Thursday, April 30, 2009

Glass beads round your neck

A sneak peak at collection of necklaces I have been working on during spring time rainy days. On the third of Mayo, I will show my latest "pretties" at Missouri Bluffs, a clothing boutique, in Weston, MO. Please come spend a part of your Sunday afternoon with us. Play dress-up. ( noon to five pm.)


Each necklace in this ever growing collection is one-of-a -kind.
Evolution ( yes , even in Kansas....) of rock medicine.
19 inches long necklace

Whilst researching Crow Indian medicine bundles, an image of a rock bundle completely encrusted with glass trade beads lodged itself in my head.

The pendants on my necklaces do not contain rocks though each encased leather shape is a stitched hotch potch of glass beads from my collection. This bundle of beads is strung into necklace form for you to wear when feeling festive or perhaps when you wish to experience light-heartedness.
OLx3
18 1/2" long necklace

Imagery of Our Blessed Mother can be found in my artwork. From a collection of statuary, I photograph and then collage these images with bits of paper, lace, fabric trims, beads, words typed on a 1939 Royal typewriter and all is stitched down in proper order ( at least in my mind.) These collages are printed and encased , thus becoming tags and charms. Three of these tags, a.k.a. pendants, come together here with a hand picked grouping of glass beads to form a statement of gratefulness to OUr Lady.


Cross necklace
19 inches long

This encircling meditation includes a not quite three inch long beaded leather cross, four spiritual tokens, two pewter milagros ( angel & lamb) and various old glass beads ( though two are metal.) A sterling clasp keeps all confidently conjoined.
"Useful birds" necklace
18 inches long

The center pendant is a print of my collage highlighting an image of a Canada Warbler. An old Church & Dwight soda card caught my eye at a flea market, thus becoming the theme for this encircling meditation on our winged neighbors. On the back of the soda card are these words
"USEFUL BIRDS OF AMERICA"
For the good of all
Do not destroy the birds
(interesting words....what makes a particular bird useful? What makes any of us "useful" ?)

Two smaller pendants hold prints of other collages with bird imagery. A yellow throated chat on one. A cardinal on the other.

Certainly not a necklace for the shy or retiring sort to don. If you are feeling particularly "useful" or in the mood to share your knowledge of our feathered neighbors, please consider this encircling meditation.

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