Artist's Statement
I took the challenge and I believe that I have
created a necklace that NO ONE in their proper minds would
wish to wear. My hubby is merely working off a huge debt by being
an unwilling model!
What is it about tampons? Nothing could be as
sterile and bland as a small bunch of cotton, tied with a string.
But something about it seems to give us all the heebie-jeebies.
Even in their virgin state, they manage to gross us out. With
that in mind, I concocted a nightmare inducing necklace featuring
these hated plugs.
Some ofthe basic beading rules I managed to
break:
Symmetry and balance
Cutting cords and string flush (good pun, huh?)
Careful wrapping and working of "French Wire" technique
Weight distribtuion (That duck is heavy!)
The rule of "Good taste"
Thank you for this rare and wonderful opportunity.
I have done many competitions based on my "pretty" work,
but this competition was by far the most fun.
It has been a blast just working on "art for arts' sake"...
not to mention, as a former beadwork instructor, taking all of
the "rules" that I have taught and intentionally breaking
them.
A couple details:
When I was teaching, one of my strongest points
of design was BALANCE. As a designer, you didn't have to work
with perfectly even amount of beads. Sometimes, 2 small beads
could balance one large one. This was extremely important when
working with freeform seed-work. Here, I took a play with the
term of balance. Instead of balancing the desgin, I worked with
literal balance... balancing the duck on the shoulder of the wearer!
My own personal pet peeve (and something I am
struggling not to correct before wrapping it off to be sent!)
is exposed cords and "settling". I am tortured by exposed
cords and knotting! I perfected my knotting techniques, and always
had my students carefully dangle their designs before crimping,
to allow the natural settling of beads (and to avoid that extra
1/2 inch of exposed cord). Here, I knotted first, then allowed
it to settle. Hence, that exposed FireLine is intentional (but
it bugs the hell out of me!)
OK. Now let's address the obvious. Tampons.
I am sure you are now wondering what kind of twisted individual
has infiltrated your midst. I chose tampons because of their very
nature. Nothing could be as bland and benign as a small rolle
of cotton. But, the very purpose of them gives everyone that heebie-jeebie
reation. Men, you'll have to take my word for it. But, should
a woman walk into a public restroom and see a tampon on the floor,
even in a new and pure state, we will avert our eyes. Should we
have to carry one to a restroom for "emergency purposes",
we will hide it so no one will see. We keep them in the darkest
drawer in the bathroom. Heck, I have even had someone tell me
that if I wish to hide my PMS stash of chocolate from my sons,
hide it in my box of tampons!!!!
Materials Used:
"Tie-dye" tampons in purple and magenta
"Bead Soup" mix of 11/0 seed beads on wire
Ceramic duck with that hated phrase "Have a Happy Period"
... on a noose
Plastic cockroach
Pond's facial towelette
Plastic razor
Bullet shell casing
Recycled chain
Hand-made ceramic pendant "Apple and Serpent"
JC Penney Customer Service Recognition Award pin
Handmade ceramic and lampwork beads
Plastic turtle beads (including PURPLE turtles!)
Seed bead "Frankenstein"
Purple "Mardi Gras" beads
Orange rubber "grip" base
Toggle clasp featuring box from "Mom's secret PMS Chocolate
Stash"
Assorted beads in glass, resin, wood, plastic, clay and metal
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Close Up
Clasp Assembly
Toggle made from a rolled-up chocolate candy box, and a string
loop
Use of Little Beads
Duck precariously balancing on shoulder of wearer
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