My local art center, The Octagon Center for the Arts, Ames, Iowa holds an annual juried show of fine crafts. The show is called Clay, Paper, Fiber, Metal, Wood and is in it’s 42nd year. I have a set of beads in this year’s show:
Feather beads
Here is an excerpt of my artist’s statement for the show:
“I created these beads as an exercise in color and pattern. My goal was to skate along the fine line between “ugly” color combinations and a sophisticated palette that works. I wanted to combine patterns that also apparently had little in common other than the scale. Most of the patterns are created through a process called canework. The fine silver feathers were created using metal clay and my hand drawn molds. The feathers create the focus and push the colors and patterns into the background.”
The silver feathers are riveted to the polymer clay beads.
The show is open to the public until April 3.
Patricia Kimle Designs 
if you were trying to create “ugly” colors then you did not succeed. If you were trying to prove that these colors CAN work together then you have been successful. They do create nice backgrounds for your lovely leaf pieces. I prefer the ones with the leaf off center with the smallest one in the lower left the most appealing. It makes me think of the rule of thirds. The leaf is in the interest spot of the rule of thirds so it looks more balanced than when it is centered. At least that is the way my eyes see it.
Best wishes for the show
Oh yeah … there you go again making gorgeous art, Patricia. I’m thrilled with what I’m seeing. As a polymer clay, metal clay, lampworker artist I’m loving these pieces of yours. Good Job – it’s no wonder that you were asked to put these in a Gallery Show. Wonderful.
[…] should remind you of the feather beads in On Exhibit, from last year. A face transfer is cheaper to use, however, than silver in the current […]