Aboriginal Beading Meets 18th Century France

Trying a new technique takes courage and a willingness to fail!  I've wanted to incorporate more elaborate beading into my 18th century fashion pieces but was never quite satisfied with the results in the past. But after meeting with Aboriginal Beading Artist Samuel Thomas last week and taking his words of wisdom to heart, it seemed like time to do it!

Using an aboriginal beading technique incorporating seed pearls, I've intentionally shifted the focus from the foreground into the background.  In this manner, the floral pattern of the background textile merges with the embellished 18th century hat to create a playful commentary on the decadent excess of the period.

Here is a detail photo of the beading:

It is my version of aboriginal beading meets 18th Century France!!