2nd Annual Musical Challenge Blog Hop

My finished shoulder dusting earring - Perfect to wear for "Dance Macabre"

Welcome everyone to the 2^nd Annual Musical Challenge Blog Hop.  I feel blessed to be included in this group hop.  It was created by Erin Prais-Hintz of Tesori Trovati Jewelry and I’ve found it particularly intriguing and fun.  I love music but sway away from listening to it for an incredible variety of weak excuses.  Erin has brought me back to considering the fact that maybe I ought to have my I-Pod charged and filled with music and turn off the television when I’m working.  Thank You Erin for including me in this group and for a renewed interest in filling my ears with something besides wax, TNT, and Syfy Channel.

I described the process of choosing classical music in another post.  I felt a lot like a baby with a new toy during that process and could have stopped right there and researched musical inspiration for a month.  It probably didn’t hurt any that my fresh new knee was throbbing and listening to the music was lulling me away from obsessing about the pain and into a more enjoyable dimension.

One earring complete and one of just parts - due to the new knee this was as far as I could get but I thought you'd enjoy seeing the parts before they were assembled.

After reviewing countless instrumentals my list contained mostly genre that called “Romantic Era Style”. This caused me to narrow the search to that genre to see what else it would produce.   That brought me to Camille Saint-Saens, and finally to his Danse Macabre (If you click on the Danse Macabre you get a great U-Tube version of the song).

Danse Macabre

 

It’s no surprise to me that I’d be attracted to that music.  I have collected skulls and bones since I was a child (no it’s not macabre but I had a family interest in biology and all things medical). I’ve created glass sugar skulls since my earliest torching years and have done countless lithographs and drawings of cow skulls my uncle gave me.  It’s just a large part of me and I’ve no morbid curiosity other than in life’s natural cycle and how various cultures deal with their loss.  In particular I love the concept of the Day of the Dead and the honorariums and stories about loved ones past.  What an incredible and happy way to keep them in our thoughts and pass along family history.

Camille Saint-Saens (the composer of this instrumental) sounds like a multi-talented French eccentric.  He wrote music, poetry, did complicated math equations, wrote books, and many other things.  If you’re interested in Saint-Saens you can click here for the Wikipedia biography.  It wasn't Saint-Saens biography that inspired me - it was his music.  He wasn't a "character" like a Picasso would be but maybe his genius was born of his ability to seemingly just be immersed in whatever inspired him at the moment - math or music.

I’ve listened to Danse over and over.  And spent several hours drawing and making decisions as to what kind of piece I wanted to do for the challenge.  Since Erin was kind enough to leave it open to all mediums there were many possibilities.  I decided to go with jewelry but had to abandon some of the first ideas I conceived of as well as completing the matching earring.  I do know I will go back to the original drawings at a later date and I’ve included them for you to see.

The earrings are definitely shoulder dusters and although they are large enough to necessitate the need for a post earring to bare the weight they are still light enough to wear easily because of the choice of materials - small lampwork pieces. ceramics, tin, chain, pewter, and so on.  These are just perfect for the "Danse" and they move easily and just shimmer.

 

I like the idea of a Nicho type piece for the neck.  I can see this first piece hung from a forged neck wire. After my initial surge and searching for parts I had to shut down a few days when the pain out ran the medication and ice packs on my leg.  I knew I had to move on to a smaller piece and a bracelet was born in the drawings - - - - It kind of came and went the same way when I realized I was not able to make it down 16 steps to the studio to do some soldering and torch work (sugar skull lampwork/ bones/and so on).  Regardless, the music was still singing to me and I pared down the piece to the smallest of items I thought I might be able to accomplish.  I went through my stash of metal and beads and went designing again from there.

The Nicho Necklace became a bracelet in this drawing as my physical/ pain limitations became totally evident and began to eat into the time factor of the challenge.  Soldering multiple jump rings or figuring out a cold joined joint to replace them became a stumble I knew I couldn't tackle at the moment.

 

This is the final drawing and notes that I made as I worked my way through it.  It could be a multiple (earrings) or could be changed by the addition of a jump ring or bail at the top into a pendant.

 

Despite the fact this challenge piece went through many incarnations I like where it went.  The music, the challenge of really listening to the piece I selected, the challenge of working in between the knee limitations and yet still being able to come up with a viable piece of jewelry that is true to my materials and vision - well, it was important.  I think the challenge was the best medicine I could have ordered.  It kept me thinking, creating, and moving forward - again - thanks Erin,

 

This is the list of all of the blog hop participants.  I’ve got to get moving along so I can visit everyone myself and see what music moved their souls – I can’t wait!  Thank You, Erin.  Everyone enjoy the hop and I hope you enjoyed my process and creation for this challenge.

2nd Annual Musical Challenge Blog Hop Participants

Erin Prais-Hintz
Alenka Obid
Ali McCarthy
Alicia Marinache
Amy Severino
Amy Grass
Carolyn Lawson
Cece Cormier
Cynthia Riggs
Ema Kilroy
Emanda Johnson
Emma Todd
Erin Kenny
Evelyn Shelby
Evie and Beth McCord
Gerd Andersson
Holly Westfall
Jennifer Justman
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Jess Green
Judy Campbell
Karla Morgan
Kay Thomerson
Kristina Johansson
Lola Surwillo
Lynn White
Malin de Koning
Mallory Hoffman
Mary K McGraw
Melissa Meman
Melissa Trudinger
Michelle Escano
Michelle Bourbonniere
Michelle Heim
Michelle Mach
Molly Alexander
Molly Schaller
Monique Urquhart
Niky Sayers
Pam Farren
Rebecca Anderson
Sally Russick
Sharon Palac
Sharon Driscoll
Susan Kennedy
Tari Kahrs
Tracy Stillman
Veralynne Malone