Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Creative Continuum of Seven Artists - Reveal #1 ~ featuring Monique Urquhart

Hello and Welcome to our very first CC7A reveal. If you're new to the CC7A blog hops, you can read about how we became in one of my previous posts: Introducing the CC7A.

January was Monique's turn and her choice of a theme is National Gallery of Canada.

This is what came in the mail early December from Monique:

The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart :: All Pretty Things

A lovely satin pouch hiding a treasure:
The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: polymer clay, wood beads, crystal and gemstone :: All Pretty Things

Not one, but 2 of Monique's own polymer clay beauties - along with beautiful wood beads to match the theme of the first heart, and gemstones and glass to match that incredibly intricate mosaic. Can you imagine she cut all those small little pieces?! I wouldn't be that patient, that's for sure!
The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: polymer clay :: All Pretty Things
 I've seen Monique's work only in pictures - and I knew her attention to detail is absolutely incredible, look at both the face and back of this lovely heart!
The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: polymer clay :: All Pretty Things

A closer view of the mosaic heart:
The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: polymer clay, wood beads, crystal and gemstone :: All Pretty Things

At the top of my special Christmas tree you can see the poinsettia bloom, also Monique's work. Therese will also find (if she looks hard) her beaded ornament (along with the lovely pink-hatted snowman :) )

The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: My special Christmas Tree :: All Pretty Things

I was drew to the wooden beads and the wood-like heart immediately... and I put them together on the mat... looking for ideas.
The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: polymer clay, wood beads :: All Pretty Things

I hope it's no surprise to no-one that I picked up the wire :) After wrapping all the individual pieces, I was still looking for how to wrap the large ring and this is what it became:

The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: In the Woods: ooak necklace, polymer clay, wood beads, wire wrapping :: All Pretty Things

The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: In the Woods: ooak necklace, polymer clay, wood beads, wire wrapping :: All Pretty Things

And all together - I baptized it "In the Woods" :)
The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: In the Woods: ooak necklace, polymer clay, wood beads, wire wrapping :: All Pretty Things
I used the 2 long pieces for earrings (which, for reasons unknown to humanity, are still waiting for ear-wires :) )

The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: In the Woods: ooak earrings, wood beads, wire wrapping :: All Pretty Things

The mosaic heart group gave me a bit of a challenge. I am not very comfortable with the little leaves, I only used them twice before, but grouped, and I didn't want to group them now. What to do, what to do?

I picked up the wire and started to try different ideas - until I settled on this:

The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: ooak necklace, polymer clay, gemstone, crystals, wire wrapping :: All Pretty Things

Far from perfect, but I like it (one of the previous versions was unacceptable :) ). I have no leather left to make the neck-piece part, and I was thinking maybe I'll get some kumihimo cord in red, brown, and black and bride it together that way... I'm still looking for a name - the mosaic sends me to Roman times (although the cats will be more of Egyptian times); maybe I'll call it 'Ancient times'  :)
The Creative Continuum of 7 Artists - featuring Monique Urquhart: ooak bracelet, polymer clay, gemstone, crystals, wire wrapping :: All Pretty Things
I have one more piece left - I originally meant it as an asymmetrical cross at the top of the wire V of the heart... but it wasn't draping properly. I took it off and curved it, I will try a bracelet instead. And since I'll get cord for the neckpiece, I am thinking to get some extra for a 2nd strand on the bracelet.

A side note: while the picture is not very good (when it'll be finished I'll be able to put it on props and take a better one), the on the top left corner is inspired from Cindy Wimmer's "The Missing Link" book. If you work with wire, that's a 'Bible-like' book!

This is my story - helped by Monique's beauties! I've been wearing the 'wood' necklace for a while now, in fact I wore it for the first day of school, as a quiet balance and a reminder that nature is somewhere in there, under all this snow :)

Thank you for stopping by and please check below to see what my lovely friends have created with Monique's package:

Alicia Marinache <- you are here

24 comments:

  1. I love the wire work on the circular piece. Great design!

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  2. Oh you do such insanely beautiful wire work!! I love how you chose to showcase Monique's fantastic components - and I would wear In the Woods every day!! :)

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    1. Oh, Nancy, you're very sweet! Thank you so much :) I had some serious help from Monique - her gorgeous hearts helped my muse stay home :)

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  3. Hi Alicia,
    First thank you again for inviting me to be a part of the Creative Continuum of Seven Artist I am having a wonderful time so far. I love the In The Woods necklace and do not blame you at all for wearing it often it is beautiful ( I have Cindy's book it is wonderful ) I am looking forward to seeing the heart necklace and bracelet finished and my vote is for Ancient Times. Oh and I love the earrings too.
    Therese

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    1. Therese, thank you for being part of this group - and for your lovely words. Ancient Time it will be - around Valentine's Day, as we prepare for travel (unless I go crazy and get my Kumi board and the cords with me - which I wouldn't put beside myself at all!)

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  4. Alicia~that wooden ring with the wire!!! I love how you did that piece...a focal for the focal. It is gorgeous! the necklace itself has a beautiful flow to it and is perfectly named. And the earrings are wonderful! After seeing yours, I wish I thought of earrings...those wood pieces are a great shape for earrings. I really like the vibe of your heart piece and potential bracelet. They do whisper back to a different time. Thank you so much for being the brains behind this hop. I am having so much fun opening the packages, seeing what surprises are in store, and unleashing the ideas.

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    1. Very interesting that so many people commented on the wire-wrapped ring! For me it was such a natural doing that I don't see it as special (shows why you need sounding boards on everything!) Thank you for the lovely comments - and I am so glad you (and everybody in the Continuum) are having a good time: that was my intention from the start; to have fun together!

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  5. Look at all the beautiful wirework!! Oh, the wire scroll work around the wood ring drew me right in, beautiful necklace! Clever idea with the earrings, they are cool!! And the heart pendant the way you have it suspended, I keep looking at the curve of the embellished thicker gauge wire, eye catching! Thank you so much for taking the time to gather us seven together! I'm loving every minute of this WONDERFUL group!!

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    1. Thank you, Sally - for being part of the Continuum, for being its Godmother, for enjoying it, and not least, for your lovely comments :)

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  6. I'm so glad you showed all of Monique's beautiful package .... I think together our two posts combine the story! ha! all the beady beauties from Monique along with her Canadian Artist inspiration!!

    What beautiful wirework Alicia - as always! I just love seeing where you will take it next! That woody gorgeous necklace is perfect! and matches Monique's inspiration to a T! oh those cats! I ran out of room on my post .... I'm going to have to show you my cats later in the week - love those little guys!

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    1. :) Indeed, it seems that we complement each other, all 7 of us. I've been going through everybody's posts, sporting a larger and larger smile, I just love how pretty much the same package became so many different ideas and designs. Monique should be proud of herself, look what she unleashed! :)
      Hehe, I can't wait to see your cats (and I need to finish mine too).
      Thanks for being part of the Continuum!

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  7. Alicia, I have been sitting at my computer for some time, with my jaw on the floor! I have all the reveals open in front of me (tempting fate with my computer)... to say I am touched and humbled by what I am seeing is a BIG understatement! I am having difficulty choosing words (I know, that's not me) to express how much the work of all you gals has cheered and amazed and elevated my spirit this morning!

    I knew I would be treated to incredible wirework here, Alicia... and I will repeat what I have said in the past: you have a GIFT, girl :) The intricate work through all your pieces, adding beautiful form to my little pendants... I am simply blown away by everything. Also love that you have mixed the red and brown together, so rich :)

    Thank you so much for letting me be a part of this group, Alicia... as I said, I am humbled and thrilled beyond words. And just think, we get to do this SIX more times,,, yay!

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    1. Well, my friend, the feeling is mutual - I've been admiring your incredible work over and over today! You should be proud of yourself, very proud - your work is exquisite.

      Oh, thank you for your kind words - I do for sure enjoy working with wire and metal the most. Now I'll have to find my niche :)

      Hehe, wait until I get my hands on the Kumi cords - the red / brown / black combination is very elegant and I just know it'll be perfect for your mosaic heart and accompany beads!

      Indeed - this is just the start :) Thank you for being part of the Continuum!

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  8. Those hearts of Monique's are lovely! I especially love the mosaic one. You've done wonderful things with both - beautiful!

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    1. I won't argue on that, Janet - the hearts are truly darlings :) and you're right, the mosaic one is a piece of art! I love the dragonfly equally, though, Monique managed to bring together a few of my favourite elements in one: wood-like appearance and texture, dragonfly, that splendid blue, and a lovely back texture :)
      Thank you for your warm comments!

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  9. As I'm drawn more and more to wire work I have to really admire all of yours! Each piece is lovely and is really enhanced by the wire!

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    1. Thank you :) I still have to add the ear-wires!

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  11. Seeing your photo of the layout pre-wire I have to smile as I was standing in that same spot holding my focal and the 16g thinking "what would Alicia do?". I also had such a similar pattern in mind until I decided I wanted all the rounds out. Anyway, it makes for a special treat, like a fork in the road to see you go the other way. I love the treatment around the ring, just sets it all off and I bet the leather feels wonderful. I just realized in reading your post that I left out a chunk of mine about those cats (since both Mon and I have orange cats...) I'll have to do a follow up :) I love the texture of your piece with the mosaic heart it really adds to the rich pattern of the mosaic and a kumi cord sound like it will continue that better than any leather (imho). Wonderful job Alicia, thank you for including me in all this fun, it is such a privilege

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    1. Oh, that's funny! see, great minds *do* think alike :) You sure have to follow-up with the cats - I have to finish both the mosaic necklace and the bracelet too. Yes, I already have the Kumihimo in mind, I can see how beautiful will match the other colours. Hopefully Tuesday I can get the cord :)
      Thank you for being part of the Continuum, Emma, the fun will continue :)

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  12. Wonderful designs Alicia. The wirework on the ring is outstanding. It really makes the piece.I think that kumihimo will be the perfect accent for your bracelet. I agree about Cindy's book too.

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    1. Thank you, Becky - it's really funny how that ring drew all the attention :) Kumihimo will be, the vote is unanimous!
      Thank you for stopping by to check our darling event :)

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