Musings from a Bead Artist

"The ancient art of beadweaving is spiritual and invigorating.

One by one, each bead is interconnected, spanning time and space.

The beads sing and I listen to their harmonies.

Rhythms pulse. The pulse becomes a heartbeat.

The beads spring to life.

Together we push boundaries, explore new horizons and dance."

Sheila Fernekes
Jewelry artist & designer 

www.sheilafernekesdesign.com   

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What does beadweaving or jewelry creating mean to you?

For me the process of interweaving loose beads with a needle and thread into a finished piece of jewelry has always been magical. Being able to create a concrete object inspired by my imagination confirms the individual creative spirit within me. I define the lengthy and repetitive nature of my work to be meditative and it allows my thoughts--both conscious and subconscious--to influence all my finished pieces.

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Pattern Play

Every summer the Bead Society of Eastern PA, of which I'm a member, has a summer bead challenge. This year's challenge was to create something beaded inspired by a piece of fabric. All contestants were given a random piece of fabric to inspire their design.

 I received a piece of turquoise fabric with multi-colored polka dots:

Here were my original sketches and ideas for transforming the fabric into a beaded piece of jewelry:

 

My goal was to bring the colorful pattern to life with Swarovski crystals.

I used rivolis to represent the polka dots, and bicones and rondelles to represent the turquoise background. 

An assortment of colorful Swarovski crystal rivolis were bezeled with sterling silver seed beads and connected with turquoise Swarovski crystal bicones. Turquoise rondelles attached the focal point to a sterling silver clasp. 

I utilized the vibrant sparkle from the Swarovski crystals and a vivid juxtaposition of turquoise to create a polka dot paradise. It was quite the pattern play! 

My Polka Dot Paradise necklace came in 1st place for the BSOEPA's 2012 Summer Bead Challenge. I was honored to receive 1st place for the second year in a row for my original jewelry design. You can view last year's winning piece, Olivine's Garden, here.

Let it Bead,

Marla

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Have you ever created something inspired by a piece of fabric or fashion?

Great Bead Embroidery

Bead embroidery is a magical thing. Well known bead embroiderer Sherry Serafini describes it as "painting with beads," and I have to agree. Anything goes with bead embroidery from the bead selections you make to the design you "paint" on your canvas. While it is a beading technique that can yield extraordinary works of art, it can be a bit intimidating if you're just starting out.

Jennifer Vanbenschoten reveals 5 Secrets for Great Bead Embroidery on her Beading Daily Blog today. Check out her secrets, pick up your beads and give bead embroidery a try!

Bead embroidery by Master Bead Artist Sherry Serafini

Other inspiring and informative resources for bead embroidery include:

Sherry Serafini's Sensational Bead Embroidery: 25 Inspiring Jewelry Projects by Sherry Serafini
The Art of Bead Embroidery by Heidi Kummli and Sherry Serafini 
Dimensional Bead Embroidery: A Reference Guide to Techniques by Jamie Cloud Eakin

Let it bead,

Marla

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