Designer & Bead Artist Interview -Beadworx

What is your personal name, business name, website and location?

My name is Bettina Welker and I create my jewelry under the name "beadworx". You can find my work here: http://www.beadworx.de/

I live in the southwest of Germany in a little village called Heusweiler near the french border. Next big city is Saarbruecken, Frankfurt is 1.5 hours drive from here (in case anyone knows a bit of Germany).

What kind of beads do you make? What kinds of processes do you use? What is your favorite beadmaking technique?

Well, that depends on my ideas for a project. I don't do specific beads. I do canework, I extrude, I do texturing and transfers. Everything that comes handy to a new project.

I can't focus on one technique the whole time, this would be too boring for me after a while. And for that reason, there is no favorite technique - my fave is always the technique that I'm currently working with.

How did you get into beadmaking? What are some of the important things you do for your business?

I always wanted to be a gold/silversmith when I was young. But there were not many training positions then and I decided to go to the university and study graphic design to live out my creativity. So no beadmaking or jewelry for at least two decades. In late 2003 I accidentally discovered millefiori and caning when browsing the web for something completely different. I knew Fimo from the time when I was a kid and I instantly was hooked on the idea to make jewelry and beads from polymer clay.

I only do OOAK work - you wont find any duplication in my work, maybe there's a same-style-piece (in a series), but never one that is similar to another. I still hope that will work out for me someday and I don't need to do wholesale production for one particular piece.

What is your workspace like and how do you work in your studio? What is a typical day like?

I just set up my studio in the basement of our house. It's a 4 x 5 m room with plenty of working space - finally. I just had a studio feature at Libby Mills' blog (go see: http://libzoid.net/blog/2008/03/24/studio-snapshot-bettina-welker/)

My typical day starts with my day job as a graphic designer (well I have to eat - right?...*g*) after my 8 year old has left the house. If there are no jobs to do in the graphics department I head to the studio to play and create.

How do you stay inspired and motivated?

Going through the world with eyes wide open. I can get inspiration out of so many different things I see every day.

What beady plans do you have for the future? Do you have new designs or ideas you will be exploring soon?

I am currently playing a lot with the polymer clay extruder and tube beads and there are still some ideas to be worked out.

If you have a discount code you would like to give our readers, please list it here, including the expiration date:

I'm busy setting up my new shop on my website (www.beadworx.de/shop/ ) and there are still some categories to be filled. Just mention the word "artbeadscene" for a 10% discount through September 15, 2008