About Style Imitating Art…
Style Imitating Art comes from Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee. Please make sure you visit each blog to see their SIA looks. You can think of it as fashion meets art museum! Style Imitating Art challenges people to find inspiration in different art works, create looks based upon that art work, and share them with the curator for that piece. Every other Monday one of the three selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. They then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, they share their outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. Shelbee chose this week’s art work. If you’d like, you can read why she chose it here. You can see a few of my looks here, here, here, and here!
Inspiration art works…
About the artist…
Martha Berry, born and raised in northeastern Oklahoma, is of Cherokee/English/Scotch-Irish parentage. While a child, her grandmother taught her to sew. By the age of 20, she was a seamstress for a touring ice show. It wasn’t until she was in her forties that she began delving into “the richness and importance of her ancestors’ experience, and turned her skill with a needle to beadwork.” As a Cherokee beading artist, Berry is a registered tribal citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
A little more…
Martha Berry makes her home in Rowlett, Texas which is outside the Cherokee Nation. This, however, doesn’t keep her from continuing to research and create “beadwork…inspired by the styles of the Southeastern Woodland Native American Indians. The native Nations include the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Yuchi, Alabama, etc.” With her beading, Berry tells the stories and lore of her Cherokee ancestors. On August 27, 2013, Martha Berry was designated a Cherokee National Living Treasure. She is the recipient of several awards. You can read more so much more here.
About the art work…
The materials used on the bandolier bag include glass seed beads, wool, linen, broadcloth, silk, and wool yarn. The bag measures 36″ H x 16″ W x 2″ D. The bandolier bag, alone, required 303 hours to create. It includes images that remind the artist of places her daughter’s ancestors lived. I thought this quote was interesting: “All of the floral images are only partially beaded because, although all of the places represented are a part of us, none of them is all of us (source).” The lady’s purse involved glass seed beads, wool, and cotton. These pieces are amazing in the intricacy of the designs and in their execution.
My interpretation…
As soon as I saw this, I was pretty sure I was going to use this tunic from April Cornell. It was the first thing that came to my mind. It has most of the colors in the art works. I think it’s been on the blog before, but I couldn’t find it. While it was not embroidered or embellished in any way, I thought the print echoed the designs of Mrs. Berry’s bandolier bag and lady’s purse. I decided to wear it over a column of black. I’m wearing a pima cotton ballet tee and a pair of pima cotton leggings from J Jill.
The Lewk!
These black Born boots (and their brown counterparts) have appeared numerous times on the blog. I have no idea how long I’ve had them. I do know I took them along on a vacation to Mackinac Island which was several years ago. I am pretty sure I wore them while I was teaching, too. Here’s an early appearance on the blog! I wore two different necklaces for this challenge. The multi-strand one is from J Jill. The other is a turquoise chip necklace I picked up years ago…maybe Pier 1? The turquoise mosaic bracelet (which only shows up in these photos) was a gift from Nigel and is from the Southwest. The turquoise chip earrings may have come from the same trip.
Wrap it up, Marsha!
Nigel’s great-great-great-great-great-grandmother (he thinks it’s that many greats), Mourning Dove, was Cherokee. He has done extensive research into his genealogy although he had always known about her. I remember when I was in fifth or sixth grade, I used to string seed beads on elastic to make bracelets and necklaces. I cannot imagine the patience and talent needed to create such intricate designs with them. So, can we talk? Are you handy with a needle and thread? Have you ever created anything involving embroidery with beads? Please leave a comment or two, and we can talk! I promise to respond as quickly as possible.
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Thank you!
As always, I am greatly appreciative of all of you who read, comment, subscribe, or email. I honestly cannot tell you how much it means to me. If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.
Where you can find me:
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, My Bijou LIfe, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, and I do deClaire and Mummabstylish. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend with Michelle every Thursday. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!
It’s very peculiar to say the least. Great outfit love the pattern and colour. https://www.bauchlefashion.com
Thanks, Heather!
You nailed this challenge, Marsha! And you look fabulous!
I’m not very good with a needle and thread so I’ve never tried my hand at embroidery….I reckon I’d be absolutely useless at it lol!
Huge hugs,
Suzy xx
Thanks so much, Suzy! You know…I still don’t get notifications when you post! I keep forgetting because these days I feel like I’m barely keeping my head above water!
I love to embroider but I don’t do it as much as I should!
What a beautiful outfit; the colors are just perfect for this challenge.
Thanks so much, Joanne!
What a stunning piece of art! The beadwork is gorgeous. I love your take with this pretty tunic and turquoise necklace combo.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thanks so much, Kathrine! I was really happy with the result!
This is a beautiful tunic and the colours are so perfect for the theme! I really like the beaded accessories you added too, they are another lovely pop with the monochrome black!
I really admire embroidery, although I wouldn’t have the patience to do anything like that myself, haha!
Thanks so much, Mica! I was surprised at what a difference the turquoise made to the outfit! I love to embroider, but I don’t know that I’m up to this kind!
Beautiful!
Michelle
https://funkyfashionstyle.com
Thanks so much, Michelle!
That print is so perfect on your tunic and I can see why you thought of it after seeing the beautiful beadwork. I like the turquoise necklaces you chose to pair with it too!
Thanks so much, Laura! I didn’t have to think too hard for this challenge!
I love your tunic. Very colorful. I am not really handy with a needle, although years ago I did counted cross-stitch, very slowly. My mom and daughter could look at a line of stitches and just zip along it. I used to place a stitch or two then go back and look at the line again and count again, etc, so forth and so on. They say talent often skips a generation! I am living proof. I love the beadwork Martha Berry does. I have had a friend since I was seven who is half Native American. When I taught my third graders about Georgia, I always included the book about the Trail of Tears. Not sure they would let me do that these days. But I think it is important to learn from our mistakes in history and become better for it. Great post today.
Thanks so much, Eileen! I often wonder what things I would have to exclude from teaching my fourth graders. I think it’s important to include the bad with the good. As you said, we need to learn from our history. I used to do lots of counted cross stitching, too. In fact, when we moved, I came across so many projects started and never finished. I wonder if those old books have the right numbers for the embroidery floss today.
I do love the turquoise with the tunic…it’s such a great way to bring in a contrasting color.
Love this version of SIA,
XOOX
Jodie
Thanks, Jodie! I was surprised at how the simple addition of that color really made the rest of the outfit sing!
This tunic is a lovely way to interpret the pink flowers that are prominent in the beadwork! The turquoise bead jewelry is stunning against the black and playing off the pink. Great interpretation, Marsha! I am still pretty much at the elementary schools “beads on elastic” level of skill, haha. I marvel at the talent and patience it takes to produce complex artworks such as Martha Berry’s!
Thanks so much, Sally! I didn’t realize how much the turquoise would make the entire outfit pop! I think you drastically underestimate your skills!
I loved reading about Martha Berry – what an amazing talent she has, and I love how she is honoring her heritage with it. Your outfit is perfect for your inspiration piece! I love the swish!
Thanks so much, Erin! I would love to be able to do something like that, but I just don’t have the patience. I do know that about myself!
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Hi, Marsha-I’m getting caught up and wanted to come by and tell you that I really like how you styled for this challenge. Your long duster was the perfect color and over black is just fabulous. The pink roses against that background are gorgeous. I’ve never heard of April Cornel but I love some of her boho vibes (especially your top). New one tomorrow!
Thank you so much, Terri! I knew it was perfect for the challenge and didn’t even fight it!
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