Beaded Geraniums

9 x 9″ each , framed – glass beads, paper and Baltic birch plywood

Geraniums, or cranesbills, were the subject of these three studies in wood, paper and beads. After seeing my beaded wood pieces for Bunnell Street Arts Center’s 2023 10×10 exhibition, a generous client commissioned a similar piece based on a favorite flower, the geranium. The bold red variety of geranium that I chose for these mixed media studies also features veined deep blue-green leaves, a complementary color palette. From my mom’s garden to South African botanical gardens to deliciously flavored rose geranium sugar in a friend’s kitchen, I’ve come across members of the genus Pelargonium on several continents and found the diversity of their forms and adaptability to be inspiring. Alaska’s woolly geranium, Geranium erianthum, thrives despite challenging conditions: it’s always a welcome sight on spring hikes.

I included two of these geranium pieces in the IGCA’s December 2023 100×100 exhibition and fundraiser; find details here.