A look back at our September featured artists

Thank you for visiting all of the great sites of our featured September World Artisan Gems. We have a growing mailing list with many people coming here to see the beautiful work of these talented emerging and established artisans and their newest creations.  Artisans featured here produce unique and one-of-a-kind artwork ~ don’t miss out ~ allow World Artisan Gems to be your guide to the most spectacular jewelry and glass art from around the world!  Thank you for spreading the word and showing your support for these talented independent artisans!

We will soon be featuring a section of this site dedicated to posting upcoming shows and events for our featured designers. Check back in the coming weeks for this page.

Elements Jewelry

Vampi Choy

Klewism

Good Quill Hunting

LunaverSoul

Galleria Divina

Imnium

Jean Power

Astrid Riedel

Julia Goland

Sarah Kelley

Sasha Magdic

Susan Stevens

Susan Stevens

Name: Susan Stevens

Website Link: www.hotrocksglassjewels.com

Where are you located? I live in Alberta, Canada.

Wild Thing

Tell us a bit about yourself: I have always been a creative type, drawing, painting, and beading as a young girl, and oh yes… the macramé stage as a teen! I remember by grandmother teaching me how to embroider, crochet, knit and sew from the age of about 6 years old. When I was 7 years old I used to collect beads, and buttons. Everything I collected was in a small grey metal box. I had a few little friends that also collected beads and we would spend our time trading our beads amongst ourselves. Much of my creative endeavors went on hold from the early age of 18, as I then had a daughter to take care of. By the age of 21, I had two children, and no time at all to spend on “hobbies.” So many years later, after raising two daughters of my own, and one stepdaughter, with only a ten year old son at home now, I have the time to devote to doing something that I enjoy.  I still love to paint, I enjoy photography, but designing jewelry is my passion. Now I collect quirky vintage kitchen items from the 40’s and 50 (the fruit and veggie items with little faces on them), as well as retro teapots, and cream and sugar bowls, and I adore vintage jewelry!

When and why did you begin creating your jewelry/art?  I started dabbling in jewelry making, about 3 years ago after taking one basic bracelet making class! I was immediately attracted to the vast array of beads that I could incorporate into my pieces, especially artisan lampwork glass beads. I began experimenting with different materials and wire, and became obsessed with the whole idea of designing jewelry!

What do you make? I create unique pieces of jewelry, ranging from whimsical to elegant. I name each bracelet and necklace that I design after a song.

What materials and methods do you use? I search for beautifully made artisan glass lampwork beads, which are little works of art in themselves, as well as vintage beads, handcrafted Bali and Thai silver beads, semi precious stones, pearls and mainly sterling silver wire with the occasional use of gold wire. I love using rare Swarovski crystals from the 1940’s and 50’s, for that touch of retro glamour!

Where do your design inspirations come from? My designs are inspired from nature, the way a vine grows, or the colors of fall, a vacation on the coast, a walk in the woods, a song,  fashion, interior design, the colors of  pebbles on a beach…so much beauty and many interesting things surround us, that it is easy to be inspired.

What is your best working environment/where is your studio? My studio is here at home, and I usually like to listen to music while I create.

Where can your products be seen?  My Website, Etsy, Blog, and Flickr

Upcoming events: The Redwood Meadows Christmas and Fine Art Sale: Nov 14-16 2008

Who are you a fan of? There are so many fantastic jewelry designers out there! I admire anyone who steps out of the box and creates something unique and original. I also have extreme admiration for the talented lampwork artisans, who create the little works of art that I like to include in my designs.

Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations:  This bracelet cuff was a commissioned piece, inspired by a summer day. It incorporates, a fabulous dragonfly glass lampwork bead, vintage Swarovski crystals, pearls, glass beads, and lots of my own wire wrapped coils, spirals and curls, in sterling silver and gold that represent the vines and tendrils of an overgrown plant.

 

Saša Magdić -Sasha

Name: Saša Magdić (Sasa Magdic)-Sasha

Website Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashasjewelry  http://littlelyra.deviantart.com/

Where are you located? Dugo Selo, small town near Zagreb, capital of Croatia

Tell us a bit about yourself: I’m 31, married with a love of my life and we have a beautiful 4 year old daughter. We live in a country which I love because most of my life I’ve lived in the city  just waiting for the opportunity to  escape into the nature. I work in insurance agency as an insurance consultant which is very boring position and work. So as I am a very creative person I needed to express myself in some way, and I found myself totally in making and designing jewelry. I have finished a course for jewelry designer and I got my diploma for it. I learned really good stuff there and I just need to save some money to buy all that I need for making a real silver and gold jewelry. The relevant thing is already here in my head (techniques and small catches about jewelry). Need to just earn some money and my dream will come true.

When and why did you begin designing jewelry/art? One year ago I started with wire work and I totally fell in love with it. This is really something that calms me down, something that I enjoy to do…

What do you make? I make earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, brooches even a picture frames with wire, almost everything, you name it….only sky is the limit..

What materials and methods do you use? The technique I use for making my jewelry is wire wrapping. I love semi precious stones so I use them in my jewelry pieces. Of course, without stainless steel wire there wouldn’t be any of my jewelry. I must say that most of my jewelry is oxidized, I love that oldish (ancient)  style, can’t help it. I’m very happy that I can announce that I’m in transition. I’m just about to put my stainless steel wire to a rest an start a new era with 925 and 999 silver wire and later even gold….and all the allergic people say…..Go baby go baby ..GO  Go . .(ha ha kidding, but not… really).

Where do your design inspirations come from? Oh my, tough question. Well, I really don’t know ..It’s just something that is constantly in me, and pops out from time to time. And when it pops out I can do anything …almost anything. I think that the inspiration is in me, in my joy, in my sorrow, in my laughter ,in my cry ,in the felling I get when my little girl kisses me and in the way my love looks at me….for me that is the real inspiration.

What is your best working environment/where is your studio? My studio is at my home and I really cannot imagine  better working environment for me. Really, I live there, I’m happy there, sometimes (rarely) sad and, like I said, I find my inspiration in me and in my life. It’s obviously why that is a perfect creative and inspiring place for me.

The Exclusive Necklace

Where can your products be seen?

Flickr  and Deviant Art

Who are you a fan of? I’m totally a fan of jewelry maker/artist, Magdalena Borejko. I just adore her work, she’s really amazing .

Price range: $30- $200

Tell us  a little about one of your favorite creations: Well, “My Blossom” necklace (shown below)  is one of my favorites. It took me three days to finish. Inspiration for this necklace just popped out in my head while I was looking at the TV and drinking my favorite Nesscafe. And that was it, instantly I had to get up and start wrapping and putting the semi-precious stones on the chain. Three days later there it was…The real beauty, made with stainless steel wire, opalite, fluorite, silver beads and some Czech glass teardrop beads. All made by my two hands. This necklace has been chosen as a DD (means Daily Deviant-work of the day) on a DeviantArt community web page. That was a real compliment for me, and I was honored that those great artistic people have chosen me and my work to be featured as a DD. Thanks to them once again 🙂

 

My Blossom

Sarah Kelley

eclectic jewelry for eclectic peopleName: Sarah Kelley

Website Link: http://thebeadedlily.etsy.com

Where are you located? I was born, raised and still live just outside of Savannah GA.

Kaleidoscope VI

Tell us a bit about yourself:

I’m a self-taught southern gal with a needle, a pair of pliers and an intense love for art, beads and jewelry. I believe that uniformity and conformity are overrated, that less is less, in the value of the unique, individual, ornamental and simple, and in the humanity of art. I also believe that artisan jewelry is particularly special because it’s collaborative. It connects the maker of the beads, with the maker of the piece, with the person who chooses that piece to say something about themselves. It connects us through time and space.

Ocean of Storms

When did you start designing jewelry/art?  I’ve always played with arts and crafts, but I started seriously beading about 15 years ago. It was a scary time for me. My grandmother was in the hospital because of a brain aneurysm and my cousin’s bead stash was incredibly therapeutic. I never did follow directions so I was sort of designing right out of the door– not good designs, of course! Beading broke my lifelong streak of adopting and abandoning artistic hobbies.

What do you make? I have eclectic tastes and my work reflects that. My strung work is very much influenced by whatever beads I’m using, but it tends to be bold and colorful more often than not, and very raw, with a focus on rough or hand cut gems, handformed findings and artisan elements.
My wirework is straightforward and simple, very, very primitive with a generally clean and light feel. My beadwork is my ‘what if’ collection. Lots of color and movement, lots of freeform and texture and abstraction. I’m experimenting with it more often than not.

What materials and methods do you use? When asked what my favorite materials were, I once replied ‘holes.’ And that’s really true. Anything that has a hole is fair game if I think it’s pretty. I love organic things like seeds, bones and carapaces. I love beads that another artist made. I have a definite preference for the older arts, though, and materials like glass, clay and metal that have been around for centuries. The same is true of methods and techniques. In my wirework I consciously focus on ancient styles and techniques. In my beadwork I haven’t gone beyond the basic stitches and freeform.

Where do your design inspirations come from?

With my strung work it’s beads, colors, cultures, and intuitive connections between the elements. With my wirework it’s primitive designs seen in museums or history books, but also I get a lot of customer feedback. People will see my style and then say I like this and this, but I want this, and I make it and there, I’ve expanded my line. Or we’ve expanded my line. With the beadwork it’s more of a thematic thing. I’m part of a beadweaving group called the Etsy Beadweavers and we have monthly themed challenges and my designs are a combination of the announced theme, my own taste and whatever materials I have on hand or can afford to buy that month. But again, we’re talking color, texture, culture and beads.
 
What is your best working environment/where is your studio? I like to work in quiet or with something on the TV that I’ve seen so many times that I can just listen and don’t have to watch. Nothing too stimulating. But my studio is a corner table in the living room that is usually so covered in bead stuff that I’m on the couch or floor so I’m at the mercy of whoever’s home or gets to the TV first.

Kaleidoscope V

Where can your products be seen? Besides Etsy, I generally put new stuff up on my blog and Flickr accounts. Sometimes to my DA or TD accounts.  Blog  deviantART  TalentDatabase 
 
Upcoming events:  Savannah Market Bazaar Sept.13

Magazine articles or press: I’ve been featured on a few blogs the latest of which was a short introduction on the Bead Art Originals Blog.

Who are you a fan of? That’s so non-specific and could be a really long list! I’ll restrict myself to the bead artists but I’m on Etsy so a better question might be who aren’t you a fan of! I love Linda Rettich’s work and Heidi Kummli’s. JoAnne Zekowski makes incredible glass beads. All the fabulous ladies at Bead Art Originals do fabulous things with their mediums.
 
Price range: Currently $9 to $450

Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations: That’s another tough one. I’m bad at picking one. I’ll make it easy and just go with my latest beadwoven piece with a wirework element. Links exemplifies much of what I’ve already said. It’s not really a stitch but totally freeform with an interesting mix of colors. It has a bone, and carapaces, an artisan lampwork bead, citrine rough and the wirework element which is primitive while providing color, move, negative space and sound. The whole piece has a very primitive, almost mystic feel. 

Links

Julia Goland

Forest Nymph

Name:  Julia Goland

Website Link: http://julishland.deviantart.com/     http://picasaweb.google.ru/julishland

Where are you located? Israel

Tell us a bit about yourself: I’m 26 years old. I’m the person that always in search of itself. I am a very impulsive and emotional person and it’s helped me  in my work.  I love to collect different beautiful, non-standard and not necessarily useful things.

When did you begin designing jewelry/art?  Four years ago

What made you choose this type of art? My great-grandmother was an actress in the theatre and she was a very creative person – she always used to  make all her costume jewelry by herself. When I was a child, I found her jewelry box and I was amazed by the  beauty of this jewelry  and  I  decided to do something myself. I took my mother’s old beads and created from it a bracelet and necklace. When I have shown it to my mom, it became a big scandal;  because I have unstring an antique pearls necklace which my great-grandfather had brought from Germany. So… it was my first experience in jewelry making. I think, that this  in many ways was my first step to my present work.

What materials and methods do you use?  Mainly  leather, but I also  use a lot of other materials, like wire, beads, polymerclay, it may be even something that isn’t necessarily intended for jewelry making like a  floristic accessories or packing materials.  And as for  methods… I don’t follow any tutorials or instructions, I love experimenting  with material possibilities, basic leatherwork  techniques that I use are burning, cutting and dyeing.

Where do your design inspirations come from? From a lot of things around me – from nature, historical jewelry,  fashion,  etc.

What is your best working environment/where is your studio? My studio is in my flat. It’s very disorderly place and all over the flat you can find different stuff, leather cords, paint, beads, unfinished jewelry or something else.

Where can your products be seen?  Deviant Art and Picasa web

Are you a fan of any jewelry artisans? I’m not the fan of any concrete jewelry artisan but  I’m a big fan of contemporary jewelry style

Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations: My favorite creation always the latest one. In this case it’s the “Morning in the forest” necklace (seen below).

Morning in the Forest

Astrid Riedel

Internal

Name: Astrid Riedel

Website Link: Flickr     Etsy

Where are you located?  South Africa

Silvered Beauty

 

Tell us a bit about yourself: Well, originally I am from the Netherlands, but immigrated with my parents many years ago to South Africa, where I still live currently, with my husband and 2 children, and a dog called Sherlock!

Little Ponds

 

When did you start designing jewelry/art? I have been creating glass beads since 2003 and am enjoying it tremendously, my original training lies in Goldsmithing  which I have practiced many years, but bead making has taken over my passion.

What do you make? Glass beads 
What materials and methods do you use? I use mostly Moretti glass and other special silver glasses. I love using silver foil, copper mesh, copper leaf, and enamels.

 

Where do your design inspirations come from? I don’t think I have a specific style, because I enjoy trying out as many new ideas as possible, it keeps me challenged and moving forward. I’m inspired by the colors of the flowers and creatures around me, and there are certainly other glass bead artists who inspire me too. 

Floating

What is your best working environment/where is your studio? My studio is at home, I have a wonderful loft area where I spend many hours creating my beads.

 

 

 

 

Where can your products be seen? You can find me on Ebay  and on Etsy by  name, and you can view my beads anytime on my Flickr site and BeadArtists.org

Who are you a fan of? Many of my fellow bead artists

Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations: Each new creation seems to be my favorite! But I like the feather bead a lot, I think the style is unique to me and I found it amazing how the glass interacted with each other to give it a real feathery appearance.

feather bead

Jean Power

 

 

Name: Jean Power

Website Link: www.jeanpower.com 

Where are you located?  London, England

Tell us a bit about yourself: I currently work as the editor of a bead magazine and when not working on this I teach beading and jewellery making as well as write articles and projects for other publications and for sale directly through my website. I am also working hard on my third jewellery/ beading book. When not working or beading I also love other crafts and arts including painting, felt-making, polymer clay, crochet and the list goes on!

 

Pearl & Crystal Brooch

When did you begin designing jewelry/art?

I have long pursued crafts and arts but around 7 years ago I really discovered beading and my love for it was instant.

What made you choose this type of art? I love the beads themselves: their colours, shapes, sizes and sparkle. I am endless fascinated by beading techniques and how they can be experimented with and adapted and enjoy playing around with the limitations that the beads themselves put on techniques and my ideas.

What do you make? Mainly beaded jewellery but also wirework, embroidery and chain maille items.

What materials and methods do you use? I use a mix of all types of beads from tiny glass seed beads to large plastic beads with every sort of gemstone, bead and bauble along the way- I love them all equally! However for a few years I have primarily focused on my Geometric Beadwork Series which is best made using cylinder beads.

Serpentine cabachon cuff

Where do your design inspirations come from? I am mainly inspired by geometry and how the beads want to fit together. But I am also inspired by nature and items around me.

What is your best working environment/where is your studio? I work from home with my beadwork on a tray on my lap listening to music or the radio or watching films or tv. These beading trays do tend to travel around the house though and I always have a few different projects on the go at once.

Upcoming events: My new book will be published around August 2009 and I will be launching a new range of kits towards the end of 2008.

Magazine articles or press:  I have had quite a few projects published in a variety of different magazines both in the US and the UK. My work has appeared in the magazines Beadwork, Bead & Button, Step-By-Step Wire, Step-By-Step Beads and Jewelry Crafts as well as Bead Magazine which I edit.

 

Geometric 3-4-3

Are you a fan of any jewelry artisans?

I’m a huge fan of most types of jewellery! But because my heart is with beads it is beadwork artists who come to mind. There are many of them whose work I admire, adore, covet and often wish I had created: Suzanne Golden, Christine Marie Noguerre, Lynn Davy, Merle Berelowitz, Joyce Scott, Kerrie Slade, David Chatt, Maggie Meister, Laura McCabe, Robin Atkins, Rebeka Hodous and Ann Tevepaugh Mitchell.

Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations: My favourite pieces are my recent ‘star necklaces’ which are individually called Geometric 2.8.1, 2.8.2, 2.8.5 and 2.8.6. of these I think my favourite is 2.8.2 as it is so striking- but this choice varies daily.

geometric-2-8-2

Anything else you wish to add?  The only thing better than beading, reading about or buying beads is bringing beading to others whether through teaching, sharing or writing. Don’t keep your talents to yourself: share with others and spread the word.

Ivona Posavi Psak or IMNIUM

Name: Ivona Posavi Psak or IMNIUM

Website Link: http://ipimnium.blog.hr/

Where are you located? Croatia

Tell us a bit about yourself:  Well I’m 28 years old, live in Croatia and am trying to make it with jewelry. It is not easy, maybe even more so than in many other countries (we had a war 16 years ago, the standard was very low and still is), we were far behind the  modern world until a couple of years ago (internet connections were very rare, there were no craft stores) and we still do not have many things here which are considered normal in the USA (like 925 silver wire). When I started making jewelry I had no internet, no books and no formal education. there are still no jewelry workshops here. I had to improvise and learn everything by myself, so it took me quite some time but at least now I can mix, match and combine all of those “techniques” without any books or tutorials.

Rainforest

When and why did you begin designing jewelry/art? Jewelry – some 8 years ago and art (or “art”) for as long as I can remember (my mother and grandmother both paint). When I was a kid I found my grandma’s book on crafts but back then there were no supplies available here so I had to wait… I used to play with my mother’s seed beads; she had one single glass tube of various beads. Back in high school I spent most of my free time drawing, painting, designing clothes, drawing posters for concerts, etc…  why? I have an overwhelming need to create things. Jewelry, paintings, sculptures, clothes, interior design, anything! and I won’t stop as long as I’m alive 😀

What do you make? For now I make all sorts of jewelry. from small earrings to very large necklaces. pretty much whatever I feel like making at the moment.  In the near future I’ll start painting and sculpting again and I might start making hats/clothes if everything works out as planned (*fingerscrossed*).

What materials and methods do you use? Materials – mostly glass, semiprecious stones, Swarovski crystals and Czech fire polished beads for now. I’m working on importing other materials which are not yet available in Croatia. Methods – various. Any method/combination of methods which gets the job done (that’s why it is so hard for me to explain how I made something).

Where do your design inspirations come from? I’d say it is present all the time. It doesn’t come, it’s here… so many things to do and so little time.

What is your best working environment/where is your studio? Ha, this is a tricky question 😀 I’m not a homeowner yet so I work in a small room. I hope I’ll have a studio of my own one day… but I can work anywhere you put me. Some of my biggest pieces were made on the beach. I take my beads everywhere with me. People already know me as “the one with the beads” 😀 It really doesn’t matter because when I create I’m in my own world 😉

crown of thorns

Where can your products be seen?  

Deviant Art   Blog and a professional web page coming soon…

Upcoming events: I’ll keep it secret for the time being 😉

Magazine articles or press: None so far

Who are you a fan of?  Nobody yet. I like/admire many jewelry artists but I wouldn’t say I’m a fan

 

Price range: mmmh… well, to this day my jewelry has been priced between 5$ and 800$. Each new elaborate piece is even bigger than the last one and I’m using better quality materials so my prices will probably rise in the future.

Tell us  a little about one of your favorite creations: Imperial – This is my favorite set (the bracelet is not on the pic). it took me two months to make it and it weighs over a kilo. all hematite over a seed bead base. I like it because it is cold, heavy, metallic and not all that feminine but looks smashing when worn (with a LBD if possible), even regal perhaps. it makes a statement and can’t be overlooked –  but without being kitschy. Anyways, here it is:

Imperial

Antonija Gospic

Amber Lady

Name:  Antonija Gospic

Website Link: www.galleriadivina.com  http://faeriedivine.deviantart.com

Where are you from? Zadar, Croatia

Tell us a bit about yourself: I’m 28, live in Zadar, Croatia, and work as an editor/journalist/photographer for the local newsportal of my hometown www.ezadar.hr. I study art history & anthropology at University of Zadar (3rd year), and still as a hobby make creative stuff – jewelry, purses, clothes…

Azure bonds

When and why did you begin designing jewelry/art?

Nine years ago, I think… Started with polymer clay and now I’m totally into wirework. I also like simple clay, but mostly I prefer wire

What do you make? Everything of jewelry – necklaces, bracelets, bangles, earrings, headpieces sometimes. I also make other accessories like bags & purses, scarves (for sale too), and unique clothes (but for myself, not for sale). Two years ago I started doing some photography too.

What materials and methods do you use? I prefer stainless steel wire, and silver wire (but it’s very expensive here in Croatia and very hard to get), glass, semiprecious stones, clay (coloured with acrylic paint), all kinds of textiles, cord, actually everything that I found interesting to play with.

 

 

Where do your design inspirations come from? From lots of things around me – music, movies, fairytales, modern fashion designs, nature… I’m a big fan of history and fantasy and everything related to it (movies, art, music), so I guess that inspires me the most. I study Art history, so that inspires me a lot too, especially Medieval & Art Nouveau period

What is your best working environment/where is your studio?  Well, here and there 🙂 I live in a flat and don’t have much space for all my stuff, so I carry wire & beads everywhere around, which drives my husband crazy 😉

Where can your products be seen?  My website, DeviantArt community, Photography

Upcoming events: Christmas 2008 (local fair) 

Telperion and Laurelin

Magazine articles or press:

Two articles in local newspapers ‘Zadarski list’ (don’t have them scanned)
On the internet: T-Portal

Peachy

 

Who are you a fan of?

J.R.R. Tolkien (literature), Simphonyc metal & rock music, ethno and classical music, art history in general… Jewelry artists: Eni Oken, Iza Malczyk, Krista Raak, Elly Pieper… and many more

Price range: From $5 to $200

Tell us  a little about one of your favorite creations: It’s hard for me to choose just one, cause I’m attached to few pieces. But I’ll select ‘Moonlight flower’ (seen below), which is one of my favourite pieces because it was made especially for the fantasy fashion show that took place at the Istrakon SF convention in Pazin. I wanted to make something really fairy, and I was so happy how it turned out, because I made it 100% spontaneously, without any clue what the design will be at the end. I used simple stainless steel wire, glass in multiple colours and moonstones.

Moonlight Flower

Camisha Jackson – LunaVersoul

Name: Camisha Jackson

Website Link: http://lunaversoul.etsy.com     http://www.lunaversoul.com/

Where are you located? Seattle, Washington

AfriChic earrings

Tell us a bit about yourself:  I am a 3D graphic artist/Fine artist with a passion for Jewelry & Interior design.  I am mother of one son, a bright, fun loving 11 year old… well let’s make that two; I can’t forget my dog, a Shiba Inu named Atreyu.   My interests include fashion, accessories, art, music and I am a certified shopaholic!

Gaia bracelet

When and why did you begin designing jewelry/art?

I started designing jewelry about one year ago because I was tired of not being able to find jewelry that fit my style. On a whim I purchased some beads and made my first bracelet and it took off from there.

What do you make? I make unique handmade necklaces, bracelets and earrings that are funky, eclectic and soulful with a touch of ethnic flair.  Many of my pieces are one of a kind, which I love because you know that you are wearing a beautiful piece of jewelry that no one else has.

Winter Solstice necklace

What materials and methods do you use?  In my jewelry I use beads, wire, fabric, thread, metal, brass, semi-precious stones, wood, and organic items (i.e., seeds, nuts, feathers).

Azucar earrings

Where do your design inspirations come from?  My inspirations come from elements of nature and different cultures from around the world.  I feel that a small part of my personality is reflected in each piece of my work.  I also draw inspiration from different colors and architectural shapes I see around me.

Zahra bracelet set

Where can your products be seen?
Etsy, Website, Myspace

Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations:  One of my favorite creations would be my Zaira necklace (below). I really like this particular piece because I wanted to try something different. I started experimenting with the different materials and came up with a piece that I think is unique and stylish.

 

 

Zaira Necklace

 

 

 

We love the earthy look of your beautiful jewelry pieces. Great work and thanks for the interview.

Christina Neit – Good Quill Hunting

Name: Christina Neit

Website Link: http://goodquillhunting.com & http://wenchwares.com

Where are you located? Limerick, Maine

Tell us a bit about yourself: I am a 45 year old mother of 4, ranging in ages from 8-25.  When I was 6 years old, I started learning needlework and have done mayny types of needlework over my lifetime.  I have a wonderful and supportive partner, Dave, who is really the reason for my being able to pursue this at all.

When and why did you begin designing jewelry/art? I started beading jewelry 3 years ago. I have been working towards self employment for the last 15 years and one day I acquired some porcupine quills. I remembered as a child having some quill earrings and thought I would make a pair. Needless to say, I ventured off from there. I had played with a small loom when I was very very young, loved it then and now wonder why I never did it again until a few years ago and also have to wonder where I would be now if I had stayed with it.

Summer Moon earrings

What do you make? My specialties are seed bead, quill and horsehair jewelry.  I also design patterns and assemble kits and I am working on getting those on my website, although I do sell them at my shows.  In addition, I also make all my own jewelry displays and my websites.

What materials and methods do you use? I like lots of different materials.  As you can see from my work, I use everything from seed beads to horsehair, quills,  claws, & feathers. I love doing all types of beadwork, from bead weaving, looming and bead embroidery. I mix it up to keep me inspired. 

Where do your design inspirations come from? My inspiration is very vast! I design my own websites, make my own displays, take my own photos, add to that all the jewelry I have made, so I have a constant eye open looking for inspiration for all those things and trust me, I see it everywhere I look!

What is your best working environment/where is your studio? I work in my living room primarily, or at my computer. I can really work anywhere and often have a project going, be it in the car or on the street when I am being a ‘street vendor.’

Royalty

Where can your products be seen? I teach and am a vendor at beadfiesta.com. I can also be seen in the Old Port in Portland, Maine as a street vendor and I am working on getting into some Renaissance Faires in my area and of course, my work can be seen and purchased on my websites.

Earth

Upcoming events:
Bead Fiesta (vendor & classes)
The Beadin’ Path (classes)
Beads on The Kennebec (classes)

Magazine articles or press:
BEAD TRENDS Magazine Premier Issue Nov/Dec ‘07 (pg 24)
Online Broadcast/Interview May 11, 2008 with The Jewelry Connection.

Who are you a fan of? I have a very long list of those I admire on my blog.

Price range: $5.00-$2500.00

Tell us  a little about one of your favorite creations: Dragonheart is my favorite and most current bead embroidery. I love this piece because I really love the colors and the way it ended up being finished.  It thoroughly pleases my eyes and I have gotten many kind words for this piece! It was also a Daily Deviation in Deviant Art.

Dragonheart

We enjoyed viewing your website and your wonderful artwork!

Lindsey Bucklew – Klewism

Name:  Lindsey Bucklew

Website Link:    www.klewism.com      www.klewism.etsy.com

Katie's Necklace

Tell us a bit about yourself: I’m an extreme example of the ‘left-handed’ person with ‘right-brain’ hemisphere dominance.  I love asymmetry in nature  and labyrinthine detail with no easily discernible organization.  I’m captivated by animals, music, audio books, and ancient history.  I collect trinkets with sentimental or visual  interest and often use them, perhaps years later, in a painting, collage, or piece of jewelry.  I gravitate towards anything fantastic or eccentric, over the structured and streamlined.

Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

When did you start designing jewelry/art? I’ve been creating things since early childhood.  I come from an artistically inclined family, so drawing, painting, & embellishing were natural pastimes.  Jewelry is a new love.  I started working with wire in 2006, because I wanted to wear jewelry I made myself with elements meaningful to me.  When I started working with wire, and realized the expressive capacity of the medium, I couldn’t get enough!    I was seduced by the tactile pleasure of making wire jewelry from then on. 

What do you make?  I make extremely intricate, one-of-a-kind pieces of wearable art.

What materials and methods do you use? I use just about anything in my jewelry:  wire, buttons, beads, rhinestones, screws, nuts, bolts, bones, shells, vintage jewelry fragments, buckles, drawer handles, photos, paintings, fresh water pearls, needles, and semi-precious stones. Then the jewelry just “happens.”  I just start working and the piece evolves organically as I go.  It’s a stream-of-consciousness process that I really only try to analyze in retrospect.  I call it creative improvisation.

 

Stacey's ring

Where do your design inspirations come from? I’m inspired by the natural world, especially the details.  The infinite network of wrinkles and ridges on human skin, the endless variations in pattern and texture on the bark of a tree, the fur of an animal, the contours of a seashell…  I’m transfixed by the simultaneously harmonious and distinctive qualities of ‘ordinary’ outside objects:  the paradox that obvious repetitive patterns are always full of anomalies,

What is your best working environment/where is your studio?  My favorite studio space was in a large derelict basement.  It looked like it could be haunted.  The concrete floor was uneven and cracked.  It flooded when there was a heavy rain, and there would be ‘lakes’ in the depressed concrete for several days thereafter.  But I always had privacy, the freedom to decorate the environment crazily, and plenty of room to work on many projects at once. 
Now I have a smaller, less eccentric work place, but the magic still happens.

Sea sculpture

Where can your products be seen?  My Website, Etsy shop, and Flickr photos

Tell us  a little about one of your favorite creations: The “Helen of Troy” necklace is one of the most labour intensive pieces I’ve ever constructed.  I always listen to audio books while I make jewelry, and I got through “Anna Karenina,” “A Tale of Two Cities,” and “War and Peace” (all unabridged recordings, of course) before I finished. That means that it took well over 100 solid work hours to make.  It was the first time I made anything so intricate.  It’s exciting to see the reactions of women who try on the necklace. Often a woman will be in the middle of a sentence to the effect of “I tend to be a minimalist in terms of accessories,” only to pause, gasp, and stare at herself in the mirror for several seconds as if she just saw herself as a goddess, and then to say “with a simple black dress, this would be stunning…”

Helen of Troy

We were excited to feature your unique and unbelievable work here. Thank your for interviewing with us.

Vampi Choy

Fossil

Name: Vampi Choy

Website Link: http://vampsart.com

Where are you located? Richmond, Texas

Tell us a bit about yourself: I am 38 years old and I moved down here from Canada to marry my husband in 2003. We share our home with a little twit of a hairball, Fishhook.

Rose cuff

When and why did you begin designing jewelry/art? I was suffering from chronic depression and bipolar disorder when I came upon my mothers stash of beads and sequins. Mom had a small amount of different beads, Czech, acrylic, resin, and it just hit me that I could probably bead up a picture of a koi fish. I really don’t know where the idea came from, I just know it was a long time coming. After 4 days of continuous beading, I had my first bead embroidered piece and from there I was obsessed.

What do you make? Mostly jewelry, but when I need a break, I’ll try my hand at small bags and accessories. Right now I’m working on a unity candle cover for my step-daughters upcoming wedding.

Spanish cuff

 

 

What materials and methods do you use? Mostly seed beads, but I’ve grown to encompass crystals, shells and whatever can be glued down or sewn down or has a hole in it. I prefer bead embroidery, but freeform stitches are my second love. There’s no structure, no pattern, and no boundaries.

Where do your design inspirations come from? I honestly have no idea. It’s usually colors that dictate the design and what is going to be made. I get color combinations in my head that won’t stop weaving in and out of my brain until I at least make a bracelet out of those colors. If the colors still flow through my brain after that, then a necklace is usually in the making.

What is your best working environment/where is your studio? We just purchased our first (and only) home, so I’ve got my own 12×12 ‘craft room’. I don’t really call it a studio because it doesn’t really strike me as such. I prefer to work in the craft room because it has the best lighting for what I do and I’ve got everything I need there.

Where can your products be seen?    The Beaders Showcase, My Website, and Deviant Art

Upcoming events: I am taking part in the Houston Bead Society Annual Bazaar on November 7th to 9th, 2008

Serenity

Magazine articles or press: 

Exploring Beaded Art Dolls, Cindy McCornack – Violet doll
Embroidered bead collar, Bead & Button, October 2003
Embroidery with Beads booklet, Bead & Button, 2004
The Healing Powers of Beading, Jewelry Crafts, December 2005
Your Work, Bead & Button, February 2008 – Garden of Miss Content collar

Who are you a fan of? There’s quite a few… Sabina Anderson, Heidi Kummli, Sherry Serafini, Laura McCabe, Rebekah Hodous, Tina Koyama, Yulia Crystal, and a lot lot more. I find new bead artists every day, who inspire and astound me.

Price range: $75 and up.

Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations: My favorites change with each piece I make. I think my favorite for right now would be my ‘Garden of Miss Content’ collar. The colors are just so soft and spring like and the Regency Rose cab is just spellbinding.

Garden of Miss Content

Anything else you wish to add here:  I just wanted to add that beading isn’t a hobby for me, nor is it quite a profession. It’s something that I literally need to do. This is what I do to keep my mind healthy and focused. I do believe that everyone in this world has a creative streak in them… they just have to find it 🙂

 

We are so glad you found those beads and you chose this type of art, it appears by the beauty of your art, it was a perfect choice for you.

Sue Lawrence-Nester Elements Jewelry

Name: Sue Lawrence-Nester

Website Link: www.elementsjewelry.etsy.com

Where are you located? Galax, Virginia

Tell us a bit about yourself:  I have always been referred to as an “artsy-crafty” person. I am the kind of person who sees something and says I can make that and I do. When a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis knocked the wind out of my sails I turned to wire-working and beading as a way to regain control over my life. I use the creative process as a means of pain suppression. This gives a whole new meaning to the term “workaholic.”  When I am designing and fabricating my jewelry I become so focused that I really don’t feel the pain of the arthritis.

When did you start designing jewelry/art? Since 2004 I have been creating art jewelry which I sell online and at local festivals.

What do you make? I tend to make one of kind pieces of jewelry. I also make limited edition series like my PMC Kanji Heart Pins. However, I have friends and associates who want me to branch out into 2 or 3 production lines.

 

What materials and methods do you use? I fabricate pieces in copper, sterling, and precious metal clay. I create pieces using wire-working and wire-wrapping techniques. One of my favorite materials to use in wirework is a handcrafted lampwork bead(s). I love to take a set of beads and showcase them in my particular style. The two newest areas that I am venturing into are enameling on PMC and chain making. PMC is the perfect medium for enameling. Enameling compliments the designs that I create. As for chain making, I am trying to develop a signature chain for my pendants and necklaces. It is a work in process.

Where do your design inspirations come from? That is a difficult question to answer. The inspiration comes from the beads I use as well as the semi-precious gemstones that I use. I tend to let the beads or stones speak for themselves. I rarely go to make a piece with a specific outcome in mind. Yes, there are a few exceptions like my Galax leaves which I purposely set out to create, however for the most part the design just flows out according to project.

What is your best working environment/where is your studio?  I physically work in my “basement studio” and it is not a place that I would actually ask anyone to come in and see as I am a very chaotic organizer. My working environment is typically anywhere I happen to be at any given time. I am always thinking, jotting down, sometimes sketching, everywhere I go. It is unusual for me not to have some project or parts of a project in my satchel that I can pull out and work on while waiting during appointments.

Where can your products be seen? You can find me on Etsy and my blog.

Upcoming events: I can’t believe that it is almost September with Christmas looming in the distance.
September 13 & 14, 2008 Galax, Virginia:  Matthews Farm Quilt Show
September 20 & 21, 2008 Pearisburg, Virginia: Bicentennial Celebration Quilt Show
October 25 & 25, 2008 Winston-Salem, NC:  Sawtooth School for Visual Art: Have your way with wire workshop
November 28 & 29 2008 Hillsville, Virginia: VFW Christmas Bazaar
December 3-7, 2008 Winston-Salem, NC:  Sawtooth School for Visual Art: Deck the Halls.
January/February 2009 Kitty Hawk, NC: Trunk show details to be announced.

 

Magazine articles or press:  Not yet, but I am working on a press release announcing that I have been certified through the Rio Rewards Program as a Level 1 PMC Instructor.

 

Who are you a fan of? Tim McCrieght, Jinks McGrath, Joanna Gollberg, Marcia Macdonald, CeCe Wire, Chris Darway, Celie Fago.

Price range: $20-$500

 

Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations (seen below): Out of the clear blue, my best friend from Pearisburg, Virginia, Debbi Williams Evans called me in July 2008. She asked me to create a piece of jewelry for the silent auction during the Giles County High School class of 1973 reunion. The money raised by the auction was going towards the purchase of a memorial bench. So that is where the idea for this piece originated.
I thought long and hard about what would be a good “subject” for a reunion oriented piece. Then it hit that Angel’s Rest, the mountain that overlooks Pearisburg is also the backdrop for graduation every year. So, I chose Angel’s Rest because not only has it born witness to the common history of the class of ’73 but it witnessed the histories of the families and community that came before and after.

Angel's Rest

Anything else you wish to add? On August 24, 2008 I was certified through the Rio Rewards program as a Level 1 PMC instructor. I hope to start teaching classes through the Chestnut Creek School of the Arts located in my home town of Galax, Virginia.

Thank you for your interview and much congratulations on your Rio Rewards instructor certification.