Artist: Penny Purdie
Location: Mackay, Queensland, Australia
Penny was one of the award winners that I “met” through the Swarovski Design Competition. I think you’ll fall in love with her work as thoroughly as I did!
Artist: Kelly Alvarez Mace
Business Name: K. A. Mace Jewelry
Location: Southern California
Read all about Kelly’s take on creativity, designing, and the beauty of nature!
Artist Profile
Artist: Carolina González
Business name: Supra Monster Studio
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Carolina is the master of so many different art forms! I think you will find her work enchanting…
Artist Profile
Artist: Olivia Competente
Business name: Jewels By Olivia
Location: San Francisco
Website:
Jewels By Olivia
Olivia, how do you describe your work?
I have always loved sparkle and color. I started out with beads and they have always been my first love. What I do now is and extension of my bead work. I love the art nouveau movement and Egyptian adornments.
What is your creative process like?
Sometimes I render a piece, but mostly I like looking at what I have and what will fit with it. I work very organically - it cannot be forced, it will work itself out and be or not. Then I show the design to my mom and she has a great eye and gets me to finish a piece.
What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
When I was 9ish I lusted after a pair of earrings at Macy’s and my mom wouldn’t buy them for me. Instead she took me to the oldest bead shop in San Francisco and bought me beads and started my life long passion for jewelry. Then in 2001, the industry I worked in got hit bad by 9-11 so my mom told me to go back to jewelry and I started my formal training on metal fabrication. I am now a PMC certified artisan, teach enameling, fused glass and bead work at the Sharon Art Studio in San Francisco.
Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
My original Cress kiln.
What inspires you to create?
The light as it plays across the ocean or trees of Golden gate park, new colors in beads.
What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
The fact that great work is giving life to an idea, and collaborating with my mom.
What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
Practice, practice , practice, and have fun in the end.
What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
Cooking for my family and my pets (4 cats and 2 dogs).
What are some of your other favorite things?
I love a good hamburger, read fairy tales, and right now I love a blue-based red color!
Other profiles of mixed media artists:
Wendy Van Camp
Leah Hitchcock-Ybarra
artist-profile, beads, beading, handmade-jewelry, PMC, creativity, designing
Artist: Kim Falat
Business name: Symphony Jewels
Location: Chicago suburbs
Website:
Symphony Jewels
How do you describe your work, Kim?
My jewelry is elegant and feminine. Most of my designs are finer and more delicate. I’m not a huge fan of the big chunky jewelry out there, although I have incorporated some of those designs to cater to the people who love that style. But I really like my jewelry to just be… pretty. I want it to be versatile also. Today, I’m wearing a pink and black necklace, with black onyx, pink chalcedony, sparkly Swarovski crystals, and sterling silver accents. It has a nice long dangly pendant. This necklace looks perfect with my black pants and pink tank top. This necklace would also look gorgeous with a black evening gown. I want all of my designs to represent me and my style, but I also want people to have a huge variety. Someone can walk into my booth or go to my website and find hundreds of different designs. It’s not just a handful of designs in different colors and the same pattern over and over. Every piece is different, new and fresh.
In a way I chose my name for the same reason. I wanted a pretty name, something that conveyed a certain level of elegance. The neat thing about symphonies, if you’ve ever listened to one, is all the amazing different elements that combine to create one piece. In pop music, you have a verse, a chorus, and a bridge. In a symphony, it’s like a dozen different bridges coming together and all working together beautifully. It’s not just drums, a guitar and a keyboard… it’s a whole orchestra. I think that represents my jewelry designs and how my overall inventory works together. Plus, I’ve been involved with music for quite some time, so “symphony” helped tie in another little aspect of me.
What is your creative process like?
Because I have so many other things filling up my life (a “day job”, husband with his own company, dog training and all those fun household chores and errands), I don’t always have a lot of time for the jewelry business. I often have to make time to sit down for jewelry. But once I do, I’ve missed it so much, and as soon as my brain starts working I just keep creating! Then it becomes a day or two of jewelry bliss! I can pump out 30 or 40 new things in a couple days when I’m that inspired and that motivated. I usually have an audio book or music playing while I’m making jewelry. Since I have such a busy lifestyle, I need to find every way I can to multitask. It helps if I can make jewelry AND practice my vocals, or read a book I just haven’t found the time for yet.
I rarely sketch anything out, except when using PMC. It’s too hard to “redo” with PMC. So I make sure I have a solid idea of what I’m making beforehand. With my other jewelry, I usually have a color scheme or a certain style in mind, I go to my supply boxes and start grouping things together to see how the pieces fit. If I don’t like the end result, I can just take it apart and redo it. Usually that’s just a small tweaking of the layout.
What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
I’ve always been an artist… I started writing poetry and short stories at 8 years old, I drew and painted throughout grade school and high school, pursued a professional singing career, started airbrushing in my 20’s, scrapbooked, made cards, painted glass and wood, and then I stumbled upon jewelry a few years ago. I never took classes to learn how to make jewelry, I just asked a few questions here and there and found some wonderful internet resources. I’ve always been able to put things together… whether it’s words, colors, or textures… and my designs for my jewelry just come to me. Sometimes I’ll actually pull out an outfit and try to make something for it, but mostly I just sit down at my table and sift through my supplies, and my inventory, and try to figure out what I want to make next. I have recently taken a couple PMC classes to learn a new medium and evolve my designs and eventually I will take some metalsmithing classes. I don’t want to pick up a torch and some metal without knowing what to do with those!
Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
I love to use Swarovski crystals, gemstones, and sterling silver in my designs. I love how the materials interact together and the outcome can be amazing.
What inspires you to create?
Anything and everything. New clothes fashions help inspire certain designs. A picture in an interior design magazine can show beautiful color combinations. Looking out into my gorgeous landscaped backyard calms me and helps me think. Sifting through my gemstones always triggers a flood of ideas.
What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
That I have so much money invested in this, I better make some back! No, seriously, I’ve always loved art, and have dabbled in a million things, and found a passion for the jewelry. When I started, I couldn’t get enough! I couldn’t go to sleep at night until I made all my ideas! And now, I’m still so inspired by each new piece I create. One design usually leads me right into the next. I prefer to make one-of-a-kind pieces and I’m always proud of each new creation. And when things get really bad, just hearing the wonderful compliments from people keeps my heart in it.
What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
My advice is to always master what you do, and you’ll never second-guess yourself.
I’m a perfectionist, and I always demand a lot from myself. And if I don’t get something right the 1st, 2nd or 20th time I do it, I get very frustrated. But perfection takes practice and perseverence. I do see my progress over time, I see everything become better. I know how long it took my designs to become what I wanted from them, and I know any new techniques will take time too. I am confident of my designs and know what I wanted out of each and every piece. When you finally get that level of confidence, it helps you know where you stand in this crazy art world, and it helps balance the artist with the professional in you.
What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
Training dogs. I have a Shetland Sheepdog that I train in agility. I also have a German Shepherd from champion bloodlines whom I want to show in conformation and the sport of Schutzhund, which involves protection work, tracking and obedience. It’s HARD!!! Seriously!! Look up Schutzhund videos on youtube.com and you’ll see how HARD this is!!! But he is a perfect example of the breed, in anatomy, temperment and drive. So we work together so we can get all the necessary titles on him to prove to the world what he is so he can help improve the German Shepherd breed.
What’s your other favorite things? Food, books, etc?
Oooh, I love Italian food… and chocolate… and potato chips! And I love to read fantasy adventure books. When I really want to relax, I throw in an audio book and make jewelry. I also have a few “comfort” movies (Goonies, Ghostbusters and Raiders of the Lost Ark) that have the ability to just take me away to a happy quiet place and help me forget the concerns of the world (and vacuuming, and dishes, and laundry, and litter boxes…!).
Links to other unique bead artists:
Cindy Forrester
Clare Byfield
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media, artist-profile
Artist: Billie Sanchez
Business name: Wicked Oak Designs
Location: Flagstaff Arizona
Website:
Wicked Oak Designs
How do you describe your beadwork, Billie?
I do mostly OOAK jewelry pieces and beaded objects. I love creating and building 3-D pieces and larger cabochon necklaces.
What is your creative process like?
Well, I usually start with a focal piece or a color scheme. Sometimes I have an idea in my head and I draw it out, others I just mess with it until I like the end result. I usually have the radio or TV going (good time for me to catch up on TV shows I enjoy), also, my 3 year old is always running around and adding to what it going on. I work when I can as often as I can. Sometimes I can sit for hours and work other times is 15 minutes here and there.
What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
I had many years of art classes. I found that I like beads better then paint. I found that I had a much easier time creating what I wanted in beads then in paint. I decided one day that I felt I could recreate a lot of the basic pieces that I was seeing around me, but with my own personal touch. It just kind of snowballed from there and 9 years later I am still creating and designing.
Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
My beads, of course, My Ott Light and my Fireline…I use it for everything.
What inspires you to create?
Sometimes it is something I see in my daily workings, sometimes it is a piece created by another artist. I just try and keep my eyes open and remember what it is exactly that grabs my attention in something and try and use that and give it my own spin.
What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
Mostly just the thought of being finished with the piece. It is always easier once you reach the halfway point. So I try and focus on getting to that point when I am having a hard time.
What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
If you love what you are doing, keep at it. I have been doing this for 9 years and am not rich because of it. I keep going because I love it and it is a great way for me to relax and create things of beauty.
What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
Being a Mom and Wife. I have 3 wonderful kids ages 11, 6 and 3. Also a wonderful Husband of 11 1/2 years.
What are some of your other favorite things?
I love sushi. My favorite color is pink. I love finding time to read a new bead book or a bead magazine (Bead and Button and Beadwork are my favorites).
Other seedbead artist profiles:
Dulcey Heller
Karen Paust
handmade-beaded-jewelry, beads, beading, wearable-art, mixed-media, artist-profile
Artist: Karen Paust
Business name: Take me to your Beader
Location: Wellsville Pennsylvania
Website:
Karen Paust
Karen, how do you describe your work?
I create botanical jewelry and sculpture.
What is your creative process like?
I usually am inspired by something very complicated, something that challenges me. I do a lot of sketches and watercolors as studies for pieces. I collect material, dead insects even pull moths and butterflies off the grill of the car to use as samples. I would never kill an insect, so my bug collection is a little rough. I used to bead all the time, (sometimes 8-12 hours a day, sometimes 5 or 6 or 7 days a week), now I try to balance my life with other things I love to do.
What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
I am completely self taught as a beader, but I did study painting, and also botany before I went to art school. I have always been trying to merge my love of nature and art together. I have been creating with my hands most of my life. I have crocheted and sewed at a very early age, and knitted soon after. The beauty of beading is that it reflects how the world is made up of little pieces of energy. Then in addition the light interacts so spectacularly with glass beads.
Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
My eyes, I am such a color junky, it would be very hard for me to not be able to see the endless combinations of colors.
What inspires you to create?
I can be inspired by dreams, day dreams, I’m always waiting for the next vision to flood my life. In between those I usually am inspired by nature. I am constantly amazed by the color combinations and shape of very common creatures. Many people have asked me to bead orchids, just look at a thistle that grows along the railroad tracks, it is every bit as beautiful as an orchid. I like putting a spotlight on the ordinary.
What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
I have a strong ability to finish projects, although I have some unfinished knitting projects sitting around. If I don’t like the direction the piece is going, I usually start over or try to figure out why the momentum is waning.
What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
Experiment as much as possible, figure out what you are passionate about.
What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
Wild mushroom hunting, camping, canoeing. I also make my own knitting needles, I recyle chopsticks and turn those into needles and I make circular needles from tubing, bullets and wood. I put beads inside the tubing, and my label is Fearlessknitting. If I need a button I make it from a piece of wood. I knitted a shoulder bag with different colored mountains and a blue sky and clouds so I carved a bird button to go on the bag as its closure.
What’s your favorite comfort food and other favorite things?
Pesto, I could eat it every day, I make big patches of it and freeze it for the winter, not in little ice-cube trays, in good size containers. I also invent new recipes, we grow these little tart oranges so I have been putting them in the pesto, best pesto ever. I also love watermellon.
My current favorite color is carmen. I’m not sure if that’s the right name, it is orange and pink mixed together, with some salmon.
There are so many good books, one I really enjoyed was Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem.
Other artists who work with seedbeads:
Tina Koyama
Diana Neamtu
Melissa Earley
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media, beaded-objects, artist-profile
Tara’s Tiles, 2007. Glass curtain of 1/2″ square glass tiles in 26 colors, with crystals and seed beads. 28″ deep and 81″ wide. View from my master bath.
Artist: Denise Perreault
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Website:
Denise Perreault
Denise also has a number of articles and two covers published in Beadwork Magazine since 1999, (Interweave Press).
Denise, how do you describe your work?
I’d describe my work as contemporary folk art, since I strive for a hand-crafted, vintage appearance. That’s why I use size 11 Czech seed beads almost exclusively: those imperfect little donuts are an excellent medium for conveying a sense of naivete and humanity in my beadwork, as good folk art often does. Our home has a growing collection of contemporary and antique folk art that my husband David and 10 year-old son Dustin have been collecting on our world travels. I’m honored if my artwork brings as much delight to others as our folk art collection gives to us.
In Prince Krak’s Time, 2003. Glass curtain, 25″ long x 48″ wide. Glass seed beads and crystals on antique train ram rod.
What is your creative process like?
I do plan, but I’ll contemplate a piece for months before I put anything on paper, especially the large curtains or sculptures that can take over a year to complete. Once I have a solid idea, I’ll bead a sample, often around a small bottle, to make sure the idea is viable in beads. Then I’ll use regular and/or beading graph paper or a bead software program to create a cartoon.
Motherhood and a husband who travels for business forces me to work in spurts, often late into the night, when it’s just me and the raccoons and owls trilling outside my window near the foothills of the Rockies.
I’m fortunate that my husband is a true patron of the arts (if you get my drift), so I never mind how long a piece takes to finish — it’s all satisfying time spent beading. Perhaps this is what sets me apart from many beaders: most of us are impatient or need to complete a piece so we can jump onto the next project, but I prefer to create one big fabulous piece of beadwork, instead of many less-inspired pieces, speaking strictly for myself. That’s also what shifted my work from craftsperson to artist: when my signature pieces, the glass curtains, began to receive national exposure and recognition. I’m the only bead artist I know of creating these large beaded pictorial fabrics for windows, and it’s SO nice to finally have found my niche, after 24 years in the fiber arts world.
What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
My mom taught me to sew and encouraged my craftiness as a child, but I was not allowed to skitter away precious college tuition on something “frivolous” like art. So I got a journalism degree from Boston University in 1982. While new to Boulder in 1984 and working at the Boulder Daily Camera, I found a small loom at a garage sale, and immediately became hooked on the fiber arts. I took a few weaving classes and one beading class, so I guess I’m mostly self-taught. However, my son and I are constant visitors to museums and art galleries, and being exposed to many different artists and mediums keeps my mind stirring with fresh ideas.
Butchering ‘La Boheme’, 2005. Beaded sculpture over martini glass armature
Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
Nymo size B beading thread, a halogen-bulb desk lamp, my large 8-shaft loom, and a pair of 3X reading glasses. Music is also a must.
What inspires you to create?
Inspirations include medieval art and architecture, historical costumes, international folk art and textiles, foreign travel, refracted light/prisms, and of course color and texture. In the end I can’t NOT create! My fingers MUST thread needles and looms — it’s my meditation, my pride and joy. A day without creativity is like a day without sunshine!
What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
Tenacity serves me well in my art because it compels me to view problem-solving as a fun challenge. And when something gets too intimidating or maddening, I know that if I walk away from the problem for a time, patience, an open mind, and a fresh perspective will find a solution. Consequently, unfinished projects are rare.
Tunisian Carpet, 1999. Glass curtain(tm) made of seed beads and findings. This is the one that took 2,600 hours to complete! 14″ long x 62″ wide. Each band is a motif from the Berber carpets woven in my Tunisian village, where I served in the Peace Corps from 1992-1994.
What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
Rudolph Steiner, founder of the Waldorf Schools, has guided me through questionable bouts of creativity with the following quote: (he used the word “man” but I don’t think he’d mind if we change that to “woman” for now):
“The woman who works with her hands is a laborer.
The woman who works with her hands and head is a craftsperson.
The woman who works with her hands and head and heart is an artist.”
What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
Motherhood, gardening, writing, weaving, reading, and volunteering for a wild animal sanctuary, my large local fiber arts guild, and Dustin’s fourth-grade class. I also have a large gaggle of girlfriends who gather regularly for picnics, skiing, hiking, happy hours, and art events.
Tara’s Tiles, 2007. Night-view of tiled curtain in my master bath.
What’s your favorite books and foods?
Favorite foods: bagels and fruit
Favorite books: ooh, that’s tough because I’m a voracious reader and love so many authors. I’ve even worked my way through Radcliff University’s list of “100 Most Important Books of the 20th Century”, (though it took me almost three years to do it!) Some favorites are: Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham, Notre Dame of Paris by Victor Hugo, Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger, Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Baltisar and Blimunda by Jose Saramago, and everything by Willa Cather, Anais Nin, and Thomas Wolfe.
Aspen Alley Basket, 2004. My husband found basket without wooden handles. I “repaired” with glass, wood, and plastic beads, beads from old Christmas garland, and Jamaican seeds. 11″ high x 12″ high.
Artist: Bernadine Stoopman
Location: Brisbane, Queensland (East Coast of Australia)
Websites and Blog:
Bridal Jewellery & Hair Accessories by Bernadine
Designs to Love: Bernadine’s gallery
Handcrafted Jewellry & Special Occasion Creations
Hooked on Wire blog
Bernadine, your work is so unique. How do you describe it?
Inventive and inspired are probably the first words that come to mind when describing my wirework.
What is your creative process like?
Sometimes I pull bits and pieces out of my storage boxes to see what goes together but that’s not always successful for me as I don’t have an unlimited collection, so I leave it for a couple of days and surf the net for interesting beads and components or go to a trade show if there’s one on and from there I’ll pull the design together. I sometimes design on paper for customers who’d like a couple of different options, but mostly I’m given a few descriptive words such as, Black, Crystal and Glitzy and left to my own devices. Many of my designs just kind of evolve as I go along. I like to listen to music whilst working, usually just the classical radio station. Some of the pieces I’ve created, e.g. my free form wedding Tiaras, take several days to complete, sometimes I have to put them aside and work on other things as wrapping 26g wire for a couple of hours at a time is painful on the fingers particularly in winter.
What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
I have no formal training in jewellery design, I did study art in high school though. I’ve been creative from a very early age, painting and drawing, sewing, mosaics, and later on Photography when I did a short course. Above all I love colour, texture, and shape.
I also spent 26 years or so working in corporate environments in Office Management and Finance. During that time I project managed several commerical office renovations where I got to play with colour and reasonably big budgets among other things.
In Sept 2005, the International Mining and Resources company I worked for decided to relocate its divisional office from the East coast to the West coast of Australia. I walked away with a large redunancy and thoughts of a nice holiday and a new start . In March 2006, I went along to a basic stringing class just for the fun of it and was instantly hooked. From there I started making earrings, (basic techniques learnt from a book) and then really got hooked on Wire. (that could be a good title for a book…lol) The more I played around with it, the more I discovered that there’s not much you can’t make out of wire. In Nov 2006 I hosted my first jewellery viewing, with 50 or 60 people attending and did fantastically sales wise as well as collecting some wonderful repeat customers. I got alot of practice making a couple hundred pieces of jewellery for that party, as well as using my artistic skills and photographs (taken in Tasmania on that holiday I mentioned) to create swing tags and a website or two.
Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
That’s a really easy question… Wire. Playing with wire is my passion and I’d be lost without it.
What inspires you to create?
I’m inspired by Nature. I adore Frogs, Geckos, Lizards, Rainforests, The Beach and Ocean and all that it holds. Many of these things can be seen in my jewellery creations.
What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
My will to succeed and knowing that if I give up, I’ve let it beat me.
What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
Read, Read, Read….as much as you can get your hands on. Most techniques can be learnt from books so join a Library, join a Beading Forum or group, enter as many competitions as you can afford. Experiment with new techinques, make things up as you go along, who knows what you might stumble on. Submit photos of your work to Beading magazines, get printed. One or two might ask you to write projects for their publication. Worked for me.
What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
My beautiful Border Collie Pup - Bojak Mister Remarkable or Remy as he’s known and oh yes that dreaded housework.
What’s your favorite comfort food?
Love Italian Food… My mum’s parents came to Australia from the Province of Brescia - Lombardy in Northern Italy. That might have something to do with it.
What’s your favorite color and other favorite things?
That’s a truly difficult question for me to answer. Love colour of any tone or description generally. But to say I’m not overly keen on Yellow. Its a difficult colour for most people to wear.
My other Hobbies are Photography, Gardening - I grow orchids, Painting with Acrylics and Cooking.
artist-profile, handmade-jewelry, wirework-jewelry, Swarovski-design-competition, creativity, designing, wearable-art
Artist: Debby Arem
Business name: Arem Designs (Beadles and Three Ring Circuits)
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland
Website:
Debby Arem
Debby, tell us about your work and why you picked the names that you did!
At the time ( 1979 ) Beadles seemed a clever name, one that popped into my mind almost immediately and one that people wouldn’t likely forget. Of course it’s a little corny, but people DO remember it! Three Ring Circuits was harder to come up with and was a joint family process. It really was so fitting as back when I started this line, my life was pretty chaotic with 2 kids still at home, a large number of pets and a busy career. So it really was a pun on words so to speak. I’ve never tired of this name although now my life is a lot calmer and more orderly thank goodness.
As far as my jewelry lines are concerned -both of my jewelry lines have a number of things in common although they are so different. Both lines rely on color and texture I think to get their point across. Both lines have within them many different styles – elegant, casual, funky, whimsical, geometric, and monochromatic to name a few. Both lines are pretty intricate as I love to layer …layer…layer – a throwback to the time when I was a silkscreen designer. I know I’m very fortunate to have been able to find another creative outlet ( beading and my recycled line ) when I decided to quit printmaking.
What is your creative process like?
Well even though I have two separate and very distinct jewelry lines, I would say my creative process is pretty much the same for both. I have never been one to draw things out first. I design in my head as I go along although sometimes I have already envisioned the final design before I begin and it’s just a matter of “ filling in the missing pieces” if you understand what I mean.
When working with beads I first gather together all the colors I know I want to use. There is usually a main component (for instance black onyx) around which I would base my design. I always try to have a variety of shapes and textures within each necklace and in many cases, one special focal point such as a very unique carved bead or an unusual pendant. I’m also very careful to make sure that there is some symmetry even in an “ asymmetrical” necklace and I’m always very careful to match beads of the same type in pattern and depth of color. Because I have some designs that are very elegant and formal, some that are more ethnic, and some that are outright “funky,” I also have a certain feeling in mind that will dictate which components I choose, the length, and the final cost to the client. Of course, with three cats, I have to be very careful never to leave a design out on the table that I am working on unless it is covered up with a cloth! I have always found it most curious however, that from time to time, a cat will actually walk across a design ( as I am working on it ) but no toes will ever touch the piece or disturb a bead! This never ceases to amaze me and it’s consistent for all my cats.
When designing my 3RC line (Three Ring Circuits) there are many more steps that would go into the process. Again though, the first consideration is my main color and from there, what type of feeling I am trying to convey. Many of my 3RC designs are very whimsical and cartoonish. Others are strictly geometric. Because I am working with so many eclectic components such a brass stampings, anodized aluminum, beads, electrical components and of course a recycled circuit board , the challenge is a bit greater to layer just the right components onto the circuit board to create my mini collages.
I have always been one to work best when it is quiet and I find that the hours can just slip away when I’m so engrossed in my design work. It’s probably my secret to staying thin as sometimes I actually forget to eat if I’m busy at work!
What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
I have been a jewelry designer for over 25 yrs. However, this is not what I was first trained in. I have my B.A. in Fine Arts with a concentration in silkscreen design, but gave up working in this medium because of the toxicity of the inks. At the time, there were only oil-based inks and without proper ventilation in my home, it would have been foolish to continue. My husband is a gemologist and because of him, I was first introduced to the incredible world of beads! I took a beading/knotting class and found I was a natural as I had always knit and crocheted and enjoyed working with my hands. Initially, I was only designing necklaces for my husband’s clients if someone requested something in particular. I got my first “big break” when I approached Bloomingdales (at the urging of a friend) and showed my (then) somewhat limited line to a buyer there in the “bridge” department. Bridge jewelry is jewelry that doesn’t use precious metals or precious stones, which would be considered “fine jewelry”, but it is also not “costume”, where one would expect to only find plastic, glass, and base metals.
I was asked to do a “trunk show” and had such a wonderful response that it was the impetus for me to approach other stores. I found that transitioning from a “hobbyist” to a professional was really the result of a snowball effect. Many times one gallery or museum would suggest another and soon I found myself submitting designs to the Smithsonian for their museum shop and their museum shop catalog, which in turn led me to submit designs to other catalogs as well.
How I came to work with recycled circuit boards is a very interesting story. My husband owned a computer company at the time and one day I found myself in the back room where the computers were being assembled, looking at the motherboards. I had never seen the inside of a computer before and I was struck by the beauty of the circuitry. I remember immediately thinking “this would make great jewelry”! Of course the challenge was how to cut up the motherboards. I went through many trial and error attempts until I found what worked best. Because I already had a relationship with a number of the Smithsonian’s museum shops, I was VERY fortunate to be able to show this line when I was first started creating it, and to have it sold in the Smithsonian’s Air and Space museum shop. I suppose I was one of the first “green” companies without realizing it and now that computers are everywhere and just about everyone has one (and is replacing and upgrading all the time- in this throwaway society), this line is even more relevant – not just as a pretty piece of jewelry, but as a way to help keep circuit boards out of landfills .
Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
What an interesting question ! Believe it or not, I would say my set of dental tools! I found that these are wonderful for scraping or picking off excess glue!
What inspires you to create
I’m not even sure how to answer this – it just happens. I think because I have always been a creative person (even as a child I took art lessons) that just waking up each day and really SEEING what is around me has been inspiration enough to want to create something – whether it’s a piece of jewelry or cooking something special for dinner. I’m such a visual person that quite honestly, just being out in nature as we live out in the country has been the driving force to make me want to come home and design something.
What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
This is an easy question – I’m a perfectionist. I can’t stop until I feel that I’ve done the best I can do. I suppose it’s a curse and a blessing in a way. If you check out my website, you’ll see I even speak about this on my opening page as part of my greeting!
What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise intheir level of artistry?
The best advice I can give is to attend high end craft shows and see what other people are creating. I never get bored doing this (and have to restrain myself from wanting to buy everything sometimes!) I am also personally always stretching myself to take on something more difficult (even in my knitting) as I feel this is another way to rise to the next level in your craft. I think the more skills you have that pertain to a certain art form, the more ideas are possible.
What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
When I am not designing my jewelry or out marketing it, I am a volunteer with two dog rescue groups. My husband and I are very involved in helping to place dogs that have been either given up by their owners or found abandoned. I find this volunteer work so rewarding, and try very hard to educate people along the way to ALWAYS spay or neuter their pet. I also try to educate people to always keep their pets up to date on their shots and be on heartworm preventative. There are so many unwanted pets in this world, and the reasons people give up their pets never cease to amaze me.
What’s your favorite hobby?
Knitting! I’m a knitting fanatic and always have a couple of projects going at the same time – an easy project such as a simple scarf or sweater that I can work on while watching TV and a very difficult pattern where I can only knit for so long and then I have to put it down and take a break. I love the challenge of trying to decipher a pattern and the satisfaction when you have completed a new stitch and know it’s exactly as it’s supposed to be!
I discovered knitting a number of years back and find I get the same pleasure out of this as I do designing jewelry. With all the amazing new yarns out – and all the different textures – I find it’s very much like designing jewelry or silkscreening. I like texture in anything I create and I love the fact that I can do this both in my business and in my hobby.
mixed-media, jewelry, beads, beading, artist-profile, creativity, designing, jewelry-business
Etched Raku
Artist: Maggie Towne
Business name: Bead Towne
Location: Los Angeles County, California
Websites:
Bead Towne
Etsy Store
Maggie, how do you describe your work?
At the moment my latest art of choice is lampwork bead making using a single fuel hot head torch. I also design and make jewelry, have been doing so since I was a child. Like many other lampworkers, I began buying handmade artisan glass beads to use in my jewelry design. It took a gentle push from a friend saying, “What would it take you to make beads?” to sign up for a beginners class in July 2006. I am somewhat of a perfectionist, which sometimes stalls my creativity, but also defines my style.
A few years ago I was trying to come up with a new name for my business. Family and friends were giving all kinds of help and we had a lot of fun and laughs. Bead Towne became a play on words, using my last name and my love of beads. It is a name that works for both my jewelry making and lampworking.
Things that go bump in the night
What is your creative process like?
As stated, I am something of a perfectionist when it comes to execution, so I usually have an idea in mind when I sit at the torch. I will have glass rods in the colors of the day, frits (tiny shards of glass), and tools at hand. My inspiration may come from a piece of art, my mood, colors I like, books, suggestions from friends, etc. Sometimes I make a sample bead and if I am not sure of it, I’ll put it in my bead bin and maybe get back to it later to make a set, maybe not. Other times I crank out a set of 5 to 10 beads in one sitting.
Chocolate cupcake
What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your currentlevel of artistry?
My first lampwork class basically taught me how to light my torch and not much beyond that. I love to read so I bought several books on glass beads. Love research and kept getting hits on a website called WetCanvas, my best resource to date. Beyond that, it’s the PPP motto. Practice, practice, practice.
When starting out I wanted to make every kind of bead possible as quickly as possible. Found I needed to go back and master some techniques before I could go on to others. I have to continually push myself to try new techniques.
Crazy as this sounds I got my Bachelor’s of Art in Art Education just for fun and to challenge myself. Never took a glass class in college, but I feel my art background helps with using color, design, experimentation, and discipline.
Valentine Treats
Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
Beyond the basics of my torch, glass, and safety equipment, I love using presses, a razor tool, and various other tools with which to poke at the glass. Can’t imagine progressing along without my support system of other lampworkers.
What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
If I have been away from the torch for awhile, feel uninspired or frustrated, I go back to what I do well. It used to mean making frit beads and now it is making seashells. Who knows what it will be a year from now. Once I get back in the groove, I can expand and get back on track.
Yummy Cocoa
What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
The basics of believing in yourself, challenging yourself to try new techniques, and good old practice, practice, practice.
What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
Teaching sixth grade 180 days a year, friends, and reading take up the majority of my time outside of art. I also like to visit museums, attend concerts and plays, and enjoy nature when I can.
What’s your favorite comfort food?
My love of ice cream also goes back to my childhood. Nothing like a scoop of two to comfort my soul.
Macchiato
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, lampwork-glass-beads, artist-profile
beads, beading, creativity, designing, bead-embroidery, artist-profile
I first met Gladys online in the WetCanvas wearable arts forum, and I completely blame her for my recent fascination with fingerweaving bracelets and treasure necklaces! Gladys told me that she was perfectly content to take the blame. And here is the bracelet that I believe started the whole WetCanvas obsession with fingerweaving:
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media, artist-profile
Come on a journey through a bead and jewelry wonderland, where no item is considered too strange to use in making something...especially if that item has a hole in it! All types of beads are welcomed and cherished here, and no techniques are off-limits. You'll be amazed and inspired by the beadwork that is being done today!
Bead Arts Author(s)
» Cyndi-Lavin
