Tags
beach, Caspian tern, jewelry, nature, nature art, nature art jewelry, photography, polymer clay, tern, wire weaving
Deadlines are good for me. They seem to focus my wandering attention and to force me to solve problems that I’ve been avoiding. I recently was challenged to create a bird necklace for a potential exhibit and decided to see if I could do a flock of flying birds. Here was my inspiration-a flock of Caspian terns were on the beach, someone had come too close and they had taken off. Their graphic colors and beautiful silhouettes just took my breath away.
I started with a fairly simple idea of birds hanging down from a chain necklace. Then I made the birds and started arranging them in different ways…
Terns flying
© 2016 Karen A. Johnson
and thought a swirl around the neck might work better. Holding 8 wires together was the next problem, solved by bead and wire weaving.
Take Flight detail
© 2016 Karen A. Johnson
I had been wanting to use some beautiful labradorite and quartz beads and they picked up the ocean and sand color perfectly. I don’t normally “follow where the art leads me”, but I must say it was quite liberating to let go and see what happened next! Enjoy!
Take Flight-sold
© 2016 Karen A. Johnson
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Karen's Nature Art 
Beautifully done, Karen. I especially like the unlinked version (on the black model), indicating the freedom, but maybe they couldn’t actually be worn that way – wouldn’t stay in alignment.
Thanks, Marilyn! There is no link so that’s how it’s worn 🙂 When I wore it to dinner it didn’t seem to move-probably due to the weaving.
Oh, the one picture on left looked linked. I guess I misunderstood. I think you’ve got a good seller here. Maybe find a jewelry market, or manufacturer. I think the Int. Crane Foundation might love this in their shop, if they would be whooping cranes. But long legs might be a problem.
Yes, long legs and long necks! 🙂
Very cool. 🙂
Thanks, Emily! Good thing I had a deadline though-way too much time spent on Twitter! Had no idea so many bug people were on it 🙂
Awesome!
Thanks, Laura!
Karen,
It is an absolutely stunning piece of art.
Kimberly
Thanks, Kimberly! 🙂
What a stunning necklace, Karen!
Thanks, Carol!
Wow! Great work there! Love the new concept of necklaces not ‘clasping’. I think it opens a whole new way to design bobbles. 😉
Thanks, Ilex! I’m not the first to have claspless necklaces at all, but I do think they’re beautiful and finally did one of my own. Now I’m hooked!
Hooked?
Or unhooked?
Ha ha! Could pass on that 😉
Fantastic piece of artwork, amazing design, love the concept and the source of your inspiration! An absolute stunner!!!
Thank you so much! I appreciate your encouragement 🙂
Take a look at Karen’s latest – birds in flight. Kinda nice.
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Thanks, Marlene!
Karen; this is so lovely – really beautiful art-work.
Thanks, Clare! It was a fun project 🙂
Wonderful rendition!!
Thanks, Resa!
As the new “owner” of “Take Flight,” I couldn’t be happier with the design, the professional way it falls when I wear it, the comfort, the reasonable price for all the hours to make it, the interaction with you. You’re a class act; keep doing what you’re doing.
Rhonda
Thanks, Rhonda, I’m so glad you like it! 🙂