Photo by Eric Wentling Pitcher Plants
Every month Eric Wentling choses a picture to inspire his wife Sarajo. She then shares it with the FB community and asks us to play along with creations we make inspired her husband's photo.
Here is what Eric wrote about this month's picture of Pitcher Plants:
This month I chose a picture from our recent trip out to Ligonier, PA for the Allegory Gallery's Creative Camp. Andrew Thornton directed us out to a nearby bog where the carnivorous plants were in full bloom. An entire field of these pitcher plants and much smaller sundews stretched around us--beauty and savagery all wrapped up in one tiny leafy package. The strange shape, as well as the striated deep red patterns against green really jumped out at me and I wanted to see what a bunch of jewelry designers could pull off with this inspiration!
I could not resist the challenge of these exotic pitcher plants and the beautiful colors they are sporting in their unique garb. So I am playing along. This is my first time.
I was so enamored of these cool plants and the color combo of burgundy and lime green that I went to work right away.
My first piece was a fern leaf in the pitcher plant palette. I was working in polymer clay and have been since I broke my ankle several months ago and could not have access to my studio due to the stairs. I expect to begin working again in ceramic clay in Sept.
I was really excited to try modeling a pitcher plant from polymer clay. I find that polymer is like magic for me when it comes to make 3 dimentional forms. Here is the first pitcher plant I came up with:
So far it does not have a stringing hole that would display it right side up. I plan to add a stringing loop soon. This is one of the things I love about polymer: it can be modified way after it is cured by just curing again.
Then I made a smaller pitcher plant that has a stringing loop.
Smaller Pitcher Plant by MaryHardingJewelry
The two pitcher plants together
I totally enjoyed being inspred by the pitcher plants photo. Thanks so much Eric and Sarajo.
I hope you readers will take a look at the other creations in the links below.
Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Mary
Wow What a great way to represent this challenge . I love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Alice!! As you can tell, I had lots of fun making these pieces, esp. in a medium I am quite a novice at. I so appreciate you stopping by and commenting.
DeleteOh my gosh that is so cool! I love the second one! Your colors are perfect!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Alison!! I am so encouraged that you like the pitcher plants and the colors. Such a fun inspiration. So happy you stopped by and commented.
DeleteThanks for joining in the fun this month, Mary! I love that you were inspired to try your hand at making your own pitcher plants... the colors in the second version are swoon-worthy! I have to admit that your fern pendant is my very favorite thing though... I would snatch one of those up in a heartbeat! Good luck with your continued recovery. I hope you'll check back on September 1st to see what Eric has in store for us next.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Sarajo for your encouragement and comment. I am so interested that you like the large leaf fern pendant. I love making them. I am also so pleased you like the pitcher plants. What fun I had. Certainly has helped me keep up my spirits in this rather Long recovery period. I will for sure check out next month's inspiration.
ReplyDeleteMary, these are wonderful! Your mastery of polymer is so impressive-- you really push the materials to create your vision. And of course the color! Are you planning to submit these to the "Into the Forest" project?
ReplyDeleteThank you Christine for your kind words and compliments. I am always so pleased to receive praise from my brilliant teacher!! especially about color and vision. I don't have any plans for these pieces right now, except to hoard them in a special box just for the poly beads I created while recuperating. I like the idea of Into the Forest project!!
Deletereally wonderful, mary.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Velma!! Do you know if we have any pitcher plants growing wild around here?
DeleteWonderful job and yes the colors were fantastic!
ReplyDeleteWow you went above and beyond on this one! I love the fern leaf--very rustic and the accent beads rock! And making your own pitcher plants? Crazy! Thanks for taking part in this challenge.
ReplyDeleteThanks so for your sweet comment Katherine. I think we all had fun with Eric's color choice!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Eric. I am so pleased that I saw your picture for this month and that you ventured out into a bog to take it. As you can see it really "resonated" with me. I can't thank you enough for choosing it. It has given me so much fun and pleasure!!
ReplyDeleteYour pieces are wonderful. I especially like the first necklace. Your work in polymer clay is amazing.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Kathy. I like the larks head knot on the first one especially thru the rectangular hole. I am glad you like that one. And I am very partial to hemp cord as well. I so appreciate your enthusiasm for my polymer clay work. I truly love making with it.
ReplyDeleteI love your necklace! The focal is beautiful and I think it captures the colors of the pitcher plants spot on! Did you know that along the trail to the bog there are cinnamon ferns? I think it's brilliant that you used a fern, as there are also ferns in that area. And your polymer pitcher plant forms are so lovely. They got a cool, rustic vibe that makes them so visually juicy! Great job!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for stopping by and leaving such a wonderful Comment Andrew!! Surprisingly I just learned about cinnamon ferns yesterday when we were visiting The Wild Center in the Adirondacks. Quite a coincidence that you would be writing me about them on the same day. No I did not know that and I don't know why I used the fern plant except that bogs do bring them to mind somehow but I did not know I was thinking that at the time. I am glad you like the pitcher plants I made. They were such an excitement for me-- both the shape and the color combos. I surely appreciate you enjoying them Too!!
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