"I begin with an idea ... and then it becomes something else"
~ Picasso

Monday 10 May 2010

Beach finds




















1. A day at the beach 2. Sea shell 3. Seaweed 4. Untitled 5. Ammonite 6. Cold feet. Winter coats. Pacific ocean 7. Inside the big ball 8. Summery sea shell necklace 9. Sunset over Goswick Sands 10. Antique look 11. Family portrait 12. Fucus vesiculosus TTV 13. Shell

Still inspired by beach finds - this is my mosaic for the flickr group "Mosaic Monday" made from beautiful photos by my flickr contacts and faves. Please click on the links above to see the original photos

The setting sun was casting it's golden glow














I love to use beach finds in my work. Most recently I've enjoyed making more rockpool hearts for friends that have been so generous to me and more are in progress

The setting sun was casting it's golden glow















My rockpool hearts each incorporate pieces of heat distressed chiffon/sheers/ribbons, torn vintage crocheted cotton lace, dupion silk, torn raw edged velvets, stitched text relating to the seaside, found shells, beads and little hand stitches

Pebble beaches















For this rockpool heart I used fly stitches for coral shapes. The heated sheers resemble bits of crinkly seaweed and I used limpet shells sewn down. I like the layers and colours in this one with lots of texture on top

Stillest of summer afternoons



















Stillest of summer afternoons - detail



















Stillest of summer afternoons - detail



















To the sea





















I think this one resembles an underwater garden. I used linen, torn crocheted lace, floral lace in brown/silver, limpet shells, beads, french knots and an eyelash yarn couched down to resemble coral or seaweed

Far out at sea





















Spring morning is stitched in warm coral tones. I used pieces of plastic woven bag, threads couched down, shells, beads, charms, french knots. Lots of pieces of fabric were hand stitched down with running stitches, sequins and sheers distressed to resemble crinkly seaweed

Spring morning















Spring morning - detail














I used a mussel shell that was the palest blue. It matched with the silvery blue chiffons that sparkled with glitter and reminded me of stars and moonlight reflecting in the darkness of rockpool water at night time. I used very dark beads in midnight blue and dark chocolate brown with french knots and more of the crocheted lace

Under the midnight sky














I think this last one is my favourite. I made it for a blog buddy but I think I may have to make another one just like it!

I have already made more rockpool hearts and more are in progress. My ideas and themes are determined by the text I choose to use and the shells inspire the colour scheme for my rockpool hearts. I love that each one is unique

I would love to know what inspires your work. What gets you fired up?

I hope you have a good week
Carolyn ♥

23 comments:

Kella said...

Such beautiful pieces of art, you are a wonder!!!!

Anonymous said...

Like you Carolyn, the beach always gets me creating.Rockpool colours and textures I adore especially. What a gorgeous post. All the things I love!

BadPenny said...

Sigh - I'm in heaven over here Carolyn

Elizabeth said...

Caqrolyn !!! Your rockpool hearts are such glorious treasures!! i lvoe how you combine all of your gloriously textured elements to resemble all fot eh glorious colors of the gifts of the sea!!! i am so distraught about this horrible oil spill that it an ongoing siaster in our Gulf coast waters. i was a young girl of ten when my family lived on the California coast in Santa Barbara. The oil rigs in the Channel ahd a large spill and my mom took us down to the beach to find oiled sea birds and seals to rescue. We gathered them up and took them to the rescue sites where they were cleaned and nursed back to health. Many did not survive and it was all a heartwrenching experience. I am very inspired by the sea and the glories that it provides to all of us. I wish that humans held it all in higher respect and treasured it more, before we destroy it all!!
I am also very inspired by my garden, birds and the yound students that I work with in my teaching venues. i alwys leave my teaching jobs feeling that the young creative minds have given me so much more than I have given them!
Have a wonderful week and THANK YOU for all of the inspiration that YOU share with us!!!!

My Creative House said...

Carolyn your hearts are gorgeous, love the way you build them up with fabric and all these little different things, love your work.
Anni

Leslie Avon Miller said...

Lovely colors, textures and words.

Dreamcicle Journeys said...

Love your photo mosaics and seashore hearts- great texture and color. Robin Olsen sent me your way and I'm glad she did. You have a beautiful blog.

Jill said...

Your rockpool heart are exquisite, I am feeling the sand on my toes just looking at them.

mano said...

wonderful post! I can hear, taste and smell the sea when I look at your beautiful work. I wish I could be at the beach!

Ruth said...

Carolyn - these are great. My next page that I need to make for our Traveling Pages Swap is themed "seashore". As I rarely get near the sea, we're pretty landlocked in Montana, you have inspired me in my planning for my next page. Thanks!

Twiglet said...

Totally magical work this time Carolyn - I love it. My inspiration is from "birds" at the moment. I made 2 "dumfed" pictures as get well gifts for friends and have since made 6 more. I didn't know I could do it and its quite mysterious how they form on my fabric but I am loving what I do and I guess thats all that matters!! Fab music by the way!!

Sharne Gregory said...

They are just stunning!!! You have such a way of putting words and fabrics together.

Micki said...

These hearts are so fabulous. And I love the music.

Catharina Maria said...

one is my favourite , but each one is beautiful !
Love your work soooooo much !!!!!
love from ♥RINI♥

JP said...

these are all beautiful

Unknown said...

Gorgeous pictures Carolyn! (this also includes the work LOL)

Deborah said...

Fabulous hearts! I love them all!

Lynn Cohen said...

These are all beautifully done works of art. So pleasing to my eye!

libbyquilter said...

your rockpool hearts inspire me Carolyn~!~
gorgeous colors and textures and the various layers are chock FULL of the mysterious magic of the sea~!!~

i'm also inspired by nature in all of it's glorious forms . . . birds, nests, flowers, water, stones, the warm feel of the sunshine on my skin, the misty green color that trees become as the very first leaf buds emerge . . . all of these and more make me feel happy and inspired~!~

:-)
libbyQ

Robin Olsen said...

And how lucky am I to be the recipient of "Midnight Sky"? These are all so beautiful--I could see a whole wall of them! Thanks again Carolyn--I love my heart!

layers said...

I love beach-y stuff and pebbles and drift wood and you have created all these wonderful textures and colors with all the beach treasures-- lovely

konnykards .. Musings of a Senior Citizen said...

Many, many thanks for mine Carolyn - all are gorgeous but 'to the sea' has to be my favourite.
It's in a special place where I see it each day, Connie. x

jan b. said...

I adore your Rockpool Hearts! They are just so precious!