>Omnipresence of White

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For the last couple days, I've been working hard on the headlight beams for my beaded Back to the Future DeLorean time machine. I've been beading with a 3" needle, and it is really helping, but still, this kind of beadwork is very time consuming. Precise stitching is necessary, and sometimes I can only stitch one or two beads at a time.

Besides using the backstitch, I am also using a modified brick stitch to embroider seed beads to the other seed beads. This helps to create dimension. I like effect, but in order for it to really work, I must fill the beads almost entirely with thread. Then, they will sit properly and the piece will begin to form its own shape. Here's a close up so you can see this extreme bead embroidery:

(Click to enlarge.)

After working on this for awhile, I realized my beadwork started to look like something I had seen in my 500 Beaded Objects book. It sort of reminded me of Natasha St. Michael's work. She makes oddly unique scuptural and suspended artwork inspired by elements found in nature which "capture the omnipresence of complexity...". I remembered looking at her piece, and wondering why anyone would feel driven to create such strange beadwork. Then, I looked at her website, and it seems that she works mostly in the peyote stitch. It's interesting how similar effects can be produced using different techniques - and, it was by accident! But, my piece is not inspired so much by nature as it is inspired by science. It is intended that my beadwork captures the omnipresence of light... :o