Bead Arts

Have you ever thought about selling your designs? Not the finished product, but the designs themselves? Here’s how one designer decided to go about it:

Creating and selling jewelry tutorials

handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media, tutorials

Color Scheme: So many colors, so little time

Color is one of the basic elements of design, and many designers start off with just knowing that they want to make something purple. Or green. Or green and gold. Choosing your color scheme first is a perfectly natural pathway into designing. You might find that making your color decisions overlap your decisions about focal point or theme. Sometimes the focal point and color scheme develop together, one from another. Other times your theme will suggest or limit a color scheme. And still other times…you just simply want to make something purple. It’s all good. Usually I will choose the focal piece first and let the color scheme develop from that, but I’ve certainly also been known to do it the other way around.

This piece is an example. I was participating in a year-long project headed up by Dulcey Heller and Mary Elter, called Bead Art Exploration. One of our assignments was to pick a color scheme that we wouldn’t normally use.

Nomadic Treasure

We all have our favorite colors and color schemes, but sometimes it’s nice to stretch a bit and see what else is possible. I have discovered that, using my focal piece to start, I will most naturally gravitate toward a monochromatic (tints, tones, shades, and pure color of a single hue) or analogous (several hues in close proximity on the color wheel) scheme if I make the choices intuitively. These are just combinations that I find naturally attractive. I will usually add a metallic color or a neutral (black, white, or grey) which best suits the warm or cool undertones of the main colors. But in the case of Nomadic Treasure, I chose to use a triadic scheme. Ouch! It didn’t feel natural at all, but I liked the results.

Another method I have used to choose colors is to take my cue from a painting that I admire. Not surprisingly, the color scheme still most often ends up being monochromatic or analogous! I like to have a lot of textural interest in my work, but to avoid a cluttered look, and I’ve always felt that these two schemes allow me to achieve that. Still, it’s fun to play sometimes.

In another attempt to stretch my safe and predictable color schemes, I read a book that I would highly recommend to everyone: Exploring Color, by Nita Leland. Although it was written for painters, Leland gives wonderfully clear explanations (with glorious full-color examples) of different color schemes and also of different ways of achieving contrast through color choices. Leland points out that the color wheel palette you use does not have to be based upon primary hues. The wheel could consist instead of tints, earthy shades, high intensities, muted tones, transparents, opaques, etc. Maybe this will seem obvious to you, but since I’m not primarily a painter, and was raised on the primary color wheel in school, this was very exciting stuff to me!

designing, creativity, tutorials

Ladies Social

Cindy Forrester recently started an Etsy shop to sell her unique twist on vintage! She mixes old jewelry parts with ephemera to create one-of-a-kind jewels. Cindy writes:

Since I was a child I have always had the need to be creative. My 7th grade teacher kept every piece of artwork I did and she told me she had them framed and hung them in her home. She was such an inspiration to me. She always told me I could do anything I wanted to do with my art. I have never forgotten those words from her and have been creating ever since. I have mostly done paintings and some commissioned work, murals and furniture. I would pretty much paint on anything-canvas, old saw blades, furniture, and pieces of wood.

I was raised in Virginia in the country and my grandparents had a tobacco farm that we helped work in the summer and fall. They lived in an old farm house (no plumbing in the house except for a kitchen sink) and there were lots of old things in there. I grew up appreciating antiques. They had 3 rooms they never used that had all kinds of things from old jewelry (what we call vintage now), old clothes, shoes, paper dolls and even a few skeleton keys. I played dress up all the time, I loved the old jewelry, I would give anything to have them now. I guess that is where the love for old things came from. Since I have gotten older I love going antiquing, finding old rosaries, pearls, cameos, and religious medals, and medallions, and going to flea markets.

I am inspired by anything European from the past (my ancestors are English and Irish), antique, old, unusual, rusty, old metal, tin ceiling tiles, vintage chains, rhinestones, crystals, charms, tintype photos. I love the tintype photos or any old photos. When I look at them I try to imagine what they are doing or thinking and I will name some of my pieces that way. When I start creating the jewelry I am not always sure where I am going with it, it just evolves as I work on it. This is the part I have a passion for putting it together and seeing the end result. I like things that are different and I could never find jewelry in stores that had that Wow factor enough for me to buy,so I decided to combine the two -art and jewelry. Since I am having so much fun I decided to start selling my jewelry at CindyForrester.Etsy.com

3 Sisters All Dressed Up

City Queens

Theme: Your guiding concept
Suppose that you have an idea or a concept that won’t leave you alone…you just must design something with that theme in mind, but you can’t find the notion of theme on your list of design elements and principles? Never fear, theme is a wonderful potential pathway into designing. Many many of my necklaces started out as a concept or theme, and then hung around my brain or notebook just waiting until the right focal pieces and materials fell into place. I made several Hand of G-d necklaces that started out this way. Here’s one:

For Such a Time As This

I knew what I wanted this necklace to convey long before I had the items to make it. In this case, I made the focal beads specifically for the necklace, after having chosen the name and all the symbols that would be included, including the colors.

When you chose to enter a contest, you are often called upon to create something to fit a theme. This is a great way to stretch your creativity, but you can easily set your own concept challenges. Practically anything that is important to you, from the sublime to the ridiculous, can be the inspriation for a conceptual piece of jewelry. The grandeur of the earth and heavens, or the minute detail in a seashell…Creation itself is very inspiring to many artists. Places you’ve traveled to, especially places much different from home. Favorite hobbies and pass-times. Lines from a favorite poem. Verses of sacred scripture. Family and pets. Ancient, antique, or ethnic styles. Look anywhere and everywhere for the things that stir your soul.

We’ll be continuing this series on Design next week, with color scheme on Wednesday, materials on Thursday, and structure on Friday.

designing, creativity, tutorials

CoolToolsVideos has a number of good shorts on YouTube that teach Precious Metal Clay techniques. This one goes over making molds:

handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media, precious-metal-clay

Focal Point…show me where to look!

Just as it does in a painting, the focal point in a wonderful piece of jewelry captures your gaze and directs your eye where to settle. Additional focal points can create a sense of movement by guiding your eye around a piece. Having a strong focal point can create a sense of dominance and unity in your piece.

Choosing your focal point first is a common way to start for many designers: you have a beautiful cabochon, a treasured charm, or a stunning glass bead. It’s not good enough just to own this treasure…you want to be able to wear it!

The greatest challenge in designing when you start with a focal point is to feature your speical item, show it off, without overwhelming it. I often start my own design work with a focal point. I am captivated by an object and it inspries me to build it a home. My Beaded Geode Pendant, shown above, is an example of following this pathway into design. The geode was beautiful and meaningful to me, but the back was ugly and the silly thing didn’t have a hole in it, so I needed to find a creative way to be able to wear it. In this case, I chose a color palette that harmonized with the geode, and a pattern for the strap that consisted of a simple repetition that wouldn’t draw attention away from the focal point.

designing, creativity, tutorials

Grapes

Artist: Diana Neamtu
Business name: Beaded Flora


Grapes, detail

Blogs:
Beaded Flora
Ganutell

Diana, how do you describe your work?
I try to take the beauty of flowers and nature and translate them into everlasting beaded works.


Rose

What is your creative process like?
I tend to focus primarily on duplicating flowers from pattern books. I’ll usually browse through a book and pick out an interesting flower. I then spend some time planning what type and color of beads I want to use. This usually takes the longest time because I want to be sure about my color and texture selections. As for my work environment, I prefer to work with a little background noise (such as the t.v.) for a few hours at a time.


Pear

What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
I’ve never had any real formal training. I found about beaded flowers by accident while surfing the internet one day. I fell in love with them right away and immediately ordered a book. When it came, though, I was intimidated and it took me several months to finally try to make something. After my first flower, which was terrible of course, I realized how truly enjoyable and realaxing beaded flowers are. I continue to practice this art regularly, and I try to make sure that every flower looks as perfect as possible.

Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
Floral tape. That’s the first thing that came to mind.


Gladiola

What inspires you to create?
Seeing other people’s incredible creations and wanting to recreate that.

What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
This is my hobby; it never gets tough or frustrating =)


Cyclamen

What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
Practice as much as possible. For beaded flower artists: don’t be afraid to modify patterns to match your perception of nature.

What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
Most definitely school (University).


Mint Flower

What are some of your favorite comfort items?
Food: Chicken soup
Book: The Count of Monte Cristo
Color: Green
Other hobby: Ganutell (Maltese craft made in a similar manner to beaded flowers)


Sea Holly

beads, beading, beaded-flowers, mixed-media, artist-profile

Learning the basics of beading and jewelry making by following how-to instructions is a good way to develop a repertoire of techniques. But sooner or later, the day comes when you find yourself wondering if it would be ok to modify that pattern just a bit. As you tweak a bit here and a bit more there, you eventually end up abandoning other people’s patterns altogether. You’ve become a designer, an explorer of uncharted territory…and you are loving it!

Whether you like to work intuitively or from a carefully structured plan, there is always a magical spark at some point that starts off your creative process. Maybe you simply feel the need for a green necklace to go with a specific dress. Or maybe you have picked up an incredibly cool ammonite fossil and you must figure out a way to wear it. Perhaps there is a new stitching technique that you’ve been wanting to try, or a song lyric is stuck in your head and needs to come out in another form.

There are many different ways to enter into designing. A basic understanding of the elements and principles of design will do any artist a world of good when it comes to creating a pleasing piece, whatever the media, and over the years I have found that certain combinations of these elements and principles are of particular importance to me when I’m working on a new design. This is not an entirely logical process when I’m in the middle of actually doing it, but I’ve still been able to tease out some preferences that influence my work. Probably nobody other than you will be able to look at your piece afterwards and pick out exactly what your motivation was for designing your treasure. But they probably will be aware of the impact of your finished piece as all the elements work together to create a piece that is much more evocative than the sum of its parts.

I want to share with you the entry points that I most often use in designing my pieces. I hope that some of these concepts will be helpful to you. I really want to avoid turning a discussion on creativity into a “paint-by-numbers” kit, but am hoping instead that you will find it liberating to consider your own preferences and play with the process. Please add your own thoughts in the comments section…I’d love to know if any of my ideas ring true for you too.

We start tomorrow with focal point!

creativity, designing, tutorials

I’m still not posting a picture of my revolting ugly necklace here on the blog. The Land of Odd’s contest for the ugliest necklace is almost over, and I thought I would explain how I came to make this piece. You can see it here: Queasy It’s #9, near the bottom.

During the planning process, I kept thinking through all the different ways that rules of good design could be broken. It actually took me a lot more time to think through the whole piece than it did to make it. It’s just not that easy to make something that you know is hideous! Here are the major design elements and principles that I violated:

The shape and texture are hideous: fake vomit is visually disturbing

The color scheme uses a poisonous-looking triad in non-harmonious proportions with poor saturation choices: orange, lime green, purple-brown

The value contrast is unexciting: all medium value colors were chosen

The sizes and shapes are inappropriate and poorly proportioned, used with no balance in the rhythm and repetition of elements: neckstrap too thin for central pendant, wired bead links uneven lengths, wrapped loops uneven sizes, beads allowed to slide freely with no spacers, bead holes too large for wire gauge

The choice of materials is inexplicable: cheap plastic mixed with lampworked glass, closure a mix of fibers and a geometric shape atop a chain neckstrap and “organic” shaped vomit, fringe fibers wired onto the chain, all giving the piece no sense of harmony or unity

The pattern on the lampwork beads is poorly done: random numbers of eyes, one bead with reverse colors

The gradation is unbalanced and backwards: neckstrap beads graduated the wrong way, unequal amounts of fringe on either side of centerpiece

The overall effect of all these violations in Queasy is a piece that has no harmony or unity among its elements. There is no sense that this piece is a cohesive whole, with all elements integrated to express a meaningfully complete thought, unless that thought happens to be dis-unity!

handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media, ugly-necklace-contest

The Bright and Beautiful Design Contest is on! Use some of the suppliers listed in the previous post to create a masterpiece, and then submit it to Create Your Style for the 2007 design competition. Here are some of the details:

PROCESS FOR ENTRY

You may submit as many entries as you wish for contest, however you may only compete in one category: Professional, Amateur, Student. Completed application, two digital photographs (jpg or gif and not to exceed 2 Mbytes) of the design and a complete list of CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements used must be submitted by registration deadline of July 13, 2007. Do not send finished pieces.

SEMI-FINALISTS

The top 20 designs from each category: Professional, Amateur, Student will be chosen by a panel of jurors and notified on August 31, 2007. Semi-finalists will be required to send Swarovski their design piece(s) no later than September 15, 2007, or Swarovski will assume the semi-finalist has chosen not to continue in the contest. All semi-finalists will receive the CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements used to make their design, plus a $50.00 gift check. Every effort will be made to send the participant the exact CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements used, but substi­tutions may be necessary.

FINALISTS

The panel of jurors will choose 5 finalists per category: Professional, Amateur, Student. All finalists will be notified by October 30, 2007. All finalists will be invited to the VIP Reception in Tucson, Arizona on February 6, 2008 at which time the winners will be announced.

handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, Swarovski, calls-for-entries

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:

Mango Burst

Artist: Gladys Botz
Business name: Studio 1415
Location: Bismarck, ND

Website:
Studio 1415


Touch of Lime

So Gladys, you’ve started a movement on WetCanvas! Just how do you describe your work?
My work is unique, a little different than what others do in our area, and I take pride in it being well made. I love color and I like to believe that I have a good eye for blending and putting colors together. I named my business “Studio 1415″ because I create my jewelry in the living room of my home, hence the 1415. I will never get rid of my couch before I turn it upside down and shake all the beads out of it.

What is your creative process like?
I let the beads and natural stones talk to me. I have this vision in my head and then try to create it with my hands. Most of the time it works but sometimes I ask myself what the heck was I thinking? I keep my beads separated because its easier cleanup and putting supplies away is easier. But one time I just poured the beads on my work area and all the colors were messed up together and I created my favorite seed beaded bracelet using the freeform peyote stitch method.


Nightwaters

I have a day job so I can pay for my bead obsession so I only have evening hours and weekends to create, so I guess I work in small chucks of time. I like working on projects that pretty much give me instant gratification, but my seed bead projects take several days to create one piece of jewelry. I listen to the TV verses watching it. I also work on my couch in the living room.


What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
I am a self taught artist. I read and practice and practice and practice. I have worked in many different mediums in my lifetime and love creating pretty things with my hands. My Mom taught me to sew when I was seven years old. I loved sewing my own clothes and always having something different than everyone else because theirs was “store-bought”. I started painting on sweatshirts and creating “Fancy Lady Pins” using friendly plastic to match the sweatshirts, that is when I started participating in craft shows. It was my sister that talked me into going in with her in a booth in my hometown. She had baked goods and embroidered dish towels. I sold 11 sweatshirts that day and oodles of the Fancy Lady pins, hauling in over $300 that day. I was on cloud 9. That was in 1991 and I haven’t looked back since.


Aquamarine and jasper wirewrapped necklace

Ten years later arthritis joined me in my body and I was looking for something to do for the craft shows so I didn’t have to carry so many heavy boxes in and out of the shows. I always liked jewelry and it is relatively pretty east to transport. I taught myself to wire wrap about 5 years ago. I wire wrapped natural stone pendants, earrings, and made bracelets and compiled a nice inventory. I found I could set up a really nice looking 8 ft table at the craft shows with only one medium Rubbermaid plastic container full of jewelry and props. So for the last four years I go out and participate in about 5 shows a year.


Tricolor Bracelet


Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
I can’t imagine life without my bent nose pliers (I only own 4 pair). Seed beads and wire would be my other choices, they have been around forever. Also, my new found friends on Wearable Art of Wet Canvas.com. They’re a very nice group of artistic people that hang out together, and I have learned so much from them and they are so willing to share.

What inspires you to create?
Color, lots and lots of color! A well taken photo of a flower or other art, or a jewelry magazine with directions on a jewelry design that I haven’t done before.


Seas #4

What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
Knowing the end results will be worth all the hassle that I’m going through at the moment.

What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
Practice, practice, practice, learn, learn, learn. If you see something that you like or would like to do, email the artist and ask if she will share the knowledge with you.


Jackie’s Bracelet

What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
I have a day time job that helps pay for my bead obsession! I am also married with two grown sons and I have one grandson. When I’m not beading, I love to sew, crochet and knit. I also read before going to sleep each night.

What’s your favorite comfort food?
I love fresh fruit and right now its berry season! But I would have to say Vanilla Ice cream is my comfort food.


Gladys Botz, bead & jewelry artist

handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media, artist-profile

Neither Here Nor There

Artist: Melissa Earley
Location: Spartanburg, SC, USA

Website:
Melissa Earley


4-Eyes

I learned your bead pieces start out as paintings, Melissa, which is so different from most people’s approach. How do you describe your work?
I call my bead pieces “bead paintings.” Then, when people look at me like they have no clue what I’m talking about, I tell them that my bead paintings look like tiny little mosaics, or stained glass. I always frame the work between two pieces of clear glass so that light can come through, so they do often resemble stained glass in that way.

What is your creative process like?
My creative process is generally a solitary venture, especially at the initial drawing and painting stages. I listen to loud, preferably angry, chick music to get my blood pumping and my neurons firing, and while taking time out to play air guitar and sing into my pens and paintbrushes, I do a lot of sketching first. Once I find an image or idea I like, I paint it. Then if the painting has beading potential, I’ll create a template and start choosing my colors. This is the most frustrating part because although I use Delica seedbeads and they come in a lot of great and sometimes subtle colors, they can’t match the nuances of all the millions of possible paint combinations.

Once the beading begins I have to turn the music off because I can’t listen without singing, and if I’m singing I can’t pay attention to the weaving. So I gather all my stuff together and plant myself in front of the TV, which is easy to ignore but gives me some background noise to keep me entertained. When I’m lucky, my husband will provide the entertainment instead, either by talking with me or by way of recording music in the next room, which is usually good to bead by. And Petey, my dog, is usually at my feet during the entire process, sighing loudly to signal his displeasure that I’m not paying more attention to him. Once the weaving begins I work constantly, although since I have a full time job, I can usually only bead in the evenings. I might work 10 to 14 hours on weaving during my days off, which is what I prefer—just pushing straight through.


Self Portrait Blue

What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
Well, I still feel like a hobbyist most of the time, because shows and sales are few and far between, but I have a BA in studio art, and I’ve worked in several “fine craft” galleries, which have inspired me in numerous ways. They gave me opportunities to see a lot of fresh, original work: glass, wood, metal, clay, jewelry, fiber, paper, you name it. There are a multitude of innovative and amazingly creative people working in the US right now, and being exposed to their work, seeing their careers progress, and occasionally getting to meet them, has been a huge motivation for me to continue my own work. My husband is an amazing and prolific artist, and a musician, and he’s always working on something which of course keeps me going, too. And my brother and a lot of my friends are creative types: musicians, writers, quilters, designers, puppeteers, and other types of artists, so being surrounded by that level of creativity, obviously everybody kind of feeds of each other’s momentum and creative excitement.

Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
I would be nothing without my pliers. And I can’t do any beading without Thread Heaven.


The making of Neither Here Nor There

What inspires you to create?
I’ve always loved art and I’ve always drawn, from as far back as I can remember, and honestly, creating art is a great ways to exorcise my demons. Whatever life throws at me can be tamed, at least in part, by using that emotion, whether it’s anger, grief, sorrow (and even joy), to create something tangible. There are times when I can physically feel the emotion run down my arm and out through the pencil or brush. It’s very cathartic.

As far as influences, I love 20th century art, especially the Expressionists, Surrealists, Dadaists, and the Fauves. My favorite painter at the moment is Leonora Carrington, and my favorite bead artist is Jimoh Buraimoh. I also love ancient mosaics, African sculpture, and contemporary craft.

What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
Well, I’m used to the fact that there will be “dry spells” where I just won’t feel like being creative, but I also know they’ll pass. In the end, I just can’t not do it. It’s not really a choice. And as long as I’m creating the work because it’s an image I want to make, rather than thinking, “Oh, I bet that would sell”, then it will be good. You have to satisfy yourself first and foremost.


Self Portrait in Purple

What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
In the real world I’m a librarian, so that takes up a big hunk of time but also provides me with health insurance, which, as any starving artist will tell you, is pretty nice to have. It’s also good for keeping me intellectually stimulated, which is always important when it comes to creative endeavors. And, I get to select all our library’s art books, which is kind of a dream job for an artist—they give me a budget of thousands of dollars a year to buy art books with. That’s a nice way to spend my work time.

Who are your favorite authors?
My favorite authors at the moment are Lionel Shriver and Leonora Carrington. Shriver wrote We Need to Talk About Kevin, which is so powerful and just blew me away, really affected me in a manner unlike anything else I’d ever read. It is very insightful and I appreciate the raw openness and sobering honesty of her characters as well as the style of her prose. I also read The Hearing Trumpet by Carrington recently, which is very much like a narrative of one of her paintings: surreal, magical, feminist, funny, and surprising. And despite, or perhaps because of, the weirdness of the story, it’s also very touching and human.


Abstract Green Swirls

Note: Another interview with Melissa can be found in the April 2006 edition of Upstate Visual Arts.

beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media, artist profile

Tangle

Artist: Elaine Ray
Location: Raleigh, NC

Website & Blogs:
Elaine Ray
Elaine Ray blog
Art Bead Scene blog

Large doughnut

Elaine, your beads and your business plan are very different from most artists’. How do you describe your work?
Let me first allow you to read my bio as I have it posted on my web site, then I’ll tell you what I’d say if we were to meet on the street!

I have transformed my love for the earth into these small pieces of art. As earth-tone glazes, rich in organic hues, enhance and highlight the individual clay forms my most important message is to celebrate the fact that these beads and pendants are made of clay - tiny bits of the land we walk and live on. I always leave a bit of clay showing to remind us of the small pieces of earth that we are holding and wearing.

Each piece is hand formed, glazed and then fired to approximately 2200º Fahrenheit. The unique colors and shapes of these bead and pendants beg to be made into beautiful, distinctive, wearable art. Originally from Illinois, my clay work now thrives with North Carolina’s pottery traditions and community.

OK, now let’s say we meet at a marching band contest. I’d say “I make beads and pendants out of stoneware clay in my garage.” Then I’d point to whatever piece of jewelry I’m wearing that has my beads or pendants in it, because I always have something on, saying “Like these.” Then I’m nearly always asked if I have my own kiln. “Yes, an electric one with interior dimensions about 18 inches by 24 inches. I fire to approximately 2200 degrees Fahrenheit so it gets plenty hot out there.” Talk some more and eventually I’ll talk about how most of my colors are earth tones and that no I don’t have any for sale, I only sell to bead shops and I plan to look into selling a line of finished jewelry - but I’ve been saying that for a long time and haven’t moved on it. I’m best at making the components and there are stringers out there that amaze me with their designs so I leave that step of finished jewelry up to them.

How did you pick the name of your business?
At the beginning I spent hours thinking and researching a name and settled on Pieces of Earth. I still love that name, but it ended up that someone else has that web site and it became slightly confusing to be somewhat know as Elaine Ray and somewhat known as Pieces of Earth. So now I only use my name for the web site, for my blog, my email and for any communications I have professionally.

What is your creative process like?
As I glance through this list of questions it gets me thinking - this is a good mental exercise for me, not only will I be getting this finished, but every time I go through these type of questions my mind gets more organized, and I can take that into my work, on the business and creative side of things.

Toggle

What is it like when you’re creating?
As I attempt to answer this I need to ask myself when is it that am I actually creating a new product? Is is when I see an object that inspires me, when I see a designers end product and think - oh that is marvelous and next time I’ll try X, when I’m fabricating a new tool, or is it when I actually have clay in my hands?

I guess when I’m creating it is like a flow of ideas, I see something that inspires a new idea, I think through just how I’d make that idea - including each step such as forming it out of the clay, applying the glaze and getting it situated in the kiln. As I’m writing this, I realize I almost never think about how a designer will use the final piece at first. Then my typical routine is to show the bead shops a couple of prototypes and they
(the very talented bunch of stringers they are) give me suggestions such as can this hole be bigger/smaller, can there be more holes, less hole, how about making this a little longer, a bit more round, with texture etc. My relationship with Ornamentea in Raleigh has especially helped me in this way. They feel comfortable making suggestions and asking for specific ideas - all of which have turned out to push my creative process further. Which, in turn, gives them new and unusual pieces to design around.


Dove

Do you throw all your materials on the table and let serendipity take its course?
No, I’m really more of a plotter and planner. I don’t plan with pen and paper, but I do plan endlessly in my head. I spend a great deal of time thinking about the actual manufacturing process. I’m sort of nerdy in that manner - I get great delight out of designing and making a new tool, finding a new way to load the kiln, figuring out time saving steps and things like that.

Any typical background sounds in your working environment?
My typical day starts out with NPR Morning edition, then the BBC. Most times I then “watch” DVDs as I work. I put watch in quotes given that I really mostly listen to the movies since my eyes need to be on my work. Then more public radio. Sometimes music, but the radio in my garage is really not so good.

What is your daily schedule like?
In all honesty, this is really set by my kids schedule such as soccer games, marching band competitions and fund raisers, hair cuts, eye appointments, forgotten homework or cleats etc. I chose this job so I can have this type of schedule, but I know I’d be much more productive with a more consistent work schedule.

Chevron

What kind of training do you have?
I have worked in clay on and off since childhood, then did take formal classes in college as I got a degree in Occupational Therapy. Since graduating from University of Illinois in 1985 I have taken classes in a variety of community art spaces. That about covers my art / clay training. My training as an Occupational Therapist is probably just as important since it applies to production. I use my background in ergonomics, time saving devices / techniques, billing / time management and problem solving in all aspects of the business. Finally, the training my dad gave me as a kid growing up in the country comes in handy all the time. My dad could fix anything and encouraged all of us to use his tools to problem solve everyday problems and come up with new solutions and ideas. My mom is a music teacher and she really showed us the value of keeping records, keeping on schedule and if you say you are going to do something - do it! As boring as these ideas are - they can really make a difference in business survival. I know many people think that if they just make great art it will sell itself - that is not true. You have to do the business end also.

Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
Yes, there is one glaze that is the base of most of my pieces and I’d be lost without it. Most of my tools are hand made or just easy off the shelf items - easy to replace either. What I couldn’t survive without is my relationship with the bead shops I work with. I think without those personal relationships I’d just be another bead maker in the crowd.

What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
Sometimes all I need to keep me going is remembering that I have bills to pay! In all reality, I not often frustrated and my work is not that hard. The toughest most frustrating thing for me has been setting up a web site for my wholesale customers to order from. I did plenty of whining during those times - and I’m still not really done, with the web site or the whining….

Almonds

What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
That is a good question - I think to grow as an artist you need to feed your sensory field for that art. I need lots and lots of visual stimulation and second to that I need to touch and feel all sorts of things. Also, everyone should look at the business side of their art and address it also. For me, this has been increased computer use and blogging, so words and phrases are becoming an important aspect to be added to the visual images.

What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
This will sound so corney and contrived, but it is my family completely. We, as a unit, completely drive each other’s schedules and so far - so good!

What’s your favorite non-art activity?
I think here is where a reader likes to know a bit of trivia or something about a person that isn’t directly linked to their art / occupation…..so here is mine. I use up more time than I’d like to admit to anyone playing Tetris.

handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media

Getting Started with Wirework
A nice basic article with good overall information

Wonderful Wire Jewelry Projects
Lots of projects with lots of pictures to get you started by Tammy Powley. Also links to Tammy’s informative articles on types of wire.

Preston Reuther’s Wire Sculpture
Free downloadable videos from Preston Reuther, master wire sculptor. Also sells supplies, including a complete package to get started, and has a free 7-part e-course you can sign up for.

WigJig University
Supplies and instructions for making jewelry with beads and wire

Fire Mountain Gems
All types of wire, both precious and base

Rings & Things
Argentium Sterling Silver. Learn about Argentium Sterling Silver at The Artful Crafter’s blog.

Rio Grande
You’ll need to set up an account to browse the site

Creative Wire Jewelry Forum
A place to hang out, talk, and learn about…what else?…wire!

handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media

Cindy is an extraordinarily versatile mixed media artist. For this profile, the pictures of her work concentrate on her jewelry, but there is much much more to see on her blog! Grab youself a cuppa, and enjoy a visit.

Artists Name: Cynthia Powell
Location: Sandy, Utah
Blog Address: Cynthia Powell

Cindy, how would you describe your work? Not just your jewelry, but all your work.
I love to play around with all types of mediums in my art, so I would have to say it is diversified. No two pieces are ever the same.

What is your creative process like when you’re juggling so many different techniques and media?
Once an idea is sparked, I will create the project in its entirety, in my mind. Occasionally I will draw a specific design to be incorporated into a project, but not often. I keep dozens of journals for jotting down my ideas, and construction plans, because if some particularly difficult aspect of the project can’t be worked out right then, I have my notes to visit again. This happens quite often when I am developing a new technique, or want a particular look, and keeping good notes allows me to incorporate new ideas with the old, as I am progressing with the project.

Since I retired (1998) from property management & real estate after 22 years, I have been able to devote 4-8 hours a day, to my art. The rush of ideas can be overwhelming at times, and so I usually have between 6 and 12 projects going on. I joke about the ideas floating around in my head, and say “if only I could take a picture of what I see there.” But then I wouldn’t experience the wonderful sense of accomplishment that finishing a piece gives me.


I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a few years of college art classes; free hand drawing, collage and graphic design. I am a realist, I draw what I see, and the classes helped me to develop an artist’s approach, to really see what I was looking at. Colors, shadows, dimension, etc. I find it very difficult to be abstract, and perhaps those classes hampered that aspect of my work, because I truly struggle with anything that is not in balance. I am mainly self-taught in the use of the various media that I work in. There are so many new materials available today that weren’t available years ago. So, experimenting with all of these new toys keeps me interested in a variety of things.



Would you tell us about your transitions between hobbyist and pro?
In the early days of my career, while still attending college, I was selling my class work to silk screen shops, to help pay for my art supplies. Later, I transitioned into acrylic painting and designed folk art painted crafts for the mass market. Unfortunately, it was a common occurrence back then to have your designs show up a year later, manufactured in a foreign country. This infringement forced me to take a new direction. I suppose I am one of the very few artists who transitioned from pro to hobbyist! For 12 years I expanded my talents by learning to master the aspects of; stained glass, tile mosaics, altered clothing, photography, canvas college, surface embellishments, beading, quilting, altered arts of all forms, and most recently assemblage. I have sold a few commissioned pieces of art over the past few years, but I don’t sell direct to the public anymore. Art has never been a job for me. I create as a form of relaxation and self-expression. I am a perfectionist who always strives for a professional quality and I am compulsive about art in all of its forms. I want it to the best it can be, based on my experiences, experiments and knowledge.

What are your biggest sources of inspiration?
Inspiration comes from the usual places, such as: conversations, movies, or a good book. But by keeping my eyes open to the world around me, inspiration can come from the simplest of things also. I never liked an informal weedy garden but now I find, I can really appreciate the disorganized array of color and bloom. Perhaps my art is again evolving!



What inspires you to continue when things get frustrating?
I have a mindset that will not allow me to give up. (It’s called: Compulsion!). I learn not only through my successes but especially through projects that don’t always work. I never have failures, only learning experiences.


What would you suggest for those who wish to take their your art to a higher level?
Educate yourself. Take classes, read books, study and analyze art. I can admire other artists’ art, and be inspired by what I see. For awhile I stopped analyzing art, because I thought if I didn’t allow other artists moods & methods to influence mine, I would develop my own style. I don’t think that’s true anymore. I am who I am and my art is what I am. We all bring with us different aspects of our lives into our art and that is what makes it unique from all others.



What else do you enjoy doing besides your artwork?
I could weed the garden, but mindless tasks like that, just encourage me to wander back to all of those projects waiting to be created. I love to study the ancient art of other cultures. I would have to say, this is another passion of mine, which carries a big influence on my art.


Cynthia has articles on altered couture in several issues of Belle Armoire Magazine!

handmade-beaded-jewelry, wearable-art, beads, beading, jewelry, mixed-media