INSPIRED BY READING ~ An Object Of Beauty

*Bead Soup Blog Hop is here.

* Ocean Blog Hop is here.

If you’re looking for the latest installment of the Inspired by Reading Book Club, this is the place.

This time we read An Object of Beauty, by Steve Martin. Yes, that Steve Martin; comedian/actor. Who knew?

It’s a great book about the world of art dealers and collectors in New York City in the late 1990’s through present time. Martin follows the main character, Lacey, who will do just about anything to further her career.

This book offered connections on so many levels.

One story line referred to the 1990 art theft at the Gardner Museum in Boston – you must read The Art Forger, by B.A. Shapiro.

The narrator’s description of walking into the Basel Art Fair in Miami reminded me of my first visit to JOGS in Tucson – “a humongous convention center with its 17 entrances”… a “labrynth” which he did get lost in. I might have to check out one of the major art shows that pop up in The Hamptons this summer.    

I particularly enjoyed the references to places in NYC and the Hamptons that I am familiar with. I have dined at Saint Ambreous - in Southampton. Although lunch was all my wallet could manage. Nello was also in Southampton for a time. Many artists also had studios or second homes out here; Roy Lichtenstein, Jackson Pollack, Willem de Kooning, Andy Warhol, etc.

Intriguing also were the references to Maxfield Parrish, as the Parrish Art Museum has been part of the Southampton community for years. The museum was the brainchild of Samuel Parrish. I must admit that I did not realize they were two separate people. One (Samuel) loved art while the other (Maxfield) created it. My research shows that they both came from Quaker families in Philadelphia and probably were related – perhaps distant cousins.

Enough background you say…

What did I create???

First my inspiration… Pop Art and Andy Warhol’s Marilyn and Flowers.  I so enjoyed the illustrations in the book.

Off to my stash to search for blue and yellow beads. Instead I found Andrea Pirkey’s fabulous glass bead, “Dots”. 

Apatite chips and carnelian came off the shelf. The apatite went back after a visit to Island Bead and Jewelry(just to say hi – yeah, right!). I walked out with some lovely Czech glass ovals, a nice contrast to the circles in the bead. I also added small, round  African opal beads and knotted it all together with two strands of silk thread.

 Wait – “Where’s the new technique?” you wonder. Well, I’m thinking maybe it’s time to broaden my scope with all I’ve learned in the past year. Horizontal growth we called it when I was a first grade teacher and staff developer.

The hammered, soldered silver ring and toggle did come off my bench.

By the way, Warhol did create a blue and orange Marilyn! 

Please visit our host, Andrew Thornton’s blog for the list of participants.

And do consider joining us next time as we read The Drunken Botanist, by Amy Stewart. Andrew hosts a meet-up in his shop, Allegory Gallery, in PA on June 24. The hop will post the next day.

Ann Schroeder    www.beadlove.wordpress.com

Sarajo Wentling  http://sjdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/.../an-object-of..

Andrew Thornton, Laurel Ross, Allison Herrington and others
Mary Harding