The Joy of Making my Vintage Framed Sparkle Art: Getting playful with rhinestones and beads
I am a wee bit over the top. I might be a little bit extra, maybe a little flashy. It shows in my art.
I’m drawn to shiny shit, and the sheen of a little treasure is my greatest weakness. That’s why my humble home studio is already filled to the brim with trinkets like a treasure trove, and making this new collection of dazzling art felt so easy for me. I see it in the individual pieces - each one is relaxed and easygoing, like mimosas at brunch!
“My art is easy going, like mimosas at brunch”
I saw some gorgeous beaded artwork on instagram of moldy food made with shiny beads (it’s frisky and gloriously weird haha check it out here - it was captivating) it was everyday grossness but made out of something shiny, expensive, and fancy. It was trickery. It was witchcraft, and I wanted to learn this spell, I wanted to join this coven.
I had beads in my studio, all kinds of beads. I wanted to see what would happen if I put these beads and rhinestones onto the abstract paintings also in my studio, just sitting there feeling unfinished. What was the worst that could happen to me? Once I started, I could “see” it coming to life, and I understood what I was trying to say. It poured out of me, and I couldn’t stop. I started gluing these beads at first, then rhinestones, and even bits of broken stage jewelry or hair clips. Turns out I wasn’t hoarding, I was stocking up to make art!
Speaking of hoarding - the “collection” of antique frames that takes over the majority of the space in my SMALL and humble home studio was put to use next. Each little painting was swapped in and out of frames until their soul mate was met. Each one had its own little fit check like a shopping trip with some giggling pals looking for prom outfits. There was probably mimosas involved again.
I stared at them, sparkling away on the walls, distracting me from whatever paperwork I was ignoring, and I still wanted more! I had to add more sparkle, and hoo boi you bet I did! I frolicked and played and accidentally covered most of my apartment in glitter or glue.
And then my glimmering, brilliant, shimmery little bebes existed! There they were! I had never seen anything like them before, each one was unique. I laughed and clapped and sang little songs as I named them, spilling my joy into each one! It felt like I had made new friends, I had brought them here, I had manifested them. Absolutely stunning friends with the best taste, who looked like they could afford to take me to a nice lunch at a hip new place downtown, and they were probably dating the cute bartender who works there too.
I love exploring them and looking for images, looking for something new, to notice a secret. But the real fun was asking others what they saw. This art is not a statement, it’s an invitation. I want to know what you see in your imagination, I want to peak into your brains for a second. I like that I inspired that brain to think those thoughts with intricately arranged gems and stones, paint and canvas. What a fun game for us to get to know each other more!
Please make sure to add your own interpretations in the comments below! Everyone wants to know what you see and there literally is no wrong answer.
“This art is not a statement, it’s an invitation”
See? Each one is its own unique story of relaxation, each one is a love letter to distraction and escapism. They are small “starter” bling sizes, an introduction to luxury rather than a regrettable decision that will get you in trouble with your bank. They are lovely little bites of color, splashes of beauty, and will just catch your eye and draw you away from your responsibilities with daydreams of lazy afternoons on sandy beaches. You can probably smell the Piña colada can’t you?
I made sure they are ready to hang, and there is even a little extra treat if you look at the demure backside of each painting - I used color wired just because why not? Life is short and I like having fun more than I like not having fun.
I’m excited about this exploration of abstract images. I’m excited to hear what your eyes see in the little bunches of bling. I’m excited to see my wild little stories go out into the world and fill it up with ART and COLOR and JOY!!
Have you checked them out on my fancy website yet? I guarantee you don’t have anything like these in your art collection, so head over there to get a closer look at the details. I even offer a monthly giveaway to everyone who signs up for the email list! My website is my online art gallery where you can see more than just this collection of paintings, you can see the entire body of my work so far.
