Beyond geometry in design – inspiration and spirit in the irregular

There is something that often draws me often to the geometric in my beadwork. I have played with the possibilities of triangles, diamonds, polygons, hedrons and more. So, it is with some surprise that I am finding such pleasure in creating non-geometric cabochons at present.  As you can see, they have irregular contours and not a straight edge in sight.

My organic ‘Galactica’ cabs bring to my mind things beyond this galaxy but also bring me greater degrees of freedom in playing with glass at the torch. I can relax into ‘going with the flow’ more and ask ‘what if?’. 

My play with non-geometry has also taken me exploring how other designers play with contour and the irregular.

This is a great short film on how to do this in architecture that I’m keen to apply to bead embroidery design in my advance bead embroidery class coming up soon:

·      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwJB7KzDEbQ

Then, imagine these architectural forms in jewellery. Not quite skilled enough at the torch to produce them as cabs… yet!

·      http://www.pinterest.com/taniaknudsen/crazy-organic-forms-in-architecture-design-interio/

And, if you want to read about it try piece by Gantz this written in 1977 but with great challenges to us in our designs today  asking many questions. One I loved, ‘How can we prefer square, flat walled rooms to the beautiful shapes of caves or the arch of the sky?’ (p. 11).

I am also drawn to muse on what his comment about organic design in natural forms might mean to me as a designer:

It would also follow that there are no straight lines, planes, or perfect geometric figures. The concrete element does not allow the equal repetitions necessary for the production of these forms. These inequalities are not imperfections to be ironed out. They are not errors or accidents, rather they are substance (p. 12).

You can read more from Gantz here:

·      http://www.ganzartwork.com/documents/OrganicDesignfinalsall.pdf

Whilst it may seem I have forgotten all about beadwork, feast your eyes on the jewellery design possibilities of the organic with these links:

·      http://cheryleve.com/section/104362_Hidden_in_Nature.html

·      https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/nervoussystem?

Do your retreat from the irregular? Or, are you inspired by it? Does randomness make the spirit hum or sink? Are you ready to play with organic? What would you do with one of my cabs?