences into a piece to either make a big initial impact, keep us looking at it, or to evoke a complexity of an emotion. Or, really, just because we find beauty in variation.

But varied can also be part of a series of consistently repeated elements. Center-focused compositions are often considered basic and boring. I probably rallied against that idea in art school more than anything else. What was this aversion to center-focus or balance? Nature is based heavily on this concept, and some of our most beautiful inspirations come from that kind of thing.

These pieces by Ivy Niles are an excellent example of variation in repetition using a centered composition. She uses more than one cane to give the eye a variety of visual textures plus those moderately used crystals to add a sparkle to the brilliant blues. I think we are averaging about five canes per piece plus accents, which could look quite busy, but the centric and regular repetition reins it all in. Just beautiful.

Ivy is a master cane maker with some of the most beautiful and intricate designs. She sells her canes on Etsy and shows off more of her goodies on her website as well.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

  tpa-blog-125x125-2015 LP-PA-FoilsDf0215   ice cream ad  TPA_McGuire_blog ad

The Ups and Downs of Repetition

March 4, 2015

10922550_10206110456626851_6383282027797743102_nLet’s talk about that perilous pitfall with repetition–when it’s just boring. Why does repetition work sometimes but not other times? Sometimes it can simply be the impact of highly unusual elements (I have the perfect example for Friday … you can look forward to that!), but more commonly, it’s because of variation combined with consistency. And then you say … “What is that supposed to mean?”, right? Well, it’s something you probably already are instinctively aware of but let’s break it down.

Lynda Braunstein-Gilcher‘s necklace you see here is a beautiful example of variation with consistent elements that are cohesive and regular enough to produce a grounding for the variety in the design. I bet you can see it easily, especially when it’s pointed out. Obviously the repetition is in the inverted drop forms, but these forms were created in different sizes with several different canes in a variety of color and line widths. Additionally, some of these lines are gradients and some are solids. That’s a fair amount of variation, but it isn’t chaotic because there is a grounding consistency–they are all the same form, they all dangle off a short bit of cord and, most of all, they all echo the vertical theme. Well, kind of radiating verticals, if you can accept that term. The fact that everything moves in the same direction, from the cords to the lines in the canes to the inverted teardrops that act like arrows makes for strong, repeated lines that all move downward in this piece. So we have variation and consistency in a design of regular repetition and yet a lot of energy thanks to the variation and strong lines. That is not boring. At all.

So, if you like using repetition, consider how you can vary it to add energy or interest to the collective elements. Just keep something consistent to keep it grounded. Unless you are after a feeling of chaos. Then just have at it!

Lynda runs a stained glass and polymer supply store called Lynda’s Artistic Haven in Loveland, Ohio, so if you’re in the area, stop by! You can see more of what she is up to on her Facebook page as well.

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

  tpa-blog-125x125-2015 LP-PA-FoilsDf0215   ice cream ad  TPA_McGuire_blog ad

A Little Dance

March 3, 2015

170e469d6a1c77a1491008ba07e70e15So, yes, more about repetition but in slightly less obvious or more varied manners will be in store for you the rest of the week. Hopefully, you aren’t bored with the subject. The ways you can apply it are limitless really.

For instance, take this fun, contemporary piece titled “Little Cities Necklace” by Ann Dillon. There is plenty of repetition in the shape of the beads, the colors and order of the layers and the general placement of the thick cane cuts. But, the canes are laid out in a varied manner and are all different canes. This wonderfully  illustrates the interconnection between repetition and rhythm. Repetition doesn’t mean regular, measured, evenly applied elements. It means something is used over and over, but how those elements are applied create rhythm that can be steady and strong or varied and even chaotic.

An underlying regular rhythm, like the bead bases here, provide grounding for the less predictable rhythm of the canes that kind of dance about in close but buoyant manner. The fact that they are applied across the horizontal center of each bead gives them that floating feel, so it’s definitely more of a dance or flight. If they were in the same formation but at the bottom, they could look heavy, as if they were spilled–nothing wrong with that, but definitely a different feel to the rhythm because they will look grounded.

Ann works in polymer and also a lot in seedbeads–talk about repetition and rhythm! That kind of bead work is all about that. Take a look at her website and practice identifying and feeling the rhythm of the pieces. It’s rather fun to think of work in that way.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

  tpa-blog-125x125-2015 LP-PA-FoilsDf0215   ice cream ad  TPA_McGuire_blog ad

Outside Inspiration: Reuse & Repeat

March 6, 2015
Posted in

Kathleen Tucci recycled jewelry hummingbird necklace

Earlier this week, I mentioned that you can avoid creating less-than-exciting pieces that use consistent repetition by adding variation or creating unusual or surprising visual impact. Well, today’s piece, created by jewelry artist Kathleen Nowak Tucci, has some serious impact while still using the same form, texture and accents repeated over and over. The impact of this piece comes from the gorgeous, shimmery color. There is a touch of variation in color, but I think this would still be eye-catching if it was all the same color. We sure do like our bright and shiny. Now, do you know what this is made from?

If you make your coffee with a Nespresso machine, then you might have recognized those colors from the capsules used in the appliance. Kathleen’s use of these started with a visit to a friend who used these. She was drawn to the beautiful colors and asked her friend to save the used ones. Now, she’s made a full-line of jewelry from these toss away cups.

I love that Kathleen has created something so beautiful from items we would normally toss out without a second thought. Well, that’s not wholly true. I bet polymer addicts would stop to admire the great colors and might have even wondered if they could be used in the studio. Actually, I know I saw some combination of these with polymer a while back. Although I could not find them just now, maybe you will come up with something of your own. Take a look at the many other beautiful pieces on her website, and if you’re intrigued, find a friend or get yourself a machine and see what you come up with. Nothing like coffee and art getting together!

A nod goes to the fabulous Helen Breil who sent me a link to this particular piece on the Beading Gem blog and website. Another nod goes to photographer Victor Wolansky who Kathleen praises for taking such a beautiful photograph of a particularly difficult piece.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

  tpa-blog-125x125-2015 LP-PA-FoilsDf0215   ice cream ad  TPA_McGuire_blog ad

Read More

Steady Focus

March 5, 2015
Posted in

1556339_675370832514934_1415610203_o

Here’s another thought on that whole adding variation to repetition thing. Just as repetition doesn’t have to mean consistent and dull, variation doesn’t have to mean anything chaotic or crazy. The idea of variation is to give us something more to look at, to mix it up a little, to put enough interesting differences into a piece to either make a big initial impact, keep us looking at it, or to evoke a complexity of an emotion. Or, really, just because we find beauty in variation.

But varied can also be part of a series of consistently repeated elements. Center-focused compositions are often considered basic and boring. I probably rallied against that idea in art school more than anything else. What was this aversion to center-focus or balance? Nature is based heavily on this concept, and some of our most beautiful inspirations come from that kind of thing.

These pieces by Ivy Niles are an excellent example of variation in repetition using a centered composition. She uses more than one cane to give the eye a variety of visual textures plus those moderately used crystals to add a sparkle to the brilliant blues. I think we are averaging about five canes per piece plus accents, which could look quite busy, but the centric and regular repetition reins it all in. Just beautiful.

Ivy is a master cane maker with some of the most beautiful and intricate designs. She sells her canes on Etsy and shows off more of her goodies on her website as well.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

  tpa-blog-125x125-2015 LP-PA-FoilsDf0215   ice cream ad  TPA_McGuire_blog ad

Read More

The Ups and Downs of Repetition

March 4, 2015
Posted in

10922550_10206110456626851_6383282027797743102_nLet’s talk about that perilous pitfall with repetition–when it’s just boring. Why does repetition work sometimes but not other times? Sometimes it can simply be the impact of highly unusual elements (I have the perfect example for Friday … you can look forward to that!), but more commonly, it’s because of variation combined with consistency. And then you say … “What is that supposed to mean?”, right? Well, it’s something you probably already are instinctively aware of but let’s break it down.

Lynda Braunstein-Gilcher‘s necklace you see here is a beautiful example of variation with consistent elements that are cohesive and regular enough to produce a grounding for the variety in the design. I bet you can see it easily, especially when it’s pointed out. Obviously the repetition is in the inverted drop forms, but these forms were created in different sizes with several different canes in a variety of color and line widths. Additionally, some of these lines are gradients and some are solids. That’s a fair amount of variation, but it isn’t chaotic because there is a grounding consistency–they are all the same form, they all dangle off a short bit of cord and, most of all, they all echo the vertical theme. Well, kind of radiating verticals, if you can accept that term. The fact that everything moves in the same direction, from the cords to the lines in the canes to the inverted teardrops that act like arrows makes for strong, repeated lines that all move downward in this piece. So we have variation and consistency in a design of regular repetition and yet a lot of energy thanks to the variation and strong lines. That is not boring. At all.

So, if you like using repetition, consider how you can vary it to add energy or interest to the collective elements. Just keep something consistent to keep it grounded. Unless you are after a feeling of chaos. Then just have at it!

Lynda runs a stained glass and polymer supply store called Lynda’s Artistic Haven in Loveland, Ohio, so if you’re in the area, stop by! You can see more of what she is up to on her Facebook page as well.

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

  tpa-blog-125x125-2015 LP-PA-FoilsDf0215   ice cream ad  TPA_McGuire_blog ad

Read More

A Little Dance

March 3, 2015
Posted in

170e469d6a1c77a1491008ba07e70e15So, yes, more about repetition but in slightly less obvious or more varied manners will be in store for you the rest of the week. Hopefully, you aren’t bored with the subject. The ways you can apply it are limitless really.

For instance, take this fun, contemporary piece titled “Little Cities Necklace” by Ann Dillon. There is plenty of repetition in the shape of the beads, the colors and order of the layers and the general placement of the thick cane cuts. But, the canes are laid out in a varied manner and are all different canes. This wonderfully  illustrates the interconnection between repetition and rhythm. Repetition doesn’t mean regular, measured, evenly applied elements. It means something is used over and over, but how those elements are applied create rhythm that can be steady and strong or varied and even chaotic.

An underlying regular rhythm, like the bead bases here, provide grounding for the less predictable rhythm of the canes that kind of dance about in close but buoyant manner. The fact that they are applied across the horizontal center of each bead gives them that floating feel, so it’s definitely more of a dance or flight. If they were in the same formation but at the bottom, they could look heavy, as if they were spilled–nothing wrong with that, but definitely a different feel to the rhythm because they will look grounded.

Ann works in polymer and also a lot in seedbeads–talk about repetition and rhythm! That kind of bead work is all about that. Take a look at her website and practice identifying and feeling the rhythm of the pieces. It’s rather fun to think of work in that way.

 

If you like this blog, support The Polymer Arts projects with a subscription or an issue of The Polymer Arts magazine as well as supporting our advertising partners.

  tpa-blog-125x125-2015 LP-PA-FoilsDf0215   ice cream ad  TPA_McGuire_blog ad

Read More
If you love these posts ...