Beading: The Creepy and the Downright Odd

Beading:  The Creepy and the Odd

People’s tastes vary in the extreme when it comes to creative jewelry making.  In my case, I don’t want to put time into a project that I wouldn’t want to wear, even if I’m making it for someone else.  As I was thumbing through beading books and online artist galleries this week, I came across many designs I didn’t exactly love, but these pieces seemed particularly uncanny!

1.        I see you…and you, and you, and you!  This oddball eyeball necklace comes from Lucy Chalmers and is called “Lucy’s Pearls.”  Makes you kinda wonder who this Lucy person is and who had the misfortune of last laying eyes upon her.  Yes, stupid pun intended.

2.        Betsy Youngquist’s collection of eye necklace pendants seemed a little disturbing also, until I found her other works.  Do yourself a favor and Google her work.  Your morbid curiosity will thank you.

3.        Wow.  Just…no.  Why?

4.       Many designs are inspired by nature, but this one's a little seedy.  Get it?  Seedy?  Seed bead snake?  Nevermind.  Anyway,  Patty Haberman’s “Theif Necklace and Brooch” crosses the boundaries of extended metaphor and symbolism in all the wrong ways.  What would the Freud say?

You have to admit though, the idea of a necklace connecting to a brooch was clever!

5.       There’s a fine line between mysterious and downright creepy.   This necklace by Margie Deeb, called “Veil,” throws off the shackles of the enigmatic to embrace…well I’m not sure what… oppression of women by the Taliban? The sheik’s conquering of his favorite new concubine? Middle Eastern human trafficking?  Yikes! 

6.        If you’ve ever seen The Princess Bride, this necklace may conjure up an image of the albino in Count Ruben’s torture chamber.  It’s like they’re twins.  In the words of Westley, “Dear God, what is that thing?”  I was a little relieved when I read Jennifer Vanbenschoten’s comment on her necklace that she calls “Lady in the Lake”:

"When I created Lady in the Lake, I was more concerned with telling my story articistically instead of making a necklace that could be worn every day" (BeadingDaily.com).

But then I began to think about it a little more.  So by making something you wouldn’t wear every day, does that mean she’s saving it just for special occasions?  Like creepy séances or pillaging the local cemetery at a midnight meeting of Satan worshippers?    And what the heck kind of a story brings this kind of inspiration…forgetting to take your Risperdal when picking out the focal piece?  Ooh girl, hit the Kaiser pharmacy with a quickness!

7.        When I first saw this I was taken aback, much like the Aztecs when Hernan Cortez rode up onto the scene.  Are we supposed to worship this bird-god or sing along with it?  Evidently, the spread double talon is the inspiration for Felieke Van Der Leest’s “Peace Parrot.”   I'm guessing it's a pendant???

Speaking of peace, or pee anyway, Van Der Leest has many unique beaded creations, such as this one:

8.       To give the artist the benefit of the doubt, maybe my interpretation is wrong.  Because if that really is a golden stream, what on earth is happening in the back??  Whatever it is, the horse looks as surprised as I am.

Feast your eyes on more of his, eh…unique creations here:  http://klimt02.net/jewellers/felieke-leest

9.       This is Dixie Gabric’s “Do You Really Know Me?”  While I do admire the concept of hiding behind a mask created solely for public acceptance,  maybe I would have chosen something a little less reminiscent of a puss-filled, yeasty eye infection.  Ew.

10.    Wow, look at those spikes!  Can you believe women used to sleep in these things?  

So here's my question:  is this a comparison of the agony of the crucifixion to the pains of fitting into society’s notions of beauty?  Nah.  Juan Riusech de Haro probably just ran out of beads and was suddenly inspired by (desperate to find supplies) his wife’s stash of pink curlers.  This lovely crown of thorns also doubles as a necklace.  Goody.  

(Be a pro and read Goody sarcastically while knowing it's also a brand of hair accessories.  Yes, I know, my puns and allusions need professional help.)

 Bonus:  “The Monkey King” brooch by Jeannie Bench.  While I’m not exactly sure what message the artist is giving with this piece, I do know I’d feel a little weird wearing this partially disembodied simian-man out in public.   Maybe like Jacob Marley in “A Christmas Carol,” he’s a spirit of admonition:  “I say, children, heed the doctor’s warning:  No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

 Well, that's it!  Stay tuned for a less snarky look at unusual jewelry pieces!

Jewelry Making Must Have of the Week

Like most people embarking on a new hobby, I have shamefully wasted too much money.  Buying the wrong tools or solutions flushes your bead money right down the tubes!  So frustrating!  When I first caught the beading bug, blogging had just become a trend, yet I couldn’t always find good advice on what I really needed to purchase and what I could do without.  These are the must haves of the craft!

 

 

I found this gem (no pun intended, for reals) at Tuesday morning.  Just the day before, I had been ogling it at Hobby Lobby.  Luckily I didn’t buy it then, because I saved $10 by picking it up at the discount store.

My new favorite is this portable bead mat.  I’ve seen some bulky ones with bead boards, but this one proved slim & streamlined for my busy life.  I love the pockets on the sides for my tools and supplies.  When I fold it up, my project keeps pretty safe and sound.  Love this thing!

Next week I’ll show some great, affordable storage solutions and how to get the best price.  I’ve tried several systems, but these are the ones that save me a lot of time in finding what I need quickly without frustration.