Whoops! I forgot to post this yesterday. Still, better late than never!
When looking for my Etsy picks this month I searched around a few key words. I was interested in finding fibre beads, terracotta beads, and... well, I couldn't find any man/woman/bird beads, but I've included one bird which seemed particularly in keeping with the challenge image!
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Friday, August 7, 2015
Inside the Studio with Julie of Uglibeads!
Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive, we offer a prize each week to encourage you to use that keyboard and tell us what you think. The following week a winner is chosen at random from all eligible entries. And here are the results from last week!
Congratulations to Carolyn of Carolyn's Creations!
You've won a $20.00 gift certificate to Mary Harding's Etsy shop.
Please Email Mary to claim your prize!
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Hello everyone! Happy August. And welcome to the latest goings-on in my studio! The last few months seem to have flown by and it's almost impossible to believe that it's August already.
For nearly the entire month of June, I was working on a special project. For a short time, I offered my 'weenie beads' (teeny tiny lampwork spacer beads) as a made-to-order item in my Etsy shop. As you can see here, in the final 'group photo', I made a LOT of weenie beads. There were 90 sets altogether.
I absolutely LOVED the experience of making these beads (well... ok... about 95% loved - there were a few moments of despair, as anyone who has done production work can probably identify with...) and in the end, there were many happy Uglibeads devotees, so it was a worthwhile challenge in the art of dedication. Nonetheless, after a month spent making weenie beads, I was ready to move on to some new work.
And when I say ready, I mean really, really, really ready.
I had a little stack of special projects waiting, and a huge backlog of new ideas that I couldn't wait to explore. All my new bead ideas had to be put on hold a little while longer, while I prepared for my first ever craft show at the end of July, which, I'm happy to report was a lot of fun and a hugely rewarding experience. I enjoyed delving deep into the making of my amulet necklaces, and this photo really captures the spirit of my studio for the entire month of July. Bits and pieces - everywhere.
You're probably thinking, 'Oh Julie.... that is NOTHING. You should see MY studio!' Just keep in mind - I have to clear this entire work surface - completely - every night, since it is where I torch, where I make jewelry, and where I do all my administrative work on the computer.
Since the craft show, I've been busy preparing to join my former classmates for our 20 year high school reunion on beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Canada!). In fact, I'm here right this very minute, in the middle of the forest, looking out over the Pacific Ocean.
I did have a very short time to work on some new beads before we left home, and I knew exactly what I wanted to make. Reflecting back on my time spent here on the West coast of Canada, images of the forest and the water came rushing back, and I decided to revisit a favorite series of beads I had made in the past - the 'Boreal Forest' series:
The colors and organic nature of these beads were originally inspired by a beautiful strand of turquoise stones that I had seen on Pinterest. Honestly, what did we do before Pinterest!? I'm inspired by a lot of things in my work, but I have to say - at the top of my list is the incredible colors and patterns in natural stones (turquoise, lapis, and amber especially).
That original inspiration set the wheels in motion, but as the series progressed, I suddenly felt transported to Canada's wilderness. It's a beautiful country, and here we have awe-inspiring mountainscapes, deep green forests, moss and lichen growing on starkly beautiful rock formations... flowing streams, cool ocean waters, and an endless sky.
When I looked at these beads, there was something about the feel of fresh, pure air filling your lungs... The crunch of dry pine needles under your feet as you walk...
The story began to tell itself, and they became the 'Boreal Forest' beads. Early on, every set was named after a tree that grows in the Canadian wilderness - Jack Pine, Black Spruce, and so on. And then, (when I ran out of names of trees...) our wildlife - such as Ermine, Mink, and Timberwolf.
They've been some of my all-time favorites, bringing back many special memories of the past, and drawing on dreams of future encounters with the wild.
I say often that one of the most rewarding parts of my job is seeing my beads put to use, and I've been fortunate to work with fabulous designers who did wonderful things with these beads. I wanted to share one or two with you!
First, a gorgeous bracelet by Janine Lucas of Esfera Jewelry. She used a single 'boreal forest' bead, along with a polymer clay rose from Leah Curtis of Beady Eyed Bunny, prayer beads, and a large kyanite nugget.
Next, a stunning pair of earrings by Lindsay Philipson of Precious Violet. Here she used a pair of my bicone beads from the 'boreal forest' series, with polymer clay leaves by artist Helen Backhouse.
My urge to reconnect with these particular beads came at a perfect time. A friend that I've had the good fortune of visiting with with here at the reunion, after 20 years, had asked me to design some special jewelry as a surprise gift for his wife. He was hoping for something a little west-coast inspired, a little bohemian, one-of-a-kind, unique and of course - special.
Perfect.
When I revisit a design from the past, my goal is never to reproduce it, but to build on what had come before... bringing new knowledge, inspiration, and perspective to the process.
As I prepared to make these beads, I pulled out all the same colors of glass I had used previously, with a few new twists in mind.
As a start, I was able to reduce the size of some of the earring pairs into the teeny tiny range. I know that many designers find earring pairs in a small size to be very versatile. After all the weenie bead practice, what was once a major technical challenge seemed effortless! Yes!!!! Hard work always pays off in ways you don't expect.
I also experimented with adding some fine silver dots to the surface of the beads. Although these beads are fantastic with brass and copper, the silver tones complement the cool turquoises and browns so well.
A new project always calls for new supplies, right? Right. So I visited my favorite bead store and treated myself to a gorgeous strand of turquoise to complement the beads I had made. This is the first strand of real stone beads I've ever purchased, and I must say that when I got home I held these in my hands admiring them for much longer than was strictly necessary.
Last week in her Inside the Studio post, Mary asked whether working in series was something that you enjoyed. And for myself, it's absolutely essential to my process. If you're the same way, you know that you may work on something for a period of time, and the story comes to a satisfying conclusion. You are ready to move on. But there are other stories and explorations that you return to again and again. For me, the 'boreal forest' series is in that category.
As I walked through the woods here yesterday (which is not in the Boreal, but rather the coast forest region of Canada), I looked around to see what new inspiration I could gather - for the next time I have the urge to revisit these beads.
I think many artists (perhaps especially those of us making beads and jewelry) are highly detail oriented. We must look as closely as possible to examine colors and textures that could be incorporated into our work.
Although this is an 'Inside the Studio' post, in my work, there is no dividing line between 'inside' and 'outside' the studio. Yes, the actual making of beads goes on inside, but some of the most important creative work goes on when I step beyond the familiarity of my space into a new environment. I've been feeling so lucky these past few days to have the chance to take in some fresh inspiration. I've been energized by so many moments that have restored my creative spirit - not the least of which has been visiting with some of the most special people in my life.
Making beautiful things is a journey of the soul, and I think that our souls long to feel connected to the Earth, and to each other - to feel peaceful and grounded - so that we are able to translate our stories into tangible objects.
At the end of the forest path, we came to this view, looking out on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I took some deep breaths, just trying to take it all in.
I spent the rest of the afternoon reconnecting with old friends, while I scooped up treasures from the sand - sea glass, beach rocks, driftwood... the seeds of many future projects, no doubt.
Now, my question for you: Tell me about whether the 'story' is an important part of your work. Do you like to name your pieces or a series of work? When you see a bead or a piece of jewelry that you'd like to purchase, does the story or the name help you to feel a connection to it?
Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and a winner will be randomly selected next week to receive a special focal bead, custom made for you (you may choose your preferred shape) from my 'boreal forest' series.
Thanks for joining me as I savored this rare opportunity to get 'outside the studio'!
xo
Julie
f a c e b o o k : www.facebook.com/uglibeads
b l o g : www.uglibeads.wordpress.com
e t s y : www.uglibeads.etsy.com
i n s t a g r a m : @jules_sontag
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Amuse the Muse - Metal Art Beads - with Rebecca of Songbead
Hello everyone! A late Amuse the Muse post this week as it's that time of the month - lots of challenge housekeeping to get sorted first of all. Are you feeling inspired for this month's challenge? I am hoping to get the chance to play along this month - fingers crossed!
This month's theme for my Muse posts is metal beads. Metals often get overlooked somehow, by me at least, so I've decided to bring them into the forefront for August. Remember to leave links to any favourite metal art beads you find in the comments below!
And now for the BeadBlogger Links - have a great week(end!) everyone!
Have you started your Connie Gee's SAL project yet? The borders were posted last week and the first section has been added as well. Join the Connie Gee's Stitchers Facebook group for more info.
Have you wanted to try to crochet cute stuff toys but weren't sure where to start? Here's a quick tip for you.
How to make paper magnolia flower and bud, then arrange them on a piece of driftwood. Finish the arrangement with a hummingbird perched on a petal to drink the flower's nectar.
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
August Challenge Color Palette
While this month's color palette is predominately red and black, there are a few other hues to draw out your muse. I don't know about you, but red is always a hard color for me to design with, so I'm more drawn to this rusty shade of red. Purple is used throughout the weaving along with the neutral putty color. There are a few accents of gold, brown and a muted plum woven in the design.
The key to successfully using this color palette is pick one main color for your design and then choose a few of the accents to bring in interest to your jewelry piece. Proportion of the color will be important. Just as in our inspiration piece, one color dominate and then the accent add the spice.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you create this month!
(A few beads from my shop that fit the challenge.)
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
August Monthly Challenge Sponsors + Prizes
Our Wonderful sponsors for the August Challenge.
We will have 2 Lucky Winners this Month!
We will have 2 Lucky Winners this Month!
Kathy Lindemer of Bay Moon Design creates beautiful, stylish, unique, handmade necklaces, earrings and bracelets.
She also makes jewelry components.
She also makes jewelry components.
Bay Moon Design is located in Lewes, Delaware.
Kathy is donating a $50 gift certificate.
Kathy is donating a $50 gift certificate.
: : :
Barbara Hanselman of BH Claysmith creates hand formed ceramic clay beads, pendants and plaquettes which can be used to make your own wearable creations.
Her components are great additions to your jewelry designs!
BH Claysmith is located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Barbara is donating a $50 Gift Certificate.
Barbara is donating a $50 Gift Certificate.
Summer Thunder by Hosteen Klah has many different elements that can be used for inspiration: Symbolism, texture, weaving/fabric, figures, red, purple, green, yellow, black and white.
We can't wait to see where your creativity takes you with the art for this months challenge!
**IMPORTANT** Please remember to put AUG ABS in the title or tag of your submission(s). Pinterest doesn't keep Pins in the order they are posted.
Provide us with the artist of the Art Beads used and we always love to know all the materials you used.
***Art Beads MUST be used in your entry.***
***Art Beads MUST be used in your entry.***
Monday, August 3, 2015
August Monthly Challenge
Summer Thunder
By Hosteen Klah
Weaving, Wool
About the Art
Klah’s last sandpainting weaving, The Skies from the Shootingway ceremony, was done in 1937 and was not complete at the time of his death. The work was finished by his nieces, Gladys and Irene Manuelito.
It is important to know that initially the reproduction of any of the sacred images was looked upon by most Navajo with apprehension and fear. To the Navajo, a ceremonial sandpainting contains multidimensional power. This power is both visual and conceptual, metaphorical and literal, aesthetic and therapeutic. For the Navajo, it would seem strange and inappropriate to view a sandpainting as two-dimensional art because, in its proper place, the sandpainting is the powerful and sacred center of their universe. Many stories have been told of terrible consequences - including blindness and crippling - for offending the Holy People. It is not unusual, therefore, to hear that a particular sandpainting weaver has had a healing ceremony. To avoid curses, weavers frequently omit a detail or otherwise modify a design.
Fear and apprehension of weaving a sandpainting were, for a time, allayed by an extraordinary circumstance when the weaver and the singer were one and the same. Historically, the best-known sandpaintings were by "Left-handed" or Hosteen Klah. Klah was both a weaver and a Medicine Man. He was known to the Navajos by a term that means transformed. His acceptance in both male and female activities was due to the special status and prestige bestowed upon a transformed male. His orientation placed him in a class of "man-woman" which, in Navajo mythology, is thought to possess special powers in the real world. Klah and his nieces, Gladys and Irene, wove more than 70 sandpainting tapestries between 1919 and 1937.
Klah was asked why he did not weave a rug with a ceremonial design. He said that sacred symbols should not be . . . placed on the floor to be walked on all day. He was assured that . . . [it] would never be used on the floor, but would be hung on the wall of a museum. . . . After talking it over with his family, he decided it would be all right. . . . He had logs brought from the mountain and built a loom that would hold a rug 12 feet square. Then came the problem of finding the right wool. A rug of this size would require about 20 pounds of raw wool, and as the proper background tan color was only found on the underside of the brown sheep, it did not seem possible to collect this much. . . .
Sandpaintings of five Chantways are represented in Klah's and his niece's weavings, including 49 tapestries from Night Chant, 9 from Hail Chant, 10 from Shooting Chant and 1 each from Mountainway and Eagleway Chant.
To weave a sandpainting textile requires a strong sense of autonomy, self-confidence and physical endurance. The Navajo's respect for autonomy is reflected in many facets of Navajo culture, including language structure, family relationships and particularly religious beliefs. Even though family and friends might disagree with a weaver for producing a sandpainting weaving, they would say nothing.
In addition to a strong sense of individualism, a weaver must be confident. An extraordinary level of technical skill and special weaving expertise is required to carry out a sandpainting textile. A weaver must be confident of her ability to weave circles, curves and a wide variety of animals and figures. The ability of sandpainting weavers to solve technical problems and accurately translate intricate designs to their weavings places them in a special category of weaving excellence.
Lastly, the weaver must have the physical endurance to weave a large tapestry. Sandpainting weavings are often much larger than other styles, which means the weaver must spend more time and effort constructing an oversize loom and acquiring more wool prior to carding, dyeing, spinning and weaving. Sometimes, the wool needs to be dyed in unusual shades such as pink or light green.
About the Artist
Many Indian cultures accepted – and in fact, celebrated – the fact the some people could fill both male and female roles in their society. One such individual was Hosteen Klah (also spelled Hastiin Klah) who became well-known as a Navajo weaver and as a Navajo singer (medicine man). Among the Navajo, weavers are usually female and hataalii (singers, chanters, or medicine men) are usually male. Hosteen Klah filled both of these roles.
Among the Navajo, Klah was known as a nádleeh which can be translated as “one who is changed” or “one who is transformed.” There are some who feel that Klah was born as a hermaphrodite while others report that he was emasculated in a childhood accident. There are still others who simply say that he sometimes identified himself as a man and at other times as a woman.
In the 1880s, Klah began to learn weaving from his mother and from his sister. He first began to learn the Navajo medicine ways – chanting and sandpainting – from his uncle. In learning the Nightway ceremony, Klah worked under the guidance of Laughing Singer and Tall Chanter. While most Navajo singers can master only one or two complete chants, Klah mastered at least eight. Among the ceremonies which he mastered were the Hailway, the Mountainway, the Nightway, the Windway, and the Chiricahua.
Among the Navajo, the purpose of the chant is to cure the sick. For the chant to work, it must be repeated exactly by the singer. Learning a chant takes a considerable amount of intellectual work: each one is like memorizing hundreds of lines of song or poetry. When a singer contracts to perform a ceremony, he undertakes a great deal of responsibility for not only the patient, but also others who are present at the ceremony.
In 1917, after 24 years of study, Hosteen Klah performed his first Nighway Ceremony (Yeibichai). The nine-day ceremony was perfect in chant, symbol, and ceremony and established him as a great singer.
As a part of the Navajo ceremonies, the singer produces a dry painting (known as a sand painting) which calls in the power of the Holy People. The sand paintings are made on the floor of the ceremonial hogan and blessed with pollen and corn meal. The sand painting serves as a temporary altar on which the patient sits while the ceremony is performed. Following the ceremony, the singer destroys the painting. If there is no ceremonial need for the painting, the power of the Holy People can be dangerous and even fatal. Therefore, Navajo culture does not allow for the images used in the sand paintings to be produced outside of their ceremonial context.
In 1911 Hosteen Klah wove a blanket of yeibichai dancers which portrayed sacred masks. Local singers felt that this was sacrilegious and demanded that Klah have a ceremony to expel the evil and that he destroy the weaving. Instead, Klah sent the weaving to Washington and experienced no negative effects.
In 1917 Klah took Franc Newcomb, a trader’s wife, to a Nightway ceremony. After the ceremony, she attempted to draw from memory the designs from the sandpaintings which were used in the ceremony. She was unsuccessful and Klah sketched them for her in pencil. Newcomb then made these into watercolor reproductions and hung them in her bedroom so that the other Navajo would not be offended. After seeing that no punishment occurred, Klah then did an additional 27 paintings for her.
Over the years, Klah worked with a number of non-Indian scholars and allowed them to record his songs, ceremonies, stories, and sandpaintings. His only Navajo student – Beaal Begay – died suddenly in 1931 and so much of his knowledge was not passed on in the traditional Navajo way.
One of the Anglos who worked with Klah was Mary Cabot Wheelwright who founded the Museum of Navajo Ceremonial Art in 1937. She had been permitted to record many of Klah’s songs and erected the museum to preserve his medicine knowledge and his sacred objects. The museum is now known as the Wheelwright Museum. Until recently, the Museum displayed many of his drawings and paintings of sandpaintings as well as his sandpainting weavings. However, the Museum has restricted the display and reproduction of these items based on the recommendations of the Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Department’s Traditional Cultural Program Committee.
***Beads strung on a chain, by themselves and beads simply added to wire or cord will not be accepted.***
Please add the tag or title AUG ABS to your photos. Include a short description, who created the art beads and a link to your blog, if you have one.
Your entry must be on Pinterest 2 days BEFORE the recap to be included.
• Be sure to share with us the name of the art bead artist in the description of your photo so that if you are selected for the weekly Perfect Pairings on Wednesdays, both you as the designer and the art bead artist can get the credit you both deserve!
• An InLinkz button will be added to the bottom of the Monthly Challenge Recap post. Here you will be able to link up your blog post if you have one. It is no longer necessary to add your blog post URL to the description unless you want to. Be sure to hop around and see all the great inspiration and leave some comment love!
• The Monthly Challenge Recap with Blog Tour will be posted on August 31st.
• One prize winner will be selected at random from all blog posts added to the hop for the Monthly Challenge Recap post. So if you want to be in the pool for the second prize, be sure to use the InLinkz code at the bottom of the post to share your process and inspirations!
• Winners will be randomly chosen from all the qualifying entries on July 1st.
Among the Navajo, Klah was known as a nádleeh which can be translated as “one who is changed” or “one who is transformed.” There are some who feel that Klah was born as a hermaphrodite while others report that he was emasculated in a childhood accident. There are still others who simply say that he sometimes identified himself as a man and at other times as a woman.
In the 1880s, Klah began to learn weaving from his mother and from his sister. He first began to learn the Navajo medicine ways – chanting and sandpainting – from his uncle. In learning the Nightway ceremony, Klah worked under the guidance of Laughing Singer and Tall Chanter. While most Navajo singers can master only one or two complete chants, Klah mastered at least eight. Among the ceremonies which he mastered were the Hailway, the Mountainway, the Nightway, the Windway, and the Chiricahua.
Among the Navajo, the purpose of the chant is to cure the sick. For the chant to work, it must be repeated exactly by the singer. Learning a chant takes a considerable amount of intellectual work: each one is like memorizing hundreds of lines of song or poetry. When a singer contracts to perform a ceremony, he undertakes a great deal of responsibility for not only the patient, but also others who are present at the ceremony.
In 1917, after 24 years of study, Hosteen Klah performed his first Nighway Ceremony (Yeibichai). The nine-day ceremony was perfect in chant, symbol, and ceremony and established him as a great singer.
As a part of the Navajo ceremonies, the singer produces a dry painting (known as a sand painting) which calls in the power of the Holy People. The sand paintings are made on the floor of the ceremonial hogan and blessed with pollen and corn meal. The sand painting serves as a temporary altar on which the patient sits while the ceremony is performed. Following the ceremony, the singer destroys the painting. If there is no ceremonial need for the painting, the power of the Holy People can be dangerous and even fatal. Therefore, Navajo culture does not allow for the images used in the sand paintings to be produced outside of their ceremonial context.
In 1911 Hosteen Klah wove a blanket of yeibichai dancers which portrayed sacred masks. Local singers felt that this was sacrilegious and demanded that Klah have a ceremony to expel the evil and that he destroy the weaving. Instead, Klah sent the weaving to Washington and experienced no negative effects.
In 1917 Klah took Franc Newcomb, a trader’s wife, to a Nightway ceremony. After the ceremony, she attempted to draw from memory the designs from the sandpaintings which were used in the ceremony. She was unsuccessful and Klah sketched them for her in pencil. Newcomb then made these into watercolor reproductions and hung them in her bedroom so that the other Navajo would not be offended. After seeing that no punishment occurred, Klah then did an additional 27 paintings for her.
Over the years, Klah worked with a number of non-Indian scholars and allowed them to record his songs, ceremonies, stories, and sandpaintings. His only Navajo student – Beaal Begay – died suddenly in 1931 and so much of his knowledge was not passed on in the traditional Navajo way.
One of the Anglos who worked with Klah was Mary Cabot Wheelwright who founded the Museum of Navajo Ceremonial Art in 1937. She had been permitted to record many of Klah’s songs and erected the museum to preserve his medicine knowledge and his sacred objects. The museum is now known as the Wheelwright Museum. Until recently, the Museum displayed many of his drawings and paintings of sandpaintings as well as his sandpainting weavings. However, the Museum has restricted the display and reproduction of these items based on the recommendations of the Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Department’s Traditional Cultural Program Committee.
Our Sponsors
Our Sponsors this month are Bay Moon Design and BH Claysmith.
Please visit us tomorrow to see the prizes!
How to enter the Monthly Challenge:
1. You need to have a Pinterest account. Go get one ASAP if you don't have one already. It's easy, fun and inspiring.
2. Email us at absmonthlychallenge@gmail.com to get added to the monthly challenge board.
Subject: Monthly Challenge Board Request
You will be emailed an invite to the board within 48 hours. Accept the invite and you are ready to pin your entries.
3. Two ways to pin your entry to the board.
Pin your photo from the internet (on your blog, Etsy shop, etc.)
Add your photo directly from your computer
Create something using an art bead that fits within our monthly theme. We post the art to be used as your inspiration to create. This challenge is open to jewelry-makers, fiber artists, collage artist, etc. The art bead can be created by you or someone else. The challenge is to inspire those who use art beads and to see all the different ways art beads can be incorporated into your handiwork.
An Art Bead must be used in your piece to qualify for the monthly challenge.
***Beads strung on a chain, by themselves and beads simply added to wire or cord will not be accepted.***
Please add the tag or title AUG ABS to your photos. Include a short description, who created the art beads and a link to your blog, if you have one.
Deadline is August 31st.
You may upload 2 entries per month.
ENTRIES for ART BEAD ARTISTS!!
ENTRIES for ART BEAD ARTISTS!!
• Beads Makers Pinterest Board-Art beads must be created by you and fit the Art Bead Scene's monthly challenge theme. They can be made for the challenge or ones you have made before. 2 entries per month are allowed.
One entry will be picked by the editors each month for a free month of advertising on the Art Bead Scene. Bead entries have to be pinned by the 30th of the month.
Beads only - do not post jewelry on this board. If a post doesn't fit the challenge it will be deleted.
Monthly Challenge Recap
• Please post at least one single shot of your creation on the Pinterest Board. This will be used to make a collage for the Monthly Challenge Gallery. Every creation will be added to the collage, regardless of a blog post. So everyone gets included!Your entry must be on Pinterest 2 days BEFORE the recap to be included.
• Be sure to share with us the name of the art bead artist in the description of your photo so that if you are selected for the weekly Perfect Pairings on Wednesdays, both you as the designer and the art bead artist can get the credit you both deserve!
• An InLinkz button will be added to the bottom of the Monthly Challenge Recap post. Here you will be able to link up your blog post if you have one. It is no longer necessary to add your blog post URL to the description unless you want to. Be sure to hop around and see all the great inspiration and leave some comment love!
• The Monthly Challenge Recap with Blog Tour will be posted on August 31st.
Monthly Challenge Winners
• One prize winner will be selected at random from all pictures posted on the Pinterest board.• One prize winner will be selected at random from all blog posts added to the hop for the Monthly Challenge Recap post. So if you want to be in the pool for the second prize, be sure to use the InLinkz code at the bottom of the post to share your process and inspirations!
• Winners will be randomly chosen from all the qualifying entries on July 1st.
Perfect Pairings :: Designer + Art Bead Artist
• Formerly the Featured Designer of the Week, our new Perfect Pairings will focus on both the jewelry designer and the art bead artist.
• Be sure to point out all the art bead artists in your work in the description of the photo on the Pinterest Board. Links to their website or shop are appreciated. That way we can all find new art beads to love!
• From all the entries during the month, an editor will pick their favorite design to be featured every Wednesday here on ABS, so get those entries in soon.
• From all the entries during the month, an editor will pick their favorite design to be featured every Wednesday here on ABS, so get those entries in soon.
What is an Art Bead?
An art bead is a bead, charm, button or finding made by an independent artist. Art beads are the vision and handiwork of an individual artist. You can read more about art beads here.***A bead that is handmade is not necessarily an art bead. Hill Tribe Silver, Kazuri ceramic beads or lampwork beads made in factories are examples of handmade beads that are not considered art beads.
Beaded beads, stamped metal pendants or wire-wrapped components are not considered art beads for our challenge.***
Saturday, August 1, 2015
July Monthly Challenge Winners
Congratulations to the July Monthly Challenge winners!
:::
Our Second lucky winner is Susan Feldkamp.
Thank you Humblebeads, Celtcraft and Songbeads for being our July Monthly Challenge sponsors!
Winners, please E-Mail Tari, tari@claybuttons.com with your information (Name and address) so your prizes may be sent to you.
A Big THANK YOU to everyone who entered this month using "Still Life with Shells" by Balthasar van der Ast, as your inspiration. We were so fortunate to have so many beautiful entries and experience such creativity from our wonderful readers.
Visit us tomorrow to see what August's challenge brings.
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