Designed by Vera: Oct Art Bead Scene Challenge

This month challenge was really good in that even though it didn't have those "Halloween" colors, it was symbolic of the season. Owls are fascinating birds. The ability to swivel their heads amazes me.

Owl on Gingko Branch (Scops Owl Under Crescent Moon) 1915

Ohara Koson

Woodblock Print on Paper

(Please note this art is copyrighted and is to be used only as inspiration.)

About the Art

Skillfully executed "bokashi" shading throughout; nicely visible woodgrain entire background; the crescent moon's edges, owl, and ginko leaves raised in "gauffrage"; "burnishing" to owl's black eyes; sharp key-lines, much fine detailing.

A delightful image of a little scops owl perched on a ginko tree beneath a thin crescent moon.

About the Artist

Ohara Koson - (1877 - 1945) was a Japanese painter and printmaker of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, part of the shin-hanga (new prints) movement. He was born Ohara Matao in Kanazawa, Japan. It is thought that he started training in painting and design at the Ishikawa Prefecture Technical School in 1889-1893. He also studied painting with Suzuki Kason (1860-1919), although accounts differ on whether this happened during his school years or after he moved to Tokyo in the middle to late 1890s. In Tokyo, he produced some woodblock triptychs illustrating episodes of the Russo-Japanese War, but most of his production was prints of animals (kacho-ga). He worked at first with publishers Akiyama Buemon (Kokkeido) and Matsuki Heikichi (Daikokuya), signing his work Koson. Starting around 1926, he became associated with the publisher Watanabe Shozaburo, and signed his work Shoson. He also worked with the publisher Kawaguchi, signing his works Hoson. Through his association with Watanabe, Oharas work was exhibited abroad, and his prints sold well, particularly in the United States. He was active designing prints until at least 1935, and died at his home in Tokyo in 1945.

For this challenge I knew what I wanted to do. My brain has been in creative overload lately and it running full steam ahead whether I am with it or not. Anyway, I have met a new creative artist, Sydny Sierra, that is dipping her toes in the craft ocean and asked her if she could do up this pendant piece for me. I wanted something rustic and I think she did very well. She hasn't quite got a site up yet, but I am mentoring her. Her site will be called Blue Rose Crafts. She is into photography also and has a FB page called Blue Rose Photography.

So she did this piece for me and I made it into a necklace with matching earrings. I used orange cotton braiding cord, wire, and beads that I had in my stash. I am soooo trying to use up my beads...but funny thing....as fast as I use them...the more there seem to be.

I did find some coppery glass beads that I decided to wrap around, I tried to take pictures so you could see it. I "very carefully" put some wire with green beads on the real stick she put on under the owl. Then I hung the orange leaves below the owl. I was very careful also drilling the holes in the corners to hang the leaves and the rings to hold it on the cotton braid. For being her first piece, I am impressed and she truly captured the owl. I will be posting on flicker and abs.com for the challenge. Thanks for looking.

And I have several more challenges coming up that I will posting about, so hop back around this weekend.