In my first blog post I wrote:
For me beads, especially glass beads, are tiny universes of light and delight. Like the beautiful stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral, light through glass has always inspired me in the meaning of the word “inspiration” as “filling with spirit”.
The stained glass windows of Gothic cathedrals have always fascinated me. The oldest window are sometimes, IMO, the best. The execution was simple – the materials unsophisticated BUT the drive to use coloured glass as a transformative medium was pure, undiluted by the lure of technical display.
The brilliance and power of this art is stunning. The imperfections of the media serve to enhance its mystery.
They say that since glass is a fluid, the panes have actually “melted” downwards a bit over time. FLUID, LIVING COLOUR? What could be more awesome than that?
SO I have decided to try my hand at Chartres-inspired jewellery. This was my first try. I loved it so much I made a matching ankle cuff exactly the same.
First Attempt at a Stained Glass Inspired Piece
It looks pretty good in the light. But I wanted MORE!
So I made another one, different colours, including the rich red found in the windows. It was a bit of a bust since I made too many mistakes to let it live, but from its ashes rose, phoenix-like, the next one.
Second “Cathedral” Bracelet
Second “Cathedral” Bracelet in Action!
I like this, but I wanted a simpler version, to see what that would be like:
Third “Cathedral” Bracelet
Good too, but I’m still on a stained-glass rampage, so expect more to come…
