As I looked through the many photos posted in our Realisticart group to select a craftsperson for the March 2014 Featured Artist, Maria Beatriz Lescano's work stood out for its fine craftsmanship and close attention to detail. A design element that I found particularly striking in Maria's jewelry is the way she juxtaposed wire and beads by incorporating strongly shaped beads into her wire work to achieve bold contrasts that are exciting and satisfying to look at.
Particularly attractive is the wire pendant that is hung from a wire link chain composed of angular shapes. The pendant hangs as a thematic conclusion to the chain-link necklace, and functions as a visually engaging counterpoint to the angular shaped wire links. The incorporation of dangling lapis lazuli introduces a wonderful color and texture.
Her wire hoop earrings and necklace also build upon contrasting elements of form, material, brushstroke and color. In these works, diagonal brushstrokes of subtle colors balance nicely with round wire shapes. The wire hoop earrings combining translucent rice paper and embedded seashell fragments are uniquely outstanding! In contrast, Maria's woven earrings with wire substructures are delicately composed with interactions of subtle, tiny negative and positive shape interactions.
-Ross
Click on the images below to see larger reproductions of Maria's work.