Make Art Monday!
This piece is similar to a crocheted necklace I shared awhile ago, but this one has a hook and chain closure.
Tomorrow for Technique Tuesday, there will be a few tips on construction!
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media
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
Don’t forget about the Design Gallery at Beadalon when you need a shot of inspiration! There are so many lovely things to look at, like these Sparkle Flower Earrings, a new design by Meredith Roddy:
Each project has a list of supplies needed, plus links directly to the items available from Beadalon, and easy to follow instructions.
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media
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.
If you can justify buying one (or getting one for me as a special surprise!), they’re available at Fire Mountain Gems. Here’s some infomation from their website:
Use the Speedy Stringer for crocheting, knitting, loom weaving or multiple-strand jewelry projects. Simply pour beads into the bowl, insert the specially designed needle, then spin the brass knob to string hundreds of beads in no time at all.
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry
Make Art Monday!
I bought this tigerskin jasper at a recent bead and gem show. It’s not tigereye, which has that wonderful chatoyant reflection: instead, tigerskin has matte bands of purple-brown and dark golden ochres. It mixes beautifully with deep bronze facetted glass beads and small beaded beads.
Tomorrow, I’m going to give you the pattern I came up with for the beaded beads. It’s not difficult, and you can choose any colors you like to create the checkerboard pattern.
[Note ~ now I've been told that it's wood jasper, not tigerskin jasper, so you'll have to decide for yourself!]
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media
I first blogged about Baylie in August of 2005, one year after the loss of a young friend to a brain tumor. Baylie’s disease is different from my friend’s, but her spirit is as strong and giving as his was. Baylie took her inspiration from Lance Armstrong’s bracelet campaign, and, with a little help from her friends, has so far been able to donate over $105,000 for Chiari and Psuedotumor research. Way to go, Baylie.
Visit her site, Baylie for Brains, to see how you can help, with a $5 donation for a bracelet, or maybe even by making some bracelets for them.
I miss you Matty B, and I love you!
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, chiari, psuedotumor
Make Art Monday!
Here’s a piece that I made with some more of the turquoise and other stones that I picked up at the Intergem show last month:
Turquoise Shower handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media
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
Make Art Monday!
I’ve been having a great time with these Czech facetted beads lately. Many people refer to them as crystals, and although I’ve been known to slip and write that from time to time, they are not really properly called that. True crystals have a high lead content, which gives them a brilliant shine not matched by these beads. Swarovski cut crystals are real crystal. Most Czech beads, at least the ones I know of, are not.
However, I don’t think that the bead police are going to come get you if you use the term wrong. I do think that if you are selling your work, you should definitely try to be as accurate as possible and at least call them Czech crystals so that your customers don’t think they’re getting Swarovski. Oh yes, there is a difference!
Back down off my soapbox now, and off to change all the places in my website descriptions where I used the wrong terms..LOL! Here’s what I made 
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media
I recently went to see what all was on Tammy’s updated list of e-courses, and I was amazed by the number of offerings she has! She has divided them into “crash courses” and “slow-and-easy” formats, so you can pick what fits your needs. Do you want to learn more about knotting, metal clay, or business tips? How about macrame, basic stringing, or metal fabrication? It’s all available at Tammy’s About.com jewelry making site!
[tags]tutorials,beading,jewelry-making,beads,wearable-art[/tags}]
Pretty cape amethyst chips and rounds on a base of crocheted wire.
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media
Technique Tuesday!
Here are the items I used to make Breezy. You can vary the ingredients to your heart’s content!
Materials:
3 pieces of teal green cord, 60″ each
3 pieces of teal green cord, 12″ each
6 turquoise ovals, 12×18mm
9 turquoise rondelles, 13mm
12 turquoise rondelles, 7mm
9 turquoise rounds, 4mm
Bronze 8/0 seed beads
Antiqued copper bail tube with loop
Antiqued copper 3-holed end bar and clasp set with chainTools:
Scissors
Tweezers
Tape measure
Fray check
GS Hypo-tube cement
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media
Make Art Monday!
I made this simple knotted necklace with some of the turquoise that I bought at the Intergem show a couple of weeks ago. The cording that I used is C-Lon, which I originally bought when all of us at WetCanvas went nuts over finger-woven bracelets and necklaces!
Tomorrow, I’ll share with you how I made it!
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media, turquoise
Technique Tuesday!
There are several different methods that are popular for creating woven bead necklaces: a figure-8 style of finger weaving, spiralling half-hitch macrame, and flat square-knot macrame. My preferred technique for this necklace uses all three stitches!
These are not terribly detailed directions, because there are so many variables that must be considered. Also, there is a wonderful book that is available to teach the finger-woven method, which I’ve mentioned before, written by Robin Atkins. My method is highly trial and error, and lots of errors went into figuring out how I wanted to make this particular necklace. The next one will be different, I’m sure! My best piece of advice is to start with a smaller piece like a bracelet, or even just a small sample that you’ll cut apart when you’re done. That way you can figure out how much cord you need based on the tension you keep in knotting and the size beads you use.
handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media, tutorials
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)
