Teal Texture

I haven't participated in the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge in a long time, but I found that this months inspiration piece really spoke to me and I managed to squeeze it in to a very busy month!

"Revolving" by Kirt Schwitters dates to 1919 and is an assemblage of wood, metal, cord, cardboard, wool, wire, leather, and oil on canvas. Schwitters's use of fragments reflects a society shattered by World War I. "Out of parsimony I took whatever I found . . . because we were now an impoverished country," he wrote in 1919. "New things had to be made out of the fragments." This work reflects Schwitters's self-proclaimed "love for the wheel," and its title refers to a poem by the artist from the same year, in which he wrote, "Worlds turn the new machine to thee. To thee. Though, thine the new machine space."

My necklace is also a bit of an assemblage, consisting of a large variety of beading techniques, including three types of peyote stitch, twisted tubular herringbone and two kinds of fringing.

I found my main focal point in my "stash": a vintage handblown Venetian "bumpy" bead, as well as two smaller coordinating bumpy beads.

I'm particularly pleased with my clasp: it features a pair of ruffled art beads from mermaidglass on Etsy. So many women have short hair, which means the back of the necklace is on display nearly as much as the front and this clasp system gives a seamless look to the necklace.

I've many large projects to work on in the next few months; I'm probably not going to be able to participate every month, but I will be making an effort to whenever possible.

Available for purchase here.