Today I picked up two works that were in a recent exhibit. The exhibit was called "Music of Our Hands," and I submitted two necklaces. One was called "Black and Blues." Themed exhibits usually inspire some creative projects. This exhibit was at the League of NH Craftsmen, and ostensibly designed for the handful of artisans who fabricate actual musical instruments, many of which were played by musicians at the opening. At first I imagined tiny beaded violins or guitars, but I quickly dismissed those ideas and opted to interpret the theme more liberally. So I started thinking beyond instruments, staffs, G-clefs and such and contemplated other things connected to music. I thought of rock and roll and the blues and thought there must be a way to translate those ideas into a beaded work. Blues, of course, connected to the color, but I wanted to fashion something that evoked the spirit of blues and rock as well. In my stash, I had a blue glass marble that I've wanted to incorporate into a piece for a long time. I decided to encase it as part of a right-angle weave pendant that I could envision around the neck of a rock musician. Then I hung the pendant on a bead crochet "chain" with curves that were reminiscent of the waves of melody. My piece required more thought to connect it to the theme than the flutes and guitars, but it was fun to interpret the theme using beads and thread.