Time to be Creative

I love the fall season. Summer is over and there are a lot of things to get excited about.

1) There are new exhibits to view at art galleries and museums.

2) There are new movies to see and regional film festivals to attend in many locations. The Heartland Film Festival in my area is the annual film festival that introduces the Midwest to independent film-makers from around the world. The movies are always great.

3) The change of seasons brings to my part of the country cool crisp air and beautiful colorful foliage. There are also a variety of festivals to attend that pay tribute to the local produce, apple and pumpkins.

4) The one thing I like the most about the fall season is that it seems to be the perfect time to be creative.

I would guess that many of the great artists have been inspired by the change in seasons. It’s difficult to walk outside this time of the year and not be inspired by nature. You might be lucky enough to view a shooting star, a squirrel busy preparing for winter and the colorful crisp leaves blowing from the trees. All of these things help to inspire many of us to be creative.

This seems to be a popular time for art and craft classes. You can find many adds in the newspaper with craft stores announcing their big sales on all the supplies and items you will need to create.

This is the perfect time to become involved with the arts. You may just want to see a new exhibit at a gallery or visit a museum or maybe take in a great movie. I know I will be back in the studio creating my art after a long summer break. Now is the time to be creative.



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Jewelry as Little Works of Art

I have always had a great appreciation for art. Most recently I have developed a desire to express myself through creating jewelry. This has led be me to begin thinking about jewelry as little works of art.

There have been two major exhibits that displayed magnificent works of art that included jewelry. Catalogues of were available highlighting the major artworks included in the shows.

1) Power and Glory: Court Arts of China’s Ming Dynasty

This was the first major exhibit to focus on the court arts of the Ming Dynasty. Included in this exhibit were jewelry made with gold and jade which was considered the most ancient and the most luxurious materials in society. Small jewelry items for the forehead, arms, fingers, ears, chest and waist were common. A stunning pair of earrings in the shape of the Herbal Goddess in gold was presented in this show.

2) Dynasty and Divinity: Ife Art in Ancient Nigeria

This exhibit presented a major part of the body of ancient Ife art in terra-cotta, stone, and metal dating back to the ninth centuries.

Beadwork was one of the very distinctive artistic techniques of Ife. Beads mean a lot of different things for the Yoruba-speaking peoples. The color and how they were used took on a special meaning. Several of the terra-cotta and stone figures possessed strands of beads.

These are just a couple of great art exhibits that included jewelry. There are probably many more that do. If you are an admirer of jewelry as little works of art, be sure to look for these treasurers at you next art exhibit.

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