Huichol artworks are made using an ancient technique. Seed beads are pressed into a layer of bees wax which has been applied to a form. As you can imagine, the sculptures are quite fragile on warm days or in the sun.
Deanna Moore (tigerpurple) demonstrates a new twist on the ancient art. She presses seed beads into polymer clay. Granted, it's a laborious process but quite clever and more stable.
Sometimes you find interesting techniques in the most unlikely places. Have a delightful weekend.
A class with Ronna Weltman pushed Seattle's Sue Ellen Katz to begin making polymer Talking Heads five years ago as a daily creative meditation. (Here's a PCD post about the beginning of her work.) The talking heads have evolved into elegant magnetic brooches embroidered with glass beads and semi-precious stones. Sue…
When I say seed beads and polymer you probably envision small beads woven around polymer cabochons. Connecticut's Peggy Dembicer thinks differently. Here she embeds seeds beads in polymer to create a mosaic portrait. She was inspired by a 1940s photo of her mother-in-law. It measured 8.5" by 11. Even though…
These big beads from Tory Hughes have an uninhibited, slap-dash look about them with a few seed beads tossed on top of random strips of color. The allure of the colors and the composition have me wishing I could get to Santa Fe for her one day Big Colorful Bead…
I think the beads will stay in the clay initially after pressing them in….then a thin, thin coat of liquid clay over everything will not only “glue them in place, but give the whole piece a nice sheen…???
Barbara ,
As it happens, this is a woman, Deanna Moore and her contact info is listed in one of the works in the Gel Pen gallery: http://snipurl.com/uewj
Jackie ,
I wonder how Deanna Moore gets the seedbeads to stay in the clay? Any information about this anywhere?
Adina ,
doh! I just started doing that too! hehe….ahh well, with 6 billion + people in the world, its bound to happen.
Adina
Julie ,
I think the beads will stay in the clay initially after pressing them in….then a thin, thin coat of liquid clay over everything will not only “glue them in place, but give the whole piece a nice sheen…???