Mosaic Spotting: Kikko vest by Bea Valdes

photo credit: couturelab.com

This striking vest - yet another exquisite beaded creation by Bea Valdes - is inspired by the book "The Art of War". Its symmetrical embellishment and right choice of colours are surely reminiscent of Chinese epic films with swords, tea leafs and cunning women walking and shedding that false tear .

Talking of tea, back to some black tea with milk and sugar!

(but how I wish I had some jasmine tea now)

A presto!

Magda

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Mosaic Art as Therapy (Galeria Alegria of New Orleans)

Walking to New Orleans
84''x36''
Made with approximately 75,000 beads

Events and Fun at the Galeria Alegria

These panels were ruined during the Katrina disaster. 
Look at how they have been transformed using bead art!

This mosaic with over 250,000 beads was created to raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Katrina

Stephán Wanger of Galeria Alegria is a remarkable self-taught artist who has constructed his very own artistic language enriched with a mission. He is the man behind some spectacular mosaics made with Mardi Gras beads that serve a purpose. To revive New Orleans after the disaster, bringing back hope, while nurturing creativity, promoting recycling and teaching art to younger generations.

Browsing though his website, some of the images were striking and really reverberated that musicality and rhythm of what we know New Orleans to be. 

What is absolutely worthy of note here is how bead art is so close to mosaic art and how art is always the best therapy to overcome disasters not just on a global level but also on a personal. If a mosaic artwork manages to reach out people and raise money to help those in need after what happened to New Orleans you can imagine how people who need emotional support can find relief when juxtaposing scattered pieces to construct a WHOLE NEW IMAGE. 

Since the therapy of art is in the process, mosaic, due to its painstaking and challenging creative phases, is certainly the par-excellence artistic method to explore your feelings, accept them and MOVE ON by creating something new, focusing on something else that YOU start from scratch. I never believed that problems can be solved if we dwell on them too much and keep on insisting to find the solution while inside the problem.

Mosaic art is beyond any doubt the ART for people who don't mind starting over. It's in fact that tabula rasa factor to begin with that intrigues the artist to get involved with mosaic.

The Fleur de Lis is a symbol of Louisiana

The Brown Pelican is considered to be the State Bird of Louisiana since 1966

Teaching mosaic bead work at an elementary school with the help of Stephán Wanger

Images from Galeria Alegria

Tribal bag and African mosaics

Time flies.

I have just realised it has been 10 days since my last post.

The picture above illustrates what is considered as one of the trends of the moment. The New York Times proclaims that the "IT" Bag has gone Tribal this season (source of information fashion trendsetter.)

Those who have been following this blog from the beginning know of my love for beadwork and this is what has driven me to associate the tribal bag with mosaic; talking not of mosaic art itself but "other art forms that resemble mosaic art and its patters".

I am not a fan of tribal fashion but ancient mosaics and in this case Roman African mosaics are worth looking into for inspiration. 

The term "tribal" however baffles me like the word "ethnic". I don't like it when they coin terms and then forget about the source or what that term really implies or what are the principles it entails. 

Enjoy the rest of the SUNday. No sun here but feeling good.........

ps: the bag is designed by Silvia Tcherassi. Read more here.

Beads and Mosaic

Sometimes I wonder if there is another art form which could resemble to mosaic and I always end up thinking about beads and not painting nor ceramics. Beads have this feature in common with mosaic = pieces (small objects) that form and cover space with the intention to create a specific and pre-determined design. Now, with beads no cutting is involved whereas mosaic demands an extreme patience.

I have a confession to make.

I have thought of doing beadwork and let mosaic rest for a while considering that my current obligations do not favour much mosaic making..which saddens me. This of course does not mean I can't try some beadwork but when I tried it on a little jeans bag I had made, it didn't give me the satisfaction that mosaic does. But there's more. When you try deviate from your route something happens. You are not happy: 1. you don't do what you are supposed to do, 2. what you do..well you know nothing about, you are trying and experimenting but this is not what you want - substitutes? who wants substitutes? who wants to work with beads when it's mosaics you want to do? I will not provide any answer. I am too tired - mentally and physically - but it's good to put down the questions..at least!

Here's some of the beadwork by Valdes I love most. I think it's older work.

your comments will be very welcome on the subject.

Make your wrist glitter

I have previously featured Bea Valdes and some other bead work which would resemble in a way mosaic. The way I see it, this is a good start to begin to draw more people closer to mosaic art.

Here's what i digged out today, i love it, what do you think?

from http://www.maliparmi.it/.

Beads and the Queen of BEAds=BEA Valdes

This is a wonderful beaded headband that recently caught my attention. I love and insist on beads. I think it's because it's the only way to "wear mosaic" or better, mosaic-like material.
here's a close look at the bead work:

images from www.net-a-porter.com

To demonstrate the "power" of beads, here's a peek on an outstanding work with beads by - for those who have not heard about her yet - Bea Valdes....Just watch, dream, envision and get inspired or sit back and wonder how on "earth" does she do it. You can love her or hate her. She is from the Philippines and her business is based there. By the way Hollywood chic stars are drooling over her creations (apart from us ordinary people)..

Evening bags:
source

Here's a stunning necklace in the hues of gray that astounds me (if the above wasn't enough!):
source


Besides her own website, a wonderful place to browse her work closely is Couture Lab which features Bea Valdes.

source

a glimpse on a black eye-catching necklace by Bea Valdes:

source


On the cover of Vogue:
source

Click here for Bea Valdes official website.

More on bib necklaces and Bea Valdes here.

You may want to read more on this blog about beads and fashion by clicking here.

Sitting pretty ...on a beaded armchair - καθήστε άνετα...πάνω σε πολυθρόνα καλυμμένη με χάντρες

You can walk on mosaic (floors) but can you sit on mosaic?...Well, this artwork is not really a mosaic but close. An intriguing and impressive armchair made with beads. An unusual -->ethnic-like work of art.

What do you think?

Featured -->on http://specificmerchandise.com.

Μπορείτε να περπατήσετε πάνω σε ψηφιδωτά (δάπεδα) αλλά να καθήσετε πάνω σε ψηφιδωτ -->ές επιφάνειες;...Το έργο αυτό δεν είναι πραγματικό ψηφιδωτό αλλά κάτι ανάλογο. Μία πολυθρόνα καλυμμένη με χάντρες, συναρπαστική και εντυπωσιακή. Ένα ασυνήθιστο -->ethnic-περίπου έργο τέχνης. 

Τι λέτε -->; 

Από το http://specificmerchandise.com.