Art Journey One: Nature Illustrations with Heather Powers

We are back! I hope you are ready to jump into our challenges again. After a long break, we are finally returning to our fantastic jewelry and art bead challenges inspired by art from history and contemporary artists. We’ll chat more about the changes coming to the ABS, but let’s focus on our challenge for today.

Light

By: Heather Powers, 2018

Mother Nature

By: Heather Powers, 2018

What is the Art Journey Challenge?

Every six weeks we will challenge our readers to create jewelry inspired by the featured artwork or collection of art or theme. You have until the end of the Art Journey period to share your work and then we pick one winner to receive beads and jewelry-making supplies from our sponsors that will work with our NEXT Art Journey to hopefully inspire you. Our only rule? You must use at least one art bead in your piece!

About the Art & Artist: Heather Powers

I thought I’d mix things up to start the new year and feature an artist you know and love – me!

If you don’t know, I spend every spare minute drawing and working on illustrations like the one above. You can follow my art adventures on Instagram at www.instagram.com/heatherpowersart

I love drawing things that nurture the soul, relish in the simple life and celebrate the every day. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kendall College of Art and Design where I studied drawing, painting and printmaking. Last year I taught myself how to draw on the iPad to make images that look they were created with brushes and paint, it’s pushing pixels and I couldn’t be happier to have an art studio that fits into my bag and I can draw anywhere.

I created this piece to represent the light within each of us, our ability to be kind, loving and uplifting and how that will attract beauty to us.

I hope you find this piece inspiring – pull out those moths, butterflies, moons, stars and leafy art beads to create a something inspired by this piece. Or you may just be inspired by the color palette!

How to Enter the Monthly Jewelry Challenge:

Create something using an art bead that fits within our monthly theme. This challenge is open to jewelry-makers, fiber artists, collage artist, etc. The art bead can be created by you or someone else. The challenge is to inspire those who use art beads and to see all the different ways art beads can be incorporated into your handiwork. An art bead must be used in your piece to qualify for the monthly challenge. Upload your photo to our photo gallery. Include a short description, who created the art beads and a link to your blog or shop, if you have one. Deadline update is February 9th.

You may upload two entries per month.

Click here to submit your entry.

Monthly Challenge Winners

E• One prize winner will be selected at random from all pictures posted in our new gallery!
• The winner will be randomly chosen from all the qualifying entries on February 10th.
• Be sure to point out all the art bead artists in your work in the description of the photos when you upload to the new gallery. Links to their website or shop are appreciated. That way we can all find new art beads to love!

What is an Art Bead?

An art bead is a bead, charm, button or finding made by an independent artist. Art beads are the vision and handiwork of an individual artist. You can read more about art beads.

***A bead that is handmade is not necessarily an art bead. Hill Tribe Silver, Kazuri ceramic beads or lampwork beads made in factories are examples of handmade beads that are not considered art beads.

Beaded beads, stamped metal pendants or wire-wrapped components are not considered art beads for our challenge.***

Bead Artists

Feel free to share beads that you made inspired by our challenge in our gallery. You can enter two photos per month for each challenge. We love to promote new artists and share what you’ve created!

Join us tomorrow to see our prize and sponsor for Art Journey One!