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I don’t make art glass beads, I make them even better

October 31, 2016 Leave a Comment

Morning Song rooster necklace wire art jewelry

Do not pass go

I’ll never forget how surprised I was the time I got turned down to show my work because the focal art glass beads in my creation were not my own.

Even though the sting has worn off over the years, this experience gave me an insight into the standards of the art world. Painters don’t make their own paint. Sculptors don’t quarry their own stone. Similarly, when wire artists use beads, frequently they are not of their own making.

Many artists, many styles

From the very beginning, it was a conscious choice to use others’ artist-quality beads in my necklaces, earrings, and sculpture. Here’s why: no on can be good at all things.

Instead, my finished pieces are different and unique as Breastplate for Ninsun, the Scaredy Cat collection, and the Morning Song rooster necklace.

BreastPlate for Ninson Silver Necklace 1b, 5/4/16, 3:54 PM, 8C, 3750x5000 (0+0), 62%, bent 6 stops, 1/25 s, R123.4, G101.1, B124.0

BreastPlate for Ninson Silver Necklace

 

professor-specs

Professor Specs pendant

 

Morning Song rooster necklace wire art jewelry

Morning Song necklace

What I love best about working with artist-quality beads is the variety. From Joy Munshower‘s animals and the art glass of Gail Crosman Moore to the whimsical cats of Kathleen O’Connor and Robin Poff‘s dragons, these gifted makers inspire the art I create.

The art of wire design

When you work with wire as I do, the artistry comes down to creating a beautiful, balanced piece using a variety of elements. Wire artistry entails knowing how many scrolls and coils create a harmonious look and also recognizing the point at which you stop adding.

Using focal beads means understanding color and choosing accent elements that highlight the theme. For example, in my pendant using Kathleen O’Connor’s Wicked Witch, I echo the fun, square-kinked tails in the wire scrolls of the drop on this pendant.

wicked-witch-cat

 

Although I have taken lampwork bead-making classes, it’s not my medium. Understanding the kind of work that goes into making fine art glass beads makes me appreciate artists that use this medium even more. If I tried to do it all myself, I’d be a beginner for a long time!

My specialty is in creating a beautiful, well engineered settings with high-end materials and choosing gorgeous color palettes that bring out the uniqueness of the focal beads that are made by other artists and by Mother Nature too.

Filed Under: art jewelry, lampwork, wire art jewelry Tagged With: art glass, beads, Gail Crosman Moore, Joy Munschower, Kathleen O'Connor, KAYO, lampwork, Robin Poff, wire art jewelry

Capture the Dragon

April 21, 2009 1 Comment

I am an avid collector of Robin Poff’s dragon beads; they are special, sculptural and big! They each have their own personalities. I have spent alot of time working out how to mount them so they can be used in jewelry. You can see one example on my home page here. The spring issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry has an article I wrote called Engineering Sculptural Lampwork that gives directions for a wire based frame.

The article includes instructions for making this necklace.

I like to use lampwork with wire because they work so well together. The lampwork accomodates the wire and makes a bold statement. The challenge can be engineering the piece so it is not too heavy. Here are three suggestions to manage the weight:

1. Make sure the heaviest part rests on the center of the chest, just below the collarbone.
2. Include a counter balance, I use several beads at the end of the series of links attached to fasten the piece. This falls down the wearer’s back creating weight in the back that offsets the weight from the front. Bonus! if you wear your hair up, you are adorned going as well as coming. I first read about using a counter balance in a book by helen deitze.
3. Compensate for the heavier beads and wire by using lighter beads and pieces where possible. I am fond of vintage Lucite beads and they often find their way into my designs. Resin, horn, filigree findings, or whatever you have in your stash that works with the design.

Filed Under: engineering sculptural lampwork, lampwork, wire art jewelry