Friday, January 8, 2016

Inside the Studio: Humblebeads

Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive, we offer a prize each week to encourage you to use that keyboard and tell us what you think. The following week a winner is chosen at random from all eligible entries. And here are the results from last week!

This week's winner is Kathy Lindemer. Congratulations! You have won a $25 gift certificate to Tesori Trovatti! Please contact Erin to claim your prize!

Hello! I'm a little late today but that's because I was busy finishing up these beauties and wanted to share them with you for today's Inside the Studio. 

One of my goals for 2016 is to relaunch my illustration career. I love beads, writing books and making jewelry but my first love is drawing and painting. In case you don't know I went to art school and then fell into beads while I getting my BFA. You can find my artwork at heatherpowersart.com, if you are curious. 

So anywho, I'm been painting and drawing every day this week as part of my daily creative process. I just wake up a little earlier and pull out my supplies and inspirations. I discovered the zebra pansy on Pinterest this week and had to paint it. (pictured above) I couldn't help but notice the colors were the same as our inspiration painting this month and decided the next step was to make beads inspired by my art. 

I started with mixing a color palette in polymer clay inspired by the one I shared yesterday. Love the fresh mix of yellow and navy thrown in the serenity and rose quartz.

Some of the beads are my standard graphic designs and then the you can see where I made disk beads inspired by the flower petals of the zebra pansy.

And of course pendants that capture that graphic design of the petals. Love the 50's design vibe that these pendants are sporting.

 Yep, seriously loving these colors right now.

And finally back to these disk beads with the petal design in navy and white. So those are it, the first new Humblebeads of 2016, inspired by my art and art history.

You can find the new beads in my Humblebeads Etsy shop if one is calling your name.

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So let's start the weekend right and do a $25 Humblebeads.com giveaway! Leave a comment below to enter in the random drawing.

My question this week - what's the most unusual place you've found inspiration for your jewelry?



34 comments:

baymoondesign said...

I am thrilled to have won a gift certificate to Erin's shop.

Heather, I absolutely love your blue and yellow floral sketch and the beads that are inspired by it. They are beauties.

Anonymous said...

Well I'm currently being inspired by the colours of metal in the remains of a house destroyed by bushfires, against the background of the bush and the sky. I think that's pretty unusual! Love your new beads, great colour combinations!

Baking Beads in the Keys said...

It was in a puddle!!! I saw the reflection of the trees and sky and was completely mesmerized.

Baking Beads in the Keys said...

Forgot to say enjoyed seeing your new beads. I especially love the lavender spirals and waves and my fave is that one with a nice pop of navy in it.

graypeape said...

I work at a bookstore, and I get inspired by bookmarks, particularly ones with quotes on them. The images and colors of the designs and the imagery of the quotes can be very helpful!

Kristen said...

I like to take photos of rocks and tree bark. The textures are amazing up close! Now I need to figure out how to transfer that to my jewelry!

Unknown said...

Wow! Your zebra beads caught my eye right off the bat!I guess the most unusual place is in the garbage. I am constantly picking out scrap metal from my husbands pile of recycle. Basically I look at everything, even my dogs hair
http://barnburd.blogspot.com/p/my-gardens.html - he's in there

Alice said...

I love your new beads. And your art is wonderful. It might seem strange but I get colors and patterns off of the Puff cube boxes but mostly I get it from nature.

Klassy Joolz said...

You make blue and yellow look great together! Love the flowers.

Anonymous said...

Photos of intricate tile floors...the older, the better!
Congratulations on returning to your first love, Heather!

Erin S said...

I often get inspired by mechanical things. I once was inspired by a photo of some hardware for a shower door. :-)

Deb said...

I love those zebra pansy disc beads - they're beautiful!

Elizabeth said...

I love your new work, Heather. The most unusual object that has ever inspired me has been a pattern at a chair in a hotel. The colors lent itself to an extruded retro cane that became many items of jewelry and beads. The world can be one big muse when we are open to it.

Elizabeth

thecolorofdreams said...

I sometimes get inspiration from looking at colorful printed rugs in hotels and places that we visit. I take a picture with my phone so that I can remember the colors and patterns when i get home.

Heather Powers said...

Thank you Kathy! Enjoy your prize from Erin.

Heather Powers said...

I'm sorry to hear about the house. Maybe creating through it will be healing.

Heather Powers said...

Just takes a moment to see beauty in the most unlikely of places!

Heather Powers said...

I bet they are little works of art!

Heather Powers said...

Have fun with that challenge!

Heather Powers said...

One man's trash is another woman's treasure - love that. I'm married to an assemblage junker so I get it!!!

Heather Powers said...

Those boxes do come in some amazing colors and patterns!

Heather Powers said...

Architecture details of all types are pretty amazing. I took a trip to NYC about 10 years ago and wandered through the famous building taking pictures of tile, mouldings and ceilings! They just don't make things like they used to.

Heather Powers said...

That reminds me of the sink commercials with the women wearing jewelry inspired by the sink hardware!

Heather Powers said...

Thank you Deb!

Heather Powers said...

A good reminder of your trip too!

Heather Powers said...

I'm a floor gazer too - you never know what treasures are below our feet!

Heather Powers said...

Thank you - there were fun to create!!

Heather Powers said...

Thanks! The inspiration painting made it easy!!!

Unknown said...

I love your new beads! Let's just say inspiration for me comes from all around me! Sometimes at work I will see a piece of jewelry they are wearing and I think to myself "I think I can make that with polymer clay and make it even prettier! If I'm stuck and my muse is on a walk about, then I go for a ride to the woods and take a hike by the river this always helps me! Thanks for the chance to win! Happy New Year!!

Terri said...

You are starting the year off with a bang...you new designs are fab! Wonderfully designed for this month's challenge. Inspiration...unusual....hmmmm...One of my favorites was when I was inspired by a gymnast and the ribbons the use in the floor routines.

Unknown said...

I'm inspired by shapes and textures, a beautiful architectural design can spark my creativity. I love your painting Heather!

Unknown said...

I really love your beads they are beautiful and amazing

photoeditingcompany.com

Carolyn said...

Love your new beads.

The most unusual inspiration was the oil or gasoline spots in parking lots that have been mixed with water.

Carolyn
Carolynscreations@live.com

Unknown said...

Your drawing and the pendants you made based on it are beautiful. I also love the illustrations on your page.