From earliest childhood, sitting around the dinner table discussing Astronomy and the other sciences with my family, I have seen Outer Space as the illustration of how there are no limits to possibilities. Yes, Flash Gordon, Star Trek, and even the Jetsons played a part, too. As I began creating sculptural objects, my mind naturally turned to the “off world”…resulting in the creation of my first ray guns (rayguns) and rocket ships (rocketships). Happily, one of the rocket ships–after being entered in the NASA/Etsy Contest for artwork inspired by Outer Space–made it to the finals of the competition and has now joined the NASA collection! How cool is that?
Rocket Ship 1: The Sky’s No Limit
Design and beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and assembly by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, thread, wood, rock crystal (calcite dal’nagorsk, Russia)
H.: 9 1/2″
Exhibited: (2006-07) Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia PA; (2006, 2007) SOFA (Chicago)
Private collection, Delaware
Rocket Ship 2: Re-Entry (or Monday)
Design and beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and assembly by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, thread, wood
H.: 12″
Competition: NASA & Etsy 2010-11 Space Craft Contest: Finalist, 3D artwork
NASA (National Aeronautics & Space Administration) Collection
Eclipse Teapot
Design, beadwork (peyote stitch) and painting by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodwork and gilding by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass seed beads, thread, wood, acrylic paint, gilding
H.: 7 ½”; L.: 10 ¾”; W.: 3 3/8”
Created for The Morgan Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA. The 4th Annual Teapots! Invitational (April-June 2010)
Published: Kurt Shaw’s “Artists Create Tempests in Teapots Exhibit” for online TRIB LIVE: A&E (Pittsburgh Tribune Review, April 25, 2010, see http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/s_677691.html); ”Seen: Pittsburgh Gallery Overflows with Teapots” for online GLASS Quarterly Hotsheet (April 2010, see http://blog.glassquarterly.com/2010/04/13/seen-pittsburgh-gallery-overflows-with-teapots/.)
Private collection, Pennsylvania
Ray Gun, No. 1
Design and beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, thread, wood
L.: 7″
Exhibited: Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia PA; SOFA (Chicago)
Private Collection, Arizona
Ray Gun, No. 2
Beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and form design by Lindsay & Iain Grigsby
Glass beads, wood, thread
L.: 7”
Exhibited: (2006) Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia PA; (2006) SOFA (Chicago)
Private Collection
Ray Gun, No. 3
Beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and form design by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, wood, thread
L.: 8 1/4”
Private Collection
Published: Suzanne Golden Presents: 35 Artists Innovate with Beads, by Lark Books (Sterling Publishing, NYC), April 2013, p96.
Ray Gun, No. 4
Beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Woodworking and form design by Lindsay Grigsby
Glass beads, wood, thread
L.: approx. 7”
Exhibited: (2010) Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA
Private collection
Over the Moon Necklace
Design and beadwork by Leslie B. Grigsby
Glass beads, thread, wood, rubber, twisted wire
Overall length: 14″. Beadwork panel: 4 3/8″ X 3 1/2″
Available for Purchase
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