Posted by learntobead on June 16, 2013
Anatomy of a Necklace: The Yoke
A necklace, or any type of jewelry, has a structure and anatomy. Each part has its own set of purposes, functions and aesthetics. Understanding each type of structure or physical part is important to the designer.
Let’s focus on one part today – The Yoke. The Yoke is one section of the Strap which is the part around the back of the neck, including the Clasp Assembly.
To what extent, during your design process, do you divide your necklace into its anatomical parts, in order to have more strategic control over its design?
In an average necklace, how long should the Yoke be? What proportional length relative to the rest of the strap should this be?
How do you determine the design and placement of beads or connectors along the Yoke, given that most of it would either not be particularly visible, or not often-visible when worn?
The Yoke continues into the section of the Strap called the Frame. There are always transitional issues here? Do you have any strategies for managing these transitions? When your piece moves from Yoke to Frame, do you find yourself doing anything special at this point?
Do you prefer your Yoke to be visually distinct from the Frame? Or more organically connected, perhaps not distinguished at all?
Do you use any special visual cues to signal to the viewer that the piece is moving from Yoke to Frame – placement of special connector? Or change in bead size? Or change in Color? Or Pattern? How do you know where to place these visual cues?
To what extent should the Yoke be integral to the design of the whole piece, or, on the other hand, be supplemental to the whole piece?
Too often, when the designer does not recognize the Yoke as distinct from the Frame – even if the transition is to be very subtle – less-than-satisfying things happen. Proportions may be off. The piece may not lay or sit as envisioned. The strap may have too much embellishment going to high up the strap. Sometimes the balance between Yoke and Frame is off – too much Yoke and not enough Frame.
So, what do you think? What do you do? What things can be done?
To summarize the anatomy of a necklace:
We can envision the Anatomy of the Necklace to include these parts:
Yoke: Part around the neck. Typically 6-7”, including the clasp assembly
Clasp Assembly: Part of the Yoke. This includes all the pieces it takes, including a clasp, in order to attach your beadwork to your clasp.
Break: Transition from Yoke to Frame, usually at the collar bone on either side of the neck.
Frame: The “line” seen on the front of the wearer, demarcating a “silhouette,” and connecting to the Yoke on each side, at the Break. On a 16” necklace, this would typically be around 9-10” long.
Bi-Furcated Frame: A Frame visually split in half, usually at the center and in two equal parts, with a centerpiece focal bead or pendant drop in the center.
Focal Point: While not every necklace has a focal point, most do. The Focal Point gives the viewer’s eye a place to rest or focus. Sometimes this is done with a centerpiece pendant. Can also be created by graduating the sizes of beads or playing with color or playing with fringe.
Centerpiece: A part that extends beyond the line of the Frame, usually below it. Forces transitional concerns between it and the Frame.
Centerpiece with Bail: A part that drops the Centerpiece below the Frame, forcing additional transitional concerns among Centerpiece, Bail and Frame.
Strap: A word summarizing the full connectivity of the Clasp Assembly, Yoke and Frame.
Canvas: Typically refers to the stringing materials. However, in a layered piece, may refer to any created “background” off of which or around which the main composition is built.
Embellishment: Things like fringe, edging, surface decoration.
Each part of the body of a necklace poses its own special design challenges for the jewelry artist. These involved strategies for resolving such issues as:
- making connections
- determining angularity, curvature, and roundedness
- transitioning color, pattern and texture
- placing objects
- extending lengths
- adding extensions
- creating balance and coherency
- keeping things organic, so nothing looks like an afterthought, or an outlier, or something designed by a committee
- determining which parts or critical to understanding the piece of jewelry as art, and which parts are merely supplemental to the piece.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: anatomy of necklace, jewelry design, necklace strap, necklace yoke | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on June 9, 2013
HOW NOT TO SHOP IN A BEAD STORE
Shopping in a bead store presents many overwhelming challenges — all the parts, all the colors, all the sizes, all the project possibilities. Many customers, when confronted with all these options, freeze up and get frustrated.
So, how SHOULD you shop, and how SHOULD YOU NOT shop in a bead store?
Any interesting stories out there?
What was your first trip to a bead store like.
From an article I wrote….
– Warren
HOW NOT TO SHOP
To the consternation of staff, many a Bead Warrior, as they prepare to arrive at the field of bead-selection-battle, have not properly armed themselves.
They arrive by car. They arrive by taxi. They arrive on foot. But rarely do they arrive with a design plan in hand.
They arrive with ideas swimming in their heads, from magazine articles they’ve recently read, or advertisements they’ve seen, or dreams they’ve had. And it’s all in their heads.
And when they arrive at the door, then cross the threshold, there are too many intimidating choices confronting them, attacking them from the right and the left and forward and behind, and off to the side, and down the aisle, and over and around the corner.
The knitted scarf lady ready to conquer the bead world and find that blue bead for her fringe. But no yarn in hand. And there are so many blue beads. No sense of which blue will match. No sense of hole size. No idea what needle to use. Or how to get the beads on. Which “blue?” I asked, pointing to the 37 choices. Without a word, without any response to my question, she grabbed her purse and walked out.
A woman had a list of 17 items she needed for a project. We had 16 of these items in stock. The one thing we didn’t have was one color of a delica bead. I suggested some good substitutions. After all, there are almost 2000 colors of delica beads to choose from. She put all 16 items back, and walked out.
The fashion icon determined to turn a brief visit to the bead store into ultimate world conquest, withOUT her recently perused copy of the latest of the latest from the best of the best style magazine. But no picture in hand. And there are so many beads and chains to choose from. No remembrance of what she had seen. No idea of how to attach things. No clue about finishing off the piece.
The bead-weaver, knowing full well that success is just over that hill, a straight march, and that her right-angle-weave necklace will hup-two appear without much of a scuffle. Or tussle. Or hassle. Or, whatever else might get in her way. Yet no instructions. No supply list. No knowledge of stringing materials or tools.
The woman in need of jewelry repairs. No jewelry with her. Wants that bead or rhinestone or clasp to make her jewelry complete. Which is at home. And she can’t remember. Doesn’t know sizes. Vague on colors. Forgets materials. Clueless on attachments.
The woman who returns everything she doesn’t use – and then buys the same items for the next project which happens to use the same pieces. She frequently makes the 25-mile round trip to return even 1 bead not used. And then re-buys this very same bead on her very next trip on the very next week.
The student who wants a bail for a pendant, has left that pendant at home, and doesn’t remember which direction the hole is drilled.
The knowledge is all to be won – at the bead store. The field of battle. Shock and awe. Little preparation. Few soldiers. Few weapons. A daunting walk across the entrance, and that’s all it will take. To win. To accomplish. To finish. To conquer.
The lesson, not to be lost here, is that you need to come prepared. Sufficiently armed. Some forethought. Some planning. Some thought-through concept. Some willingness to make compromises.
The field of battle is very large. The opposing forces are onerous. Over 6,000 specifically named colors. Thousands of styles and sizes and shapes of beads. Nearly 20,000 individually named metal parts. Fifteen different kinds of metals. Forty-two possibilities of metal finishes. Nearly 500 choices of stringing materials. Sixteen separate types of needles. Too numerous to count issues of quality and pricing.
Posted in business of craft, jewelry making | Tagged: bead shop, bead shopping, jewelry parts | 3 Comments »
Posted by learntobead on June 4, 2013
WAX YOUR THREAD, CONDITION IT, OR DON’T
We are always debating here whether to wax your thread or not, and if so, what wax or thread conditioner to use.
I have some strong opinions about this.
How about you?
Some people never wax.
Some people think it makes no difference as to whether the thread breaks.
Some people think it ruins the beads.
By the way, my opinions:
With beading thread, like Nymo or C-Lon, always wax.
Always use microcrystalline wax
Never use Thread Heaven.
With cable threads, like FireLine, sometimes wax.
I wax when the stitch I am doing is a loose one, like Ndebele or Right Angle Weave. The stickiness of the wax helps me maintain a tight thread tension.
Never use pre-waxed thread like Silamide.
Silamide is not abrasion-resistant, so it breaks too easily with beads. The holes of most beads are pretty sharp.
Waxing keeps the beading thread from fraying.
It’s stickiness allows greater control over managing thread tension.
The process of waxing stretches the thread a bit before you use it.
The waxy buildup helps fill in the jagged rim of the holes of your beads, making them a little less likely to cut into your stringing material.
Posted in beadwork, jewelry making | Tagged: beading, beadwork, bees wax, microcrystalline was, waxing thread | 2 Comments »
Posted by learntobead on June 4, 2013
BAILS POSE MANAGEMENT ISSUES
In our Jewelry Design Camp (www.warrenfeldjewelry.com/jewelrydesigncamp/), one of the topics we cover is the Bail. From a Design standpoint, it is not necessarily a simple jewelry finding to incorporate into our pieces.
There are many types of bails, some off-the-shelf and some hand-made, and there are different ways of attaching them.
A bail changes the visual and artistic relationship between the strap and the center piece. How might this be helpful, and how not? The bail poses similar design challenges as the strap — size, proportion, placement and attachment. However, it has to succeed at one additional task — it has to control the visual, aesthetic and functional transitioning between the center piece and the strap. It is the management of this transitioning which poses the most difficult design design dilemmas for the jewelry artist.
Too often, I see people use a bail because it adds another pretty component to the piece. But it doesn’t necessarily fit. Sometimes it competes with the center piece or strap. Sometimes it creates a series of functioning or wearing or movement issues.
So the questions for this discussion include:
(1) Do you use bails, and if so, do you have any favorite — either machine-made or hand-made?
(2) Do you have good or bad design-experiences with bails that you would like to share with the group?
Warren
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: bails, jewelry design, jewelry findings | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on May 28, 2013
HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT CHOOSING CLASPS?
The Jewelry Designer makes many choices when creating a piece of jewelry. Lots of things to manage and accomplish.
Probably the two most important choices, right up front, in creating a wearable art-piece that will be around for future generations are your:
(1) Stringing Material, and
(2) Clasp
When you work with so many customers in a store, and so many students in classes, you begin to see that people are not necessarily that great in selecting clasps. Many are in a clasps-rut — they use the same clasp over and over again. Others pick out clasps they find appealing, whether or not they would visually or functionally work with the piece they have made. Few people anticipate how they are going to attach the clasp to their beadwork, often resulting in an overly long, awkwardly connected clasp assembly. So, how to you go about choosing clasps?
From an article I had written…
Clasps always seem like they’ve been someone’s last thought. They should be the first thought. But many people get so excited creating their beadwork, that they forget about the clasp – until the last moment. You can tell when the jewelry maker hasn’t put much thought into their choice of clasp in many ways. Often, the clasp doesn’t look like it was meant to go with the bead work or general design. It might be out of proportion. It might be a different texture or sensibility. Its function – how you open and close it, while wearing your jewelry — might seem odd, perhaps unnatural. And not only does the choice of clasp seem as an after-thought, but how to attach to the bead work to that clasp seems un-thought out, as well.
So it’s not surprising, that when we were repairing jewelry on a regular basis, about 80% of the pieces to be fixed had broken at the clasp.
It is best to, in part, build your design around your clasp. If your piece has a centerpiece or focal point, then how does this link up to or coordinate with the clasp. At the least, when visualizing your beadwork, include an image of the clasp and how it is attached at both ends. The world is full of clasps. Not every clasp is a jeweler’s best friend. But it depends.
The clasp needs to visually fit with the beadwork. It needs to function as the artist intended. It needs to function in a way the wearer can relate to, use and handle. It needs to be appropriate for the piece and the context in which it is too be worn. It should not compete with the beadwork. It should complement it. Ideally, at least from a design perspective, your clasp should look and feel as if it were an integral part of the entire piece.
In a Gallery setting, if you are selling your jewelry there, you usually want a very functional, but not overwhelming, clasp. You are selling your beadwork, and you don’t want your clasp to compete with this.
In a Department Store, setting, however, often the clasp sells the piece. In this setting, choosing a clasp requires a different kind of logic, thinking and anticipation. Some clasp-types are “expected” to be a part of the piece – even if the particular choice of type would not be the best choice in the world.
The former owner of a local Tennessee pearl company was very frustrated with clasps. She sold a lot of finished pearl jewelry at very high prices, and had been using 14KT gold pearl and safety clasps. Her customers sent a lot of their pearl necklaces and bracelets back for repairs, because their clasps broke. And this company felt, because the prices of these pieces were very high, that they were obligated to replace the clasps and re-string these pearl-knotted pieces at no additional charge. 14KT clasps – particularly the pearl, safety and filigree box clasps — do not hold up well, because gold is a very soft metal.
Replacing clasps on a pearl-knotted piece is quite some job. You have to cut up the piece to free up each bead, and then you begin the knotting and finishing off processes again. It turns out, the 14KT clasps were not the only expensive part of the bracelets – making the knots between each pearl was the time-consuming and costly part. She desperately wanted to reduce the number of repairs. Her first idea was to replace the pearl and safety clasps with other styles which were sturdier. However, these pieces didn’t sell. People wanted the pearl and filigree clasps. The designs of these clasps were so traditional and so locked into their expectations for what pearl-knotted jewelry should look like, that they would not compromise.
Her second effort, she tried replacing the 14KT pearl and filigree clasps with gold-filled ones which were stronger, but this made her customers very angry – they wanted 14KT gold.
So, her final strategy, she returned to using 14KT gold, and doubled her prices. She built in the cost of one repair into the prices she charged. And only then could she present her happy face to her customers, and her somewhat-happy face to herself when she was in private.
Posted in bead weaving, jewelry making | Tagged: bead stringing, choosing clasps, clasps, jewelry making | 2 Comments »
Posted by learntobead on May 14, 2013
WHAT “SHAPE” ARE YOU?
— Spiral, Cross, Triangle, Round or Square?
Signs of Life: The Five Universal Shapes and How to Use Them, by Angelese Arrien
Diane Fitzgerald had pointed this out as an interesting book about shapes, I think in her book SHAPED BEADWORK. I read the book. Fascinating and goes into a lot of interesting detail.
In this book, the author, who is a cultural anthropologist, studied shapes, and searched for universals. She found that cross-culturally, people use 5 particular shapes to describe and understand themselves in relationship to others within their culture.
These shapes were:
Circle, Square, Triangle, Cross and Spiral
She developed what she calls the Preferential Shapes Test.
Take this test, and use Arrien’s book to interpret the results.
I’m going to oversimplify this test and paraphrase her words, so you can try it, if you haven’t already. However, to read more details about interpretations and to read stories about people who fit various patterns, I’d suggest you visit this book.
STEP 1:
On a piece of paper, write the numbers 1 thru 5 across the page.
Here are the shapes to play with:
SPIRAL, CROSS, TRIANGLE, ROUND, or SQUARE.
STEP 2:
Under the first position number, put your favorite shape.
Under the 2nd position number, put your second favorite shape.
Under the 3rd position, your third favorite shape
Under the 4th position, your fourth favorite
Under the 5th position, your least favorite.
STEP 3:
Use the information below to interpret the results:
POSITION 1: Where you Think You Are
This is where you think you are today or want to go in the future, but not necessarily the most accurate indicator of where you actually are right now.
POSITION 2: Your Strengths
An inherent strength predominant in you at this time, whether you know it or not. Often, this is how other people see you.
POSITION 3: Where You Are
This is the most significant shape.
This shape shows your true current self.
Think of the goldilocks story – the porridge is too hot, the next too cold, the third just right.
POSITION 4: Your Motivation
This shape points to past events or things which motivated or provoked you to get to Position 3.
POSITION 5: Old, Unfinished Business
A process you have outgrown, dislike, resist, or are judging. Unresolved issues you want to put aside.
CIRCLE: wholeness
Position 1: desire to be independent and self-sufficient
Position 2: strengths are self-reliance and resourcefulness
Position 3: process of achieving independence is at core of your nature
Position 4: something in your past motivated you to become responsible and self-reliant
Position 5: you may be resisting or denying this process of individuation
CROSS: relationships
Position 1: forming relationships is most important to you
Position 2: you rely on good people skills
Position 3: forming relationships is something deep within your nature
Position 4: a past shared journey inspired you to become who you are today
Position 5: you may want to ignore or dismiss relationships
SPIRAL: growth and change
Position 1: change holds great importance to you
Position 2: easy for you to handle change
Position 3: you are profoundly engaged in process of change
Position 4: your were challenged in your past to make significant changes in your life
Position 5:you are unlikely to show interest in process of change and growth
TRIANGLE: goals, dreams, visions
Position 1:process of envisioning seems especially important to you now
Position 2:you carry the gift of vision naturally, whether you are fully aware of this or not
Position 3:the process of envisioning is central to your current development
Position 4:your process of following dreams in your past motivated you to change your life
Position 5:you are resisting the process of honoring your dreams and establishing goals
SQUARE: stability
Position 1:stability and authenticity are inspirational to you
Position 2:you are responsible, authentic, and fully committed when you give your word
Position 3:it is vitally important to you to stabilize and implement your creative endeavors
Position 4:past issues of responsibility and accountability led you to make changes in your life
Position 5:you may be denying process of stability and responsibility
Posted in jewelry design, jewelry making | Tagged: art, beadwork, forms, shapes | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on May 14, 2013
SHAPES — HOW DO YOU PLAY WITH SHAPES?
How has “shape” entered into your design thinking, your design work, and your design frameworks?
Over the past few months, I’ve been intrigued with all the new shapes of seed beads coming out on the market. I’ve been trying, really struggling, with ideas for using them in compositions — pieces that have a lot of dimensionality to them, great interest, some levels of complexity. And I’ve been trying to mix the shapes within the same composition, things like long magatamas, superduos, mini fringe drops, peanuts, tila beads. … And of course, it’s always fun to think about ways to bead-weave beads into larger shapes.
SHAPE
The shape of the bead and the orientation of its hole or holes is critical to the success of a piece. These are the “building blocks”. Connecting the blocks affects what the piece looks like, how light and shadow impact the aesthetic, how it moves, how it drapes and feels, and how it holds up in its entirety as a composition.
Around 2010, the various bead companies in Japan and The Czech Republic began introducing many new shapes of seed beads. I began experimenting with how to push these new shapes to their limits.
Then there are the shapes created by assembling beads into ever greater shapes.
Shape differs from the use of “line” or the use of “point”. Shapes serve to provide positioning, direction and orientation to the pieces, often better than lines and points.
Shapes are often the basis of many strategies for adding more dimensionality to your pieces. And you can embellish these shapes with other beads, or overlap shapes, to achieve even greater dimensional effects. You can combine different kinds of shapes.
The Designer must ask these kinds of questions, when using shapes:
How do we position each bead?
How do we link them?
How do we stack them or layer them?
When visual impact does each have, given which side or “face” is seen?
How do we use shape to create appealing textures and patterns?
How do we create “forms” and “themes” with them.
Playing with shapes can be both an encumbrance, as well as an opportunity for the designer.
How has the playing with shapes affected your work?
Posted in jewelry making | Tagged: bead shapes, jewelry making, line, shape | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on May 8, 2013
SO YOU WANT TO DO CRAFT SHOWS…
New CraftArtEdu.com Video Tutorial By Warren Feld
http://www.craftartedu.com/warren-feld-so-you-want-to-do-craft-shows
In this class, presented in 6 parts with 16 lessons, artist and businessman, Warren Feld, will fill you in on the ins and outs, the dos and the don’ts of selling at craft shows and fairs. Which are best for you, which may be a waste of your time. How to compute the revenue you must earn to justify participating in an event. This is a must see class for anyone thinking of entering the art and craft show world and will maximize your chances of success in these venues. 6 Broadcasts.
Price:
$30
Level: All Levels
Duration: 113:58
Posted in bead weaving, beads, beadwork, business of craft, jewelry making, Resources | Tagged: bazaars, business of craft, craft shows, fairs, flea markets, selling your jewelry | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on May 6, 2013
TO WHAT DEGREE DOES/SHOULD “FASHION” INFLUENCE OUR JEWELRY DESIGN DECISIONS?
reposted from my Jewelry Design Discussion Group on FaceBook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/jewelrydesign/
In our store, I am asked repeatedly about what the current fashion colors are? Did I see what so-and-so was wearing on TV or at an awards show? But usually, at least in Nashville, TN, a sense of fashion plays a small part in the day-to-day decisions most people make about the jewelry they want to wear.
What are your feelings and views? What are your experiences? What role should “Fashion” play? How important is Fashion to jewelry design? Should we take our design “cues” from New York and Los Angeles? To what extent do you think Fashion influences the average woman’s choices she makes, when purchasing or wearing a piece of jewelry?
Warren Feld
From an article I wrote… APPLIED FASHION Women don’t just wear pieces of jewelry – they inhabit them.
Buying a piece of jewelry for yourself – a necklace, a bracelet, earrings, a brooch, something else – isn’t a task easily given to someone else. It’s often not a spur of the moment thing either. You just don’t rush off to the local boutique or the local Wal-Mart, grab whatever you see, and go home. I’m not talking about that impulse buy during your leisurely visit to the mall. I’m referring to purchasing those pieces of jewelry you know will have to do a lot of the hard work to accessorize your wardrobe and help you get the compliments and notice of your family, friends and co-workers you comport with and compete with each and every day.
No, buying a piece of jewelry for yourself is a multi-purposed moment, one which must be thought through carefully and one which must be savored. Lest you buy the wrong piece. That doesn’t really go with what you intend to wear. Or is over-priced. Or poorly made. Or conveys the wrong impression about status. Or is out of fashion. Or something one of your friends already has.
The jewelry you buy has to conform to quite a long list of essential criteria before you could ever think of buying it. It is something you will wear more than once. As such, it is your companion. Your necklace is not merely lying around your neck. Or your bracelet around your wrist. Or your earrings dangling from your ears. Jewelry can cause you to lose face with others. It can irritate or scratch your skin, or get caught up in your hair. It might weigh you down or stretch or tear your ear lobes. Jewelry can break without warning in the most unexpected and embarrassing of places. It can get caught on things, sometimes hurting you in the process.
Jewelry conveys to the world something about who you really are, or think you are. As such, jewelry is very personal. Your private, innermost, most soul searching choices made very public for all to see. As you caress it, as you touch the smooth or faceted or crevice’d beads and metal parts or the clasp or the material the beads are strung on, when you twist and move the piece within your hand, you are confirming to yourself the extent to which your jewelry is doing its job.
When you buy new jewelry, the dilemmas multiply. How will the new compare to the old? Will it be able to handle all these responsibilities – looking good, representing you, fitting in with your wardrobe, meeting the expectations of others? Like divorcing, then remarrying, changing your jewelry can take some time for readjustment. And you do not want to be seen as noncommittal to your jewelry. This would sort of be like going to a hotel, but not unpacking your suitcase while staying in the room.
Conveying some sort of social or psychological distance from your jewelry can be very unsettling for others. So you need to inhabit it. You need to inhabit your jewelry, wear it with conviction, pride and satisfaction. Be one with it. Inhabiting jewelry often comes with a price. There becomes so much pressure to buy the “right” pieces, given all the roles we demand our jewelry to play, that we too often stick with the same brands, the same colors, the same styles, the same silhouettes.
We get stuck in this rut and are afraid to step out of it. Or we wear too many pieces of jewelry. The long earrings, plus the cuff bracelets on both arms, plus the head band, plus the hair ornament, plus the 7-strand necklace, plus the 5 rings. We are ever uncertain which piece or pieces will succeed at what, so hopefully, at least some combination or subset of what we wear will work out.
In a similar way, we wear over-embellished pieces – lots of charms, lots of dangles, lots of fringe, lots of strands. Something will surely be the right color, the right fit and proportion, the right fashion, the right power statement, the right reflection of me.
And our need to inhabit our jewelry comes with one more price. We are too willing to overpay for poorly made pieces in our desperation to have that right look. The $100.00 of beads strung on elastic string. The poorly dyed stones which fade in the light. The poorly crimped and overly stiff pieces with little ease for accommodating movement and frequent wear. It is OK to inhabit our jewelry. In fact, it is necessary, given all we want jewelry to do for us. But we need to be smart about it. We need to learn to recognize better designs and better designers.
This need not be expensive at all.
Just smarter.
Posted in bead weaving, beads, beadwork, jewelry design, jewelry making | Tagged: fashion, fashion jewelry, wearing jewelry | 3 Comments »
Posted by learntobead on April 30, 2013
COLOR BLENDING:
A MANAGEMENT PROCESS
Color blending with beads is always challenging. It is not like paints, where you can merge and blend colors with ease. Beads are physical objects with set colors. You can’t mush them together, The transition from bead to bead in any piece, requires the eye/brain, when interacting and interpreting colors, to literally jump a cliff between the inevitable gaps of light between each bead. You want the viewer to have a satisfying, pleasurable journey as their eye/brain moves along that line of color-transitioning beads.
It is this transition from color to color that must be managed.
The Monet’s Garden Bracelet by Kathleen Lynam
One Example of a Color Blending Strategy
The Monet’s Garden Bracelet is a fun project that students love. It is for students who have some familiarity with bead weaving. Kathleen had been experimenting with various strategies for blending colors along the length of a bracelet. At about the same time, Beadwork issued a call for project proposals to be used in a book about what to do with your Bead Stash — all those small quantities of lots of different colors you have left over. This was the perfect type of project for color blending.
This bracelet teaches a mathematical approach for organizing several colors within a color blending scheme. Also presented is a simple math formula for personalizing your bracelet — that is, varying the width and length to suit your needs. The techniques here are Square Stitch and Fringing.
In her pieces, Kathleen loves to draw on nature’s inspiration. She gathers flowers and plants and bring them into the bead shop to match their colors as closely as she can. For her Monet’s Garden Bracelet, she developed instructions for both a Spring Palette, as well as a Fall Palette. However, the instructions would be as useful for a monochromatic palette, such as whites to grays to black, or a Southwest palette, such as turquoise to corals to reds. Use your imagination — and use up your bead stash, in the process!
Color Blending
Your goal is to move from one color to the next, in a satisfying way. You have many different kinds of choices to make, when managing a transition like this.
After you have chosen which colors you want to use, you need to decide what the color will look like as a “base” color, and what the color might look like as a “blend” color. With paints, this task is much, much easier, than with beads. It is not easy to blend beads, not least of which is because it is difficult to find the right colors needed to merge a color from base to blend and back to the base of the next color.
In this project, our strategy is to change the proportions of the base color as we move from one row to the next, until the proportions of the base to the blend in the first row are in reverse to the proportions to the blend to the base in the last transitional row. [And then, the blend becomes the new base, etc. along the bracelet.]
Besides varying the proportions, other options of blending that you have as a jewelry artist:
- Varying the brightness and dullness as you move from base to blend, such as finding colors with either more black, more gray, or more white in them
- Graduating the length of your fringes from row to row to create a sense of layering
- Varying the lightness and darkness as you move from base to blend, such as going from red to maroon or from red to pink
When choosing a set of colors, these do not have to match perfectly, but they do need to be coordinated. It is difficult if you vary the finishes of the beads too much. For example, transparent and transparent AB would not work well together in our scheme. Nor would transparent AB and luster finishes. Yet transparent AB, silver-lined and metallic colors do work well together, but only when you allow one of the finishes to be predominant.
Kathleen:”This Monet’s Garden Bracelet project is about color blending, so I went all out in selecting 14 colors. I could have easily used fewer colors or more colors.
Using the color blending strategy presented for this project, with 14 colors, each color would require 4 rows. So, in a bracelet, the base of which consists of 58 rows, the maximum number of colors we could use would be 14 (that is, 58 divided by 4, with 2 extra rows). I decided that when I got to the end with my 14th color, I would blend it with the 1st color, and color an extra row at the beginning and at the end (thus, my two extra rows), both done in the 1st color. [An alternative for treating the end of the bracelet would be to transition back from color 14 to color 13, and finish off the rows.]
I use a formula discussed below in allocating the proportion of each color, row by row. I played with combinations of different finishes. I was not satisfied with plain transparent beads — not enough brightness or dimensionality. Using all one finish, such as an AB finish or luster finish, was interesting, but too monotonous. It didn’t look like “nature”. I settled on using primarily transparent luster-finish colors, with some transparent AB, transparent silver-lined and a couple of metallic and metallic iris finish colors. This mixing of finishes seemed better. These captured and reflected light in different ways, and drew the eye into the bead differently, thus adding considerable interest. Lastly, I used more matte finishes in my Fall palette, than in my Spring.
My transitions from color to color are relatively quick. Each transition from one color to the next takes up 2 rows. With 14 colors, thus 4 rows allocated for each, you would have 2 full color rows and 2 transitional color rows. However, I could have easily come up with a formula-strategy to make the transitions much slower. And I could have come up with a formula-strategy to transition 3 colors at a time, instead of 2.
For this project, I graduated my colors in a way that seeming pleasing to me. The main transition is from reds to purples to golds and topaz’s.
My flower stalks are two sizes. For the first and last stalks, four 11/0 seed beads long and then topped with an 8/0 and a 15/0 seed bead as the flower tips, about 3/8”. For the 2nd through 7th stalks, six 11/0 seed beads long and then topped with an 8/0 and a 15/0 seed bead as the flower tips, about 1/2″. Because I have used Japanese seed beads, the 2nd thru 7th stalks/tips are the same lengths. I tried a sample going longer (8 11/0 seed beads plus the 8/0 and 15/0 tip), but this wasn’t appealing to me. Also, I would not have gone much longer, because the stalks could more likely bend in half, instead of standing more firmly upright. It was important to use 3 color gradations in my flower stalk, rather than a single color. A sense of “movement” is one of the key beauties of this bracelet. As the bracelet is worn, and the fringe move, I want the viewer to have a sense of watching flowers blowing in the wind. To maximize this effect, I vary the colors from darkest near the base to lightest near the flower tip.
For the Fall Palette, I also vary the finishes from luster to color lined, to silver lined, to AB, so that they eye’s interaction with any glass bead will also vary. I want things to feel like that changing of nature during Fall.
I coordinated the colors of the 8/0 and 15/0 seed beads forming the flower and its tip. In many cases, I found colors that were very similar. In a couple of cases, to add a bit of variety and surprise, and I used colors with a little more contrast, yet in the same general color family. “
The pattern underlying Kathleen’s color blending formula:
Determine the color patterns for the non-transitional and the transitional rows of flower stalk tips (the fringe in her bracelet). This pattern is based on playing with the proportions of the two colors, as we transition between them.
In our instructions today, we use the following patterns:
Where,
S=Same or current color
N=Next new color
Non-Transitional Row:
S | S | S | S | S | S | S
First of two Transitional Rows:
S | N | S | N | S | N | S
Second of two Transitional Rows:
N | N | N | S | N | N | N
Color Blending:
It is difficult to blend colors, when using beads. Some people like to make a bead mix of all the beads and colors they want to blend. This “Random” approach to blending works sometimes, but in a random way. Similarly, “Alternating” colors or “Graduating Colors from light to dark, or bright to dull” along your piece, also do not work well.
Usually, to get a great color-blending design, you need to plan, pre-test, plan again, pre-test again, until you work out a more involved, complex patterning.
One way to choreograph things, is to play with color proportions. Go line by line, and begin with the ideal proportionate relationship between two colors. Gradually manipulate this down the line by anticipating the next ideal proportionate relationship between the next two colors that need to follow.
Posted in bead weaving | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on April 22, 2013
A LESSON IN USING COLOR SIMULTANEITY EFFECTS:
The Contemporized Etruscan Collar
By Warren Feld
http://www.warrenfeldjewelry.com
reposted from my Jewelry Design Discussion Group on FaceBook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/jewelrydesign/
Several years ago, I had been asked to do a week-long jewelry design workshop in Cortona, Italy. The topic I selected was on Contemporizing Traditional Etruscan Jewelry. One of the projects I developed for the workshop was this Contemporized Etruscan Collar. The challenge, here for me, was to create a sophisticated, wearable, and attractive piece that exemplified concepts about contemporizing traditional jewelry.
Contemporizing Traditional Jewelry has to do with how you take particular traditional forms and techniques, and both add your personal style to the pieces, as well as make them more relevant to today’s sense of fashion and style. The challenge for the designer is how to keep traditional ideas essential and alive for today’s audience.
Things clicked. I found a traditional Etruscan Collar that I immediately connected with.
The Contemporized Etruscan Collar
The contemporized piece basically consists of two staggered and overlapping bead-woven strips. The bead-woven technique used is the Ndebele Stitch (sometimes called Herringbone).
There are many design theory elements incorporated into this piece, including dimensionality, curvature, malleability, and movement. One of the more interesting theories I applied here has to do with color simultaneity effects.
Color Simultaneity Effects
Picking colors is about making strategic choices. Picking colors is very revealing about the jewelry artist’s understanding of how the bead asserts its needs for color. One set of color-theories employed to make these kinds of choices has to do with Simultaneity Effects. Colors in the presence of other colors get perceived differently, depending on the color combination.
For example, a White Square on a Black background looks bigger than a Black Square on a white background. White reaches out and overflows the boundary; black contracts.
Another example: Gray always picks up some of the color characteristics of other colors around it. Gray next to orange will appear to have an orange tone to it. Gray next to green will appear to have a green tone to it. A “Gray” bead is one, the color of which, has a strong gray or black tone to it. Besides the obvious “gray”, these other colors function as a “gray”: montana blue, alexandrite, colorado topaz, prairie green. Many color-lined and silver-lined beads can function as a “gray”, particularly when the glass color is other than clear. Many metallic or otherwise reflective surface beads can function as a “gray”.
A final example of simultaneity effects has to do with how people sense whether colors are warm or cool. In one composition, depending on the color mix, a particular color might be felt as “warm”. In a second composition, with a different color mix, that same color might be felt as “cool”. You can picture a yellow square surrounded by white feels lighter, brighter and a different temperature than its counterpart surrounded by black. A red square surrounded by black feels darker, duller, and a different temperature than its counterpart surrounded by white.
Existence of these simultaneity effects is a great piece of information for the designer. There will be gaps of color and light between beads. Many bead colors are imperfect, particularly in combination. Playing with simultaneity effects gives the designer tools to overcome some of the color limitations associated with the bead and the gaps of light between beads. These allow you to “blend” and build “bridges” and create “transitions.”
Look back at the images of the Ndebele-stitched piece. When you work with beads, there are always gaps between them. In the Ndebele-stitch, there are many and very pronounced gaps of light between beads. This can be very threatening to a viewer. People are pre-wired to avoid things which might harm them, such as snakes and spiders. This is our fear- or anxiety-response.
We can summarize most color theories as a set of principles the brain uses – both in perception and cognition – to find a state of color or colors which are harmonious. That is, people like to see and feel comfortable and safe with colors which harmonize and go together. When we start to lose that harmonious state of color, this makes the brain edgy. When the brain starts to get edgy, we start to interpret pieces as boring, monotonous, scary, dangerous, will cause death. We innately reject, as part of our pre-wired fear response, that which does not follow good principles of color.
Any viewer’s brain will immediately try to interpret what it sees and make sense of it. This includes jewelry. The viewer’s brain needs to know immediately whether to approach or flee. Each time the eye/brain comes to the end of the bead and is confronted with a gap of light separating it from the next bead, it’s similar to a person approaching a cliff, and getting asked to jump off of that cliff.
No one wants to jump off a cliff. And no one’s eye/brain wants to jump over a gap of light between two beads.
We have to fool ourselves, that is, our brain, in some way. Color theories offer us many possible ideas on how to do this. I find using simultaneity effects works especially well in jewelry compositions using beads. Certain colors, when juxtaposed, create their own meanings, and fool the brain into thinking it sees something in these gaps, or is somehow more motivated to fill in the gaps, and proceed from one bead to the next.
In this Etruscan Collar project, many of my color choices were based on an understanding of simultaneity effects.
Posted in beadwork, jewelry design | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on February 13, 2013
Turkmen Jewelry from the Marshall and
Marilyn R. Wolf Collection
Exhibit at the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art
Closing 2/24/13
This exhibit displays the metal and stone-set jewelry of the nomadic Turkmen people of Central Asia.
Turkmen women’s jewelry consisted of headgear in the form of crowns, caps, headbands, and braid ornaments; pendants attached to headdresses and suspended on either side of the head; earrings; pectoral and dorsal ornaments; amulet holders; appliqués for clothing; armbands; and rings.
The exhibition is organized according to the principal techniques employed by Turkmen silversmiths. One grouping shows fire gilding, a technique in which gold filings—possibly obtained from coins—were combined with mercury in a paste that was brushed onto prepared silver; heat drove off the mercury, and the remaining gold was burnished to a brilliant sheen.
Other items feature stamped beading that was produced by stamping metal from behind to obtain the appearance of individual beads or granulation on the front.
A third section focuses on the inlay of carnelian and turquoise using bezels.
The fourth major technique— openwork decoration—involved the use of a chisel or fine fret saw to cut through silver sheets.
The surface decoration is typically represented by a repetition of objects or motifs — such as lozenges, squares, ovals and diamonds. There are style variations from tribal group to tribal group within this vast area the Turkmen people occupy.
I always like to get inspired by ethnic designs, ornamentation and construction techniques.
Posted in jewelry making | Tagged: turkmen jewelry | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on February 10, 2013
Suzanne Belperron — Influential Jeweler, 1930′s thru 1970′s
Suzanne Belperron was a successful jeweler, widely influential. She was one of the few female jewelry designers of her time. Her daring creations remain today of extraordinary modernity and aesthetics. She began her career in 1919 at age 19. She died in 1983. Her life and career spanned the modern movement in the arts, feminism and the emergence of fashion as a big business. Her style reflected the movement in the jewelry design field away from very ornamental pieces, to those which emphasize bold forms.
Her creations appeared in the most influential fashion magazines of the time, including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Her clients included royalty, celebrities and aristocrats.
She never signed her pieces. She claimed, “My style is my signature.”
She introduced unprecedented combinations of stones and minerals in her designs.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: jewelry design, suzanne belperron | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on February 10, 2013
GISBERT STACH – MAKING ART OR JEWELRY?
I read this blog post about Gisbert Stach recently. Intriguing. Could some art, displayed like jewelry, not be considered jewelry?
The “art” is definitely here, expressed through symbolic paradoxes and juxtapositions. The juxtaposition of jewelry and wearer evokes a response of the viewer, and makes the viewer think about what is acceptable/unacceptable, satisfying, unsatisfying, jewelry/not jewelry. The use of materials evokes the contemporary, but at the same time, reminds one of ethnic ornamentation and the historical.
There is an unsettling sense of the need and desire for ornamentation, and the ability of the body to support it.
Posted in Art or Craft? | Tagged: art vs. jewelry, gisbert stach | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on February 5, 2013
Call For Submissions:
Showcase 1000 Beads
Lark Publications
2/14/13 deadline
Lark Jewelry & Beading (http://www.facebook.com/LarkJewelryBeading) seeks
excellent photographs of original, contemporary beads in all materials to
publish in a new juried, international collection in our 500 Series of
books: Showcase 1000 Beads. This book is scheduled to be published in
January 2014. The book will be juried by glass beadmaker Kristina Logan.
We welcome and encourage submission of photographs of your handmade beads in
all materials, including glass, metal, polymer clay, metal clay, ceramics,
paper, fiber, plastic, wood, stone, etc., and in all design styles. All work
must be made no earlier than 2010, and the more recent the work the better;
we would prefer to see your 2012 work over your 2011 work, and your 2011
work over your 2010 work.
We strongly prefer images of beads that have not been published previously,
and please do NOT submit images of pieces that have been published in any
Lark book. We can accept only high-quality digital images. Artists will
receive full acknowledgment within the book and a complimentary copy.
Artists retain copyright of their work. There is no entry fee.
All submissions must be submitted electronically through Juried Art
Services. Note that there is no fee for using Juried Art Services. The entry
page can be found at the following link: http://bit.ly/VTfT6E or, the full
URL:
http://www.juriedartservices.com/index.php?content=event_info&event_id=614.
Entries must be submitted by February 14, 2013.
All visuals submitted must represent work that is original in design. A
maximum of four entries per artist is allowed, so please submit your best
work. An entry may consist of no more than two visuals: an overall shot and
one detail (or alternate view); the detail shots are not required. The
primary images you submit should each be different designs. For example,
please do not submit four variations of very similar beads; instead, submit
one bead from each of four series.
Important: Lark will only publish photos of entries containing images and
text that are free of copyright or for which the artist (or approved
institution) holds copyright.
I've already received two questions repeatedly about this call for entries,
so I'll answer them here: My model for the work in the book is Showcase 1000
Glass Beads. That means most of the photos are of a bead or beads, but some
photographs of beads incorporated in jewelry or other artwork, in which the
beads are highlighted, will be considered. Ultimately those choices will
rest in the juror's final decision-making. Also, beaded beads are acceptable
as submissions.
Thank you for your participation, either in submitting entries yourself or
sharing the call for entries with your craft community.
Please join us on Facebook, as well:
http://www.facebook.com/LarkJewelryBeading.
Thank you!
Ray Hemachandra
Lark Jewelry & Beading
67 Broadway
Asheville, North Carolina 28801
(828) 253-0467 ext. 762
ray@larkbooks.com
http://www.larkcrafts.com/jewelry-beading
Posted in beads | Tagged: beads | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on January 30, 2013
ALL DOLLED UP:
BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION
deadline: 8/31/2013
Create a BEADED ART DOLL by manipulating beads and forms into an imaginative
tactile and visual 3-dimensional representation. And then write a Short Story
about your Beaded Art Doll, what it represents, and how it was created.
ALL DOLLED UP: BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION is offering a first prize of a $1000.00
shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site (www.landofodds.com), and a Runner-Up
prize of a $400.00 shopping spree on the web-site. This is more than a beauty
pageant. It is a design competition. The Competition will take into account
the Artist’s intentions and how well these are incorporated into the design.
Enter to Win!
Beaded Art Dolls submitted as entries for this competition may be realistic,
surrealistic, whimsical or imaginary. They may be humanistic, animalistic, caricatures,
cartoons, impressions or abstractions. A Beaded Art Doll is a physical representation
in three dimensions, using human figural and expressive characteristics, through
the creative use and manipulation of beads. Beaded Art Dolls should be between
8” and 36” in size. They must be at least 80% composed of beads.
The Artist is given wide leeway in techniques for how the doll is to be beaded,
and may use one particular technique or several. Techniques, for example, may
include bead weaving stitches, bead embellishment, bead appliqué, bead
knitting, bead crochet, bead embroidery, lampworking.
Review the Official Rules on the website.
Sponsored by Land of Odds, Be Dazzled Beads, LearnToBead.net, and The Center
for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts
Posted in bead weaving, beadwork, Contests | Tagged: beaded art dolls, beading competitions, beading contests | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on January 30, 2013
JEWELRY AS ART: HANNA LILJENBERG
http://www.hannaliljenberg.se/
The works of Hanna Liljenberg are great examples of Jewelry As Art.
As “art”, jewelry is seen as a subset of sculpture or painting, and follows the prescribed rules of each.
The jewelry’s success is judged as if sitting on an easel or on a mannequin. The body’s shape is mere pedestal or frame, supportive, but subordinate.
Wearability, drape, movement, context, and other functional concerns are secondary to the aesthetic.
Hanna’s pieces are indeed beautiful. How well she reaches that line connecting jewelry to art, rather than distinguishing between the two — jewelry OR art — I’ll leave up to you.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: art jewelry, contemporary beadwork, hanna liljenberg, jewelry vs. art | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on January 30, 2013
THE JEWELRY DESIGN DISCUSSION GROUP
Please join our new group on facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/jewelrydesign/
We’ve taken our BEAD STUDY group at The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts, and opened it up online at Facebook.
Current Discussions:
- Art vs. Craft
- Technique vs. Skill
- How to organize your ideal work space
- Getting a management handle on client “Wants”
- Color Blending
- Bead Spills
- How did you get your start in beading/jewelry making?
Posted in beadwork, jewelry design, Workshops, Classes, Exhibits | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on January 30, 2013
THE ARTISTRY OF BARBARA NATOLI WITT
http://necklaceart.com/NecklaceArt.com.html
I wanted to share with you some of the beautiful, fascinating and romantic works of Barbara Natoli Witt.
Her pieces blend tapestry techniques with captivating webs of colored threads, beads, stones, artifacts and found objects.
I frequently advocate among my students that they learn to incorporate several types of techniques and materials within their pieces, and Witt is a perfect example of the result.
Her use of historical motifs, signs, symbols and materials imbued with meaning within necklace pieces with a contemporary flair add synergy and power to her pieces. She marries “meaning” to “aesthetic” particularly well.
The historical referents make you think of themes of classical beauty, the classical role of women and the classical role of jewelry, and how these relate to women and jewelry today.
A good background biography of the artist can be found here.
Posted in bead weaving, beadwork, jewelry design | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on January 21, 2013
Pearl Knotting with Warren Feld
By: Warren Feld
http://www.craftartedu.com/warren-feld-pearl-knotting-with-warren-feld
New video tutorail on CraftArtEdu.com.
Everything you need to know for successfully designing with pearls, including knotting – traditional vs non traditional methods, attaching clasps, finishing, care of your pearls, repair and types of pearls, the nature of the pearl. Jewelry designer Warren Feld will lead you through this comprehensive CraftArtEdu class that is all about pearls. 6 Broadcasts.
Price:
$40
Level: All Levels
Duration: 106:17
Posted in beads, jewelry making, Workshops, Classes, Exhibits | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on October 22, 2012
A STORY TO WEAR
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1326391752/a-story-to-wear-a-documentary-about-jewelry-histor
I wanted to share this email from the ASJRA about a film project seeking funds on Kickstarter.com.
– Warren
FROM ASJRA:
Through a small grant from the Association for the Study of Jewelry & Related Arts (ASJRA) LLC, director Nicolas Cuellar has created a 3-minute “trailer” for what he hopes will become a full documentary on why it is important and fascinating to study the history of jewelry. Some of you got to see it at our conference on October 7.
Whether you are a jewelry lover, collector, artist, appraiser, dealer, gemologist, auction house, curator, or in the retail jewelry business, this film will help bring education about the world of jewelry to a wider audience and benefit all of us.
The Association for the Study of Jewelry & Related Arts will make the completed film available to any jewelry organization that would like to screen it as well as to all college metals/jewelry and art history departments…free of charge. It will also be on the internet for the general public to see.
Please go to www.storytowear.com and click on the photograph on the home page. This will take you to kickstarter.com where you can view the trailer and help support the film…even the smallest donation can help the filmmakers to reach their goal (even $1 will help) You will also find the rewards that are being offered for donations.
Although you make your pledge which is processed through Amazon.com, the filmmakers do not get a penny (and you are not charged) unless they reach their stated financial goal and they only have 30 days to do it!
The budget for the film will be $50-$70,000 but they are only looking to raise the first $10,000 on kickstarter.com. If they raise more than their goal they will get the full amount (minus the fee kickstarter and Amazon takes for processing the pledges). So please have a look today…the clock is ticking!
FROM THE PERSPECTUS ON KICKSTARTER:
Studying jewelry is a window into the history of cultures. Jewelry is the most personal of adornments and has signifcance in our lives.
Launched: Oct 21, 2012
Funding ends: Nov 20, 2012
Remind Me
We are creating a documentary film on the study of the history of jewelry. It’s probably something you never thought about but…
Did you know that:
–the earliest known jewelry is 100,000 years old?
–during many wars precious metals were in short demand and jewelry was made of alternative materials?
–the Victorians mounted hummingbird heads as jewelry? And Brazilian beetles?
–many cultures wear jewelry to ward off evil spirits?
–the famed jewelry firm of Cartier bought the townhouse where their headquarters is located in New York City by trading the owner for an incredible necklace of natural pearls? (Natural pearls are rare today since cultured pearls arrived on the scene circa 1900.)
–that diamonds can naturally be found in many colors?
–that in earlier times men wore more jewelry than women?
–that Harry Winston mailed the famed Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institute by U.S. Mail? And that it was walked to the White House in a gentleman’s pants pocket for the Shah of Iran to see?
These fascinating facts are just a very small part of what you might learn if you study the history of jewelry. We view jewelry studies as a “window” into the history of the world and a fun way to learn about our own and other cultures.
Jewelry is not only a form of adornment and self-expression, it is a part of one’s family history, and a form of portable wealth. Its ownership is intricately involved in our lives.
And anyone can join in learning…it doesn’t take a lot of specialized knowledge to understand this fascinating subject. If you are interested in fashion, world events, anthropology, art, archaeology—any number of subjects—you can relate to learning about jewelry.
Our personal jewelry does many things—represents the happiest and sometimes the saddest moments in our lives, can signal our achievements, tell others where we went to college, indicates our religious beliefs, and can even relay our sense of fun. It can tell others, without a word, how we view ourselves.
It is so universal that if two women who don’t know each other stand in an elevator one may comment on the other’s jewelry.
The Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts, LLC (ASJRA) is an organization dedicated to the advancement of jewelry studies. ASJRA takes a broad approach to the subject, seeking to understand and place jewelry within a variety of contexts, including costume, the decorative arts, and fine art among others.
We publish Adornment, the Magazine of Jewelry and Related Arts (a quarterly), an extensive monthly newsletter on everything that is happening in the jewelry world, and organize an annual conference as a forum for curators, historians, researchers, and artists to present new and interesting
information about jewelry.
My co-director Yvonne Markowitz and I also consider it our mission to encourage the inclusion of courses in jewelry history at the college and graduate level for both applied jewelry students and decorative arts majors and provide aid to institutions in that pursuit. It promotes the development of study programs for jewelry design and jewelry history students at museums.
ASJRA is also working to make available previously inaccessible publications and information for educators, researchers, and collectors.
But right now we are, “preaching to the choir.” Our members know how exciting it is to delve into centuries of jewelry lore as well keep an eye on the inventive and unique contemporary jewelry being made today by studio artists and important fine jewelry firms.
This film will help a much wider audience gain an appreciation of how much can be learned and how interesting learning more about jewelry can be.
Documentary film maker Nicolas Cuellar, producer Harris Karlin, and Elyse Zorn Karlin, the co-director of ASJRA, have teamed up to educate the public on the story of jewelry and its place in our lives in the film “A Story to Wear.” We invite you to support this documentary film and get some great rewards to show our appreciation for your donation.
Once the film is completed it will be available to any organization with an interest in jewelry to show to its members, as well as to colleges and universities that have metals’ programs (jewelry making) and art history courses. We will also put it online so the general public can enjoy and learn from it as well. Help us tell the world about a subject that touches all of our lives without us realizing it…think about what your favorite piece of jewelry is and what it means to you!
Nicolas and Harris have extensive credits in the film world and Elyse is a well-known jewelry historian, author, lecturer and freelance curator. Together we will create a film to bring the fascinating world of jewelry to everyone.
Risks and challenges Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Our biggest challenge will to keep the film on schedule…we hope to finish by spring or summer 2013. We are going to be working with diverse people to present a balanced story and scheduling them for interviewing with their busy schedules and still manage to shoot in several venues in one city in a short time (we can’t afford to pay the crew for extra days) will be a challenge.
Posted in jewelry collecting, jewelry making | Tagged: evolution of jewelry, history of jewelry | 1 Comment »
Posted by learntobead on October 4, 2012
PRICING AND SELLING YOUR JEWELRY
Our class is now available online at CraftArtEdu.com
Learn how to achieve “fair pricing” for your art with businessman/ artist, Warren Feld. Understand your role in the world of jewelry commerce and how to make money by doing what you love, through fair pricing of your work. No handout is included in this class.
“TODAY’S LESSON IS ABOUT ONE KEY TO SUCCESS: SMART PRICING.
WE DISCUSS WHY JEWELRY SELLS.
WE GO OVER DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRICING STRATEGIES USED BY JEWELRY DESIGNERS AND THE JEWELRY INDUSTRY.
I PRESENT A SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL PRICING FORMULA.
I EXPLAIN THE FORMULA, AND BREAK THIS DOWN INTO LITTLE STEPS.
THEN WE PRACTICE APPLYING THE FORMULA AND PRICING SOME PIECES OF JEWELRY.
AT THE END OF THE LESSON, I DISCUSS THE DIFFERENCES AMONG RETAIL, WHOLESALE AND CONSIGNMENT.
I BRIEFLY DISCUSS SOME KEY BUSINESS STRATEGIES WHICH ARE VERY RELATED TO PRICING.
AND I OFFER SOME FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE.
Price: $15
Media: Jewelry
Level: Beginner
Duration: 51:09
Posted in business of craft, jewelry making, Workshops, Classes, Exhibits | Tagged: marketing, pricing, pricing and selling your jewelry, setting prices | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 26, 2012
Mary Lee Hu — Wire Artist
Have you ever wondered how far you could push your wire so that it sings? Mary Lee Hu shows you just how far.
She frames, knits, braids, weaves, shapes wire into wonderful jewelry compositions.
Her textile approach to wire working is captivating. We can learn alot about how to use wire by studing techniques in fiber, textiles, tablet weaving and basketry.
There is also a beautiful book Knitted, Knotted, Twisted, and Twined: The Jewelry of Mary Lee Hu
which celebrates 100 of her designs over the years.
Posted in wire and metal | Tagged: basketry, jewelry design, mary lee hu, wirework | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 13, 2012
Guzel Bakeeva Design – One Artist Take On Bead Embroidered Cabochons
I love to explore beautiful jewelry as art. Guzel Bakeeva uses bead embroidery techniques, and very smart and beautiful stones and found objects in her jewelry. She often couples this with unexpected arrangements of components. She seems determined to create pieces which have a combined sexiness and sophistication.
Take a look.
The challenges with bead embroidery are many:
- wearability (often the use of large forms, clustered together, which much take the shape of the body)
- artistic integrity (pieces of art when made, must maintain artistic integrity as worn)
- art vs. craft (avoidance of the reduction of art to craft, because of the materials — particularly the bead as a medium)
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: art vs. craft, bead embroidery, guzel bakeeva, jewelry design | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 13, 2012
Doris Betz – All About The Line
DORIS: ”My work is above all about the line: how it spreads and the possibilities of its arrangement. The line or the wire describes, through its movement, a space. There are overlaps, knots and different layers. At the same time arise apparently accidental, bizarre, three dimensional images. Plastic stands equally judged beside gold and silver. The pieces live through their lightness and transparency. Glamour and oppositions seek a beauty of their own.”
The “line” can be a frightening thing for a designer. Once the designer commits to a certain line and its linear or curvalinear passageway, the line has to be managed towards some wearable aesthetic. Not easy to do.
The line creates a boundary. It separates one direction from another. It forces, or at least implores, value judgements. That is, which side of the line is better, more satisfying, more pleasing, more correct.
The line can also frame. This sets up an inclusive vs exclusive quality, and recessive vs. forwarding seeking motion, a dimensionality, an encouragement vs. a restriction for movement and direction.
Doris Betz is not afraid of the line.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: doris betz, jewelry design, use of line | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 13, 2012
Senses and Sensibilities at Museum of Art and Design, NYC
“In the hands of imaginative craftspeople, jewelry can be more than a visual aesthetic adornment. Forged out the right materials, it can invoke pleasing experiences in scent, touch, and taste. This winter join MAD for an afternoon-long, hands-on workshop in constructing jewelry that titillates all the senses. From using precious metal clay to crafting tactile jewelry, creating works out of sugar glass, and using the 16th-century technique of fashioning herb and spice necklaces, “Senses and Sensibilities: Jewelry Workshops in Sensory Materials” enables everyone to try their hand working with new materials and techniques to create their very own sensory-expanding wearable wonder.”
This is a fun and imaginative exhibit of contemporary jewelry.
Herb and Spice Necklaces with Caroline Mak
Precious Metal Clay with Max Goodman
Posted in jewelry design | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 13, 2012
Hanging Around – Jewelry From Recent Exhibit At MAD in NY
“The unique works on display in Hanging Around are from the Museum of Arts and Design’s jewelry collection. Dating from the 1960s to the present, these artistic creations encompass conceptual approaches ranging from the decorative to the provocatively political. Some of the necklaces on view feature precious metals and rare gemstones, but others derive their impact from materials as unconventional as pig intestines, gun triggers, mustard seeds, LED lighting, black coral, butterfly wings, phone directories, mirrors and lenses. The fabrication techniques employed by the artists are as different as traditional goldsmithing and cutting-edge digital prototyping.”
What do you think?
Liv Blåvarp, Untitled, 2002
Nancy Worden, The Seven Deadly Sins, 1994
Verena Sieber-Fuchs, Apart-heid, 1988
Marjorie Schick
Tory Hughes, Armillary,1992
polymer, steel, glass, brass, silver, mustard seeds
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: hanging around, jewelry design, museum of art and design | 1 Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 13, 2012
Contemporary Pieces Using Gemstones From Margaret De Patta Collection
The Velvet Davinci Gallery in San Francisco held an exhibit of contemporary jewelry artists creating new jewelry with old stones.
“The De Patta Project was born when Velvet da Vinci purchased many of these unset stones from the estate of Margaret De Patta. There are some beautiful cut stones by Francis J. Sperisen, cabochon stones and beach pebbles found by De Patta. De Patta’s nontradtional use of gemstones and non-precious pebbles are key to the understanding the importance of her influence on the field of contemporary jewelry. “
Jewelers represented in this exhibit:
Deborah Boskin
Petra Class
Sandra Enterline
Geoffrey Giles
Joanna Gollberg
April Higashi
Tom Hill
Mike Homes
Dave Jones
Terri Logan
Deb Lozier
Maja
Dawn Nakanishi
Brigid O’hanrahan
Julia Turner
Andrea Williams
It is difficult, when creating jewelry for an exhibit celebrating the work of an historical figure, to decide the best balance among:
- referent and reference to the past, both in terms of De Patta’s jewelry style, as well as the overall modernist aesthetic.
- showcasing your own personal style
- demonstrating a sense of what contemporary style means today
- showcasing the gemstones used
It’s useful to explore these artists’ other work you can see images online, to get a better sense of the artist, as well as a better sense of De Patta.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: andrea williams, aprilhigashi, brigid o'hanrahan, dave jones, dawn nakanishi, deb lozier, deborah boskin, geoffrey giles, history of jewelry, jewelry design, joanna gollberg, julia turner, maja, margaret de patta, mike holmes, petra class, sandra enterline, terri logan, tom hill, velvet da vinci gallery | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 13, 2012
Margaret De Patta Jewelry
(1903 – 1964)
From about 1939, Margaret De Patta was a major designer in American Contemporary Jewelry history, perhaps one of the major influential forces during her time. She was a founding member of the San Francisco Metal Arts Guild. She is often credited as starting the modern jewelry studio movement.
Her pieces epitomize her use of simple lines and structure. There is a strong architectural sense. You can see clear connections to the cubist and modern art and bauhaus and modernist architecturer prominent at the time.
She characterized her pieces as miniature wearable sculptures, and in reaction to the prevailing view of jewelry merely as body ornament. Her use of line demarcates boundaries, creates a sense of dimensional space, frames elements within her pieces.
De Patta envisioned a piece of jewelry as a dynamic object capable of changing perceptions of space and movement by creating reflections, optical illusions, and unexpected alterations of light.
It is interesting to look at her jewelry designs, and think about contemporary design today, the similarities and differences.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: history of jewelry, jewelry design, margaret de patta | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on September 6, 2012
BE DAZZLED BEADS: WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT
Create a sophisticated, contemporary Etruscan-style collar!
Layer two Ndebele stitched strips, slightly curving the interior edge and embellishing
with chain.
ETRUSCAN COLLAR WORKSHOP
Instructor: Warren Feld
at Be Dazzled Beads, 718 Thompson Lane, Ste 123, Nashville, TN 37204
Sat, 11/3, Noon-5pm
Register by phone (615)-292-0610, or in-person
(REGISTRATION CLOSES: 10/15/12)
($35.00 fee + Kit $160.00 + Upgrade Option) (deposit = $195.00 + Upgrade Option)
Kit at $160.00 includes gold plated clasp, chain and findings.
UPGRADE OPTIONS
#1: 14KT CLASP and GOLD FILLED CHAIN Chain For Embellishment
ADD + $884.00
#2: STERLING SILVER CLASP and STERLING SILVER CHAIN For Embellishment
ADD + $148.00
#3: GOLD FILLED CLASP and GOLD FILLED CHAIN for Embellishment
ADD + $165.00
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP:
Bead weaving is a collection of hundreds of different stitching techniques and
strategies for creating pieces that approximate a piece of cloth.
The Ndebele stitch, sometimes called Herringbone Stitch, is a loose-knit stitch that lends itself
to many creative variations. It results in a herringbone pattern, or zig-zag effect.
This Etruscan Collar Necklace consists of two overlapping strips of Ndebele Stitch, a chain embellishment, and an attached choker clasp. The strips are overlapped so that they curve slightly
along the inner edge.The challenge, here for me, was to create a sophisticated, wearable, and attractive piece that exemplified concepts about contemporizing traditional jewelry. There is considerable artistry and craftsmanship underlying Etruscan jewelry. I began to interpret and analyze this piece. I first broke it down in terms of its Traditional Components.
Contemporizing Traditional Jewelry has to do with how you take these particular traditional forms and techniques, and both add your personal style to the pieces, as well as make them more relevant to today’s sense of fashion and style. The challenge for the designer is how to keep traditional ideas essential and alive for today’s audience.
Part of the artistry of the jewelry designer has to do with the control over color. Picking colors
is about making strategic choices. And picking Bead Colors is about understanding how the bead asserts its needs for color.The jewelry designer must be strategic in the placement of color within the piece. The designer achieves balance and harmony, partly through the placement of colors. The designer determines how colors are distributed within the piece, and what movement and rhythm and effect result. And the designer determines what proportions of each color are used,
where in the piece, and how. One set of color-theories, widely used in our Etruscan Collar, employed to make these kinds of choices have to do with Simultaneity Effects. Colors in the presence of other colors get perceived differently, depending on the color combination.
What You Will Learn:
- Creating a design-plan for a layered bead woven necklace collar
- Strategically selecting a color palette, especially in reference to “simultaneity effects”
- Implementing the Ndebele Stitch using a 4mm cube and two 2mm beads to create two strips which will later overlap
- Reinforcing the Ndebele strips
- Attaching and assembling two layers of Ndebele Stitched strips using a hybrid brick stitch/ndebele stitch technique
- Weaving in a decorative chain element along the inner boundaries of the piece, using a bookbinding stitch
- Attaching a choker clasp assembly
- Some ideas about what it means to “contemporize” a traditional piece
of jewelry
Prerequisites:
- Orientation To Beads & Jewelry Findings
- Introductory Knowledge of Ndebele stitch
- An intermediate level knowledge of and experience with bead weaving
Kit Contents:
- Step by Step instructions with text, diagrams and images
- 4mm Miyuki glass cube beads, 11/0 seed beads or 11/0 delicas or 1.8mm cubes
- Swarovski crystal Series 5000 round beads, 2mm
- gold plated cable chain
- gold plated adjustable hook/eye choker clasp
- FireLine cable thread, size D
- 4ea of size #10 and size #12 beading needles
- bees wax
- Plastic case with tight lid for carrying these supplies
THE PALETTES:
LOOK N’SEE: http://www.warrenfeldjewelry.com/ecollar.htm
1. Spectrum Gold
2. Brilliant Gold
3. Teal Terra/Antique Rose
4. Antique Amethyst/Sage Green
5. Antique Rose/Terra Cotta
ABOUT WARREN FELD
warrenfeldjewelry.com
The Design Perspective is the driving force that defines Warren Feld as a jewelry artist. Whether creating jewelry, teaching students theory and application, or helping jewelry and beading artists
establish themselves in business – the focus always comes back to how best to make functional, materials and aesthetic choices and tradeoffs.
Warren’s jewelry designs are characterized by multi-method approaches, intricate plays of color, contemporary adaptations of traditional pieces, and experimentation. He is adept at bead weaving, bead stringing, wire working and silver smithing. He works to bring senses of movement, dimension and sensuality to his pieces. Pieces must be both beautiful and wearable, concurrently meeting
the needs of wearer, viewer and designer alike.
In 2000, Warren founded The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts, an educational program in Nashville, TN. In 2008, “Canyon Sunrise” necklace was selected as Finalist, 4th Place, SWAROVSKI’s Be Naturally Inspired Contest. “Little Tapestries/Ghindia” — was juried into SHOWCASE 500 BEADED
JEWELRY, Lark Publications, 2012. He is writing a jewelry design series entitled “How To Bead A Rogue Elephant.” Owner, Be Dazzled Beads, and Land of Odds (www.landofodds.com). Director, Jewelry Design Camp. Warren’s pieces are available for purchase at The Open Window Gallery, or online at www.warrenfeldjewelry.com.
Administers three international contests: The Ugly Necklace, All Dolled Up-Beaded
Art Dolls, and Illustrative Beader-Beaded Tapestries.
He is working to bring the CBJA curriculum online as LearnToBead.net.
Be Dazzled Beads is located in the Berry Hill section of Nashville, Tennessee. It is 3 miles south
of downtown, off of I-65.
Lunch Options:
The workshop will take a break for lunch. Within easy walking distance are these lunch places:
Applebees
The Yellow Porch
Sam & Zoes
Baja Burrito
Subway
Kebab Gyro Shop
Pizza Hut
Wendy’s
Calypso Cafe
Pfunky Griddle
Firehouse Subs
Logans Steak House
Monell’s
Jersey Mikes
Cheeseburger Charlies
Einstein Bagel
Panda Express
Panera’s Bread Company
Lodging:
If you are coming from out of town, the closest motels are
La Quinta Inn (Sidco Drive near Harding Place and I-65)
Red Roof Inn (Sidco Drive near Hading Place and I-65)
There are additional motels 1 exit further south on I-65 on Old Hickory Blvd in Brentwood.
JEWELRY
DESIGN CAMP
October 2013 |
Session
I: Contemporizing Traditional Etruscan Jewelry
Sun,
10/6/13 thru Sat, 10/12/13 |
Session
II: Fringe, Edge, Strap, Bail, Surface Embellishment in Jewelry — Art
or Not?
Sun,
10/13/13 thru Sat, 10/19/13 |
Immerse
yourself into a week-long study of jewelry design theories, and their
applications and manipulations with various materials, techniques and
strategies. |
CENTER
FOR BEADWORK & JEWELRY ARTS
WARREN
FELD JEWELRY
BE
DAZZLED BEADS |
Posted in beadwork, jewelry design | Tagged: bead weaving workshop, contemporizing traditional jewelry, etruscan jewelry, ndebele stitch | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on August 9, 2012
PRESS RELEASE: 8/9/12
CALL FOR ENTRIES:
ALL DOLLED UP: BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION
Sponsors: Land of Odds, Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts, Be Dazzled Beads
Deadline: 8/31/13
Contact:
Warren Feld
warren@landofodds.com
615-292-0610
ALL DOLLED UP:
Beaded Art Doll Competition
This Year’s Theme: Transformations
Call for Entries.
Land of Odds (http://www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm) announces its fifth 2013 All Dolled Up: Beaded Art Doll Competition. Entries accepted between September 1, 2012 and August 31st, 2013.
Create a Beaded Art Doll by manipulating beads and forms into an imaginative tactile and visual 3-dimensional representation of this year’s theme: TRANSFORMATIONS.
And then write a Short Story (between 1000-2000 words) about your Beaded Art Doll, what it represents, and how it was created, starting with the sentence:
“As she turns towards me, her hands no longer seem familiar;
her face, once recognizable, now unexpected;
her aura, a palette of changed colors,
I want to share, but can’t all at once.
She is transforming, before my eyes, as if I wished it to happen,
for whatever reason — fun, mundane or sinister — I’m not sure.
But as she moves and evolves, a special insight occurs to me,
so I name her… “
The 2013 ALL DOLLED UP: BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION is offering a first prize of a $1000.00 shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site (http://www.landofodds.com), and a Runner-Up prize of a $400.00 shopping spree on the web-site.
Entries will be judged by a panel from The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts.
A Beaded Art Doll is a physical representation in three dimensions, using human figural and expressive characteristics, through the creative use and manipulation of beads. Beaded Art Dolls submitted as entries for this competition should be immediately recognizable as a “Doll” as defined above.
That said, Beaded Art Dolls submitted as entries for this competition may be realistic, surrealistic, whimsical or imaginary. They may be humanistic, animalistic, caricatures, cartoons, impressions or abstractions. The doll may take many forms, including a figure, purse, box, vessel, puppet, marionette, or pop-up figure.
Beaded Art Dolls should be between 8” and 36” in size. They must be at least 80% composed of beads.
The doll’s internal form and structure may result from many techniques, materials and strategies. The bead stitches themselves might be used to create the skeletal structure. Various forms of cloth dolls might be stitched or embellished with beads. The underlying structure might be made of polymer clay, wood, ceramic, porcelain, Styrofoam, wire, corn husk, basket weaving, yarns, cardboard, paper, cotton, or some combination of materials. It might be a found form or object.
The Artist is given wide leeway in techniques for how the doll is to be beaded, and may use one particular technique or several. Techniques, for example, may include bead weaving stitches, bead embellishment, bead appliqué, bead knitting, bead crochet, bead embroidery, lampworking. These should NOT include the application of rhinestones, sequins, nailheads or studs. The beads may be of any size, shape, color and material.
The Artist may include a doll stand or display support with the Art Doll, though this is not a requirement. This stand or support may be an off-the-shelf piece, or created from scratch by the Artist. It may be a base, a created setting, a decorative box, or frame. The stand or display support need not be beaded.
The Artist may interpret and apply the theme “Transformations” any way she or he chooses. The Beaded Art Doll might be thought of as a plaything; or a visual representation of a person, feeling, spirit or thing; or a tool for teaching; or a method for stimulating emotional development or healing. As an object of art, the goal of the Doll should be to make a statement, evoking an emotional, cultural or social response, either by the Artist her/himself or by others. The Doll must be an original work, and may be the work of one Artist or a Collaboration.
ALL DOLLED UP: BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION is more than a beauty pageant. It is a design competition. The Competition will take into account the Artist’s intentions and how well these are incorporated into the design.
Enter to Win!
Land of Odds, home of the annual ALL DOLLED UP: BEADED ART DOLL COMPETITION. Visit www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm to review the Official Rules. Land of Odds provides doll, bead and jewelry making artists with virtually all their beads, supplies, books and jewelry findings needs, with over 30,000 products. Retail/Discounts/Wholesale.
Posted in beadwork, Contests | Tagged: beaded art doll, cloth doll, fiber arts, figurative sculpture, mixed media | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on July 3, 2012
PRESS RELEASE: 7/3/12
Winner and Runner-Up Announced
2012 The Ugly Necklace Contest!
- A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist
And the Winner is…..
Land of Odds, Be Dazzled Beads, The Open Window Gallery, and The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts are proud to announce the Winner and Runner-Up in this year’s The Ugly Necklace Contest, 2012!
The Winner of The Ugly Necklace Contest – the Jewelry Designer who demonstrated exceptional jewelry design skills by creating The Ugliest Necklace in the America and the rest of the World in the year 2012, and the winner of a $992.93 shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site (www.landofodds.com) is :
Joan Veres
Norwood, NY
“From My Garden Of The Sea Rim”
The Runner-Up in The Ugly Necklace Contest — the Jewelry Designer who also displayed obvious design talents by creating the 2nd Ugliest Necklace in America and the rest of the World in the year 2012, and the winner of a $399.07 shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site is:
Pamela Orians
Zanesville, OH
“From My Garden Of Fun”
It’s not easy doing Ugly!
So our hats are off, and we offer loud applause to Joan Veres and Pamela Orians. These beadwork and jewelry artists have demonstrated their commendable design skills. They have been judged, from among 17 entrants from across America, Dubai, Great Britain, and South Korea, by a distinguished panel of four judges from The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, and voted on by visitors to the Land of Odds web-site.
It’s difficult to design an ugly piece of jewelry because your mind and your eye won’t let you go there. As research into color and design has shown, your eye compensates for imbalances in color or design component relationships – it tries to correct and harmonize them. You are pre-wired to subconsciously avoid anything that is disorienting, disturbing or distracting.
To view additional images of the necklaces submitted by the winner, runner up and the other semi-finalists of The Ugly Necklace Contest, please visit us here on-line.
And if you are in the Nashville area, please stop by Be Dazzled Beads, where the 8 selected Ugly Necklaces are on display through September 15th.
Posted in Contests, jewelry design | Tagged: jewelry design, ugly necklace contest | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on June 10, 2012
LARK PUBLICATIONS
CALL FOR ENTRIES
8/1/2012 deadline
I received the following email from Ray Hemachandra of Lark Publications. They are
requesting submissions to possible be included ina book to be published called Showcase
500 Necklaces. -- Warren
"I'm pleased to announce a two-month call for entries for a new 500 Series gallery book of handmade contemporary jewelry from Lark Books: Showcase 500 Necklaces. The opportunity closes on August 1, 2012. That is a short window of time, so I ask you please to share the call for entries promptly with your entire jewelry-making community, including peers, associations, schools, students, and all online forums as well as social media like Twitter and Facebook, and to respond to it yourself in a timely way. As always, we hope to receive a wide array of entries from around the world. I'm also pleased to report Lark has converted to using an online entry system; entries are now online only, through a portal provided by Juried Art Services. Here is the link for the informational prospectus and to enter: http://bit.ly/NmsmQm
You'll find all the information you need at that link, so please follow the instructions carefully, but here are some key points: We'll accept jewelry in all materials with all techniques and design styles, including both wearable and conceptual but biasing toward the wearable, simply because most readers prefer seeing wearable jewelry in these books. Jurying will favor more recent work, and so we ask you to submit very recent or current work from no earlier than 2010. The submission limit is two pieces (one photo of each, with an option of one or two alternate or detail photos per piece). 'Necklaces' can include neckpieces, chokers, torques, collars, operas, ropes, chains, bibs, etc. There is no charge for entry for this book; Lark is covering the Juried Art Services cost. We strongly prefer work that has not been previously published in book form. The JAS form will walk you through the process, but a few notes: 1. No need to complete the Artist Statement section. 2. Please read and follow Lark's Digital Image Submission Guidelines. 3. We encourage early entries, especially to avoid having any last-minute difficulties with the new entry process: Complete the process ahead of the deadline so you're assured of having time to resolve any technical issues you might encounter. For questions about registering with Juried Art Services or uploading your material to the site, contact support@jurying.net. For other questions about the book, please direct them to Hannah Doyle at hannah@larkbooks.com. And please be sure to join Lark Jewelry & Beading on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LarkJewelryBeading for updates and future calls for entries. We invite you to copy the web ad for the book at http://www.larkcrafts.com/submit/calls-for-submissions/ for your own website or blog, or to share it on your Facebook page, linking either to that link or to the JAS page at http://bit.ly/NmsmQm, whichever you prefer. We are very excited about this book, the third jewelry book since the 500 series evolved into 'Showcase 500'. Showcase 500 Rings (http://amzn.to/yEERZm ) just published in May, and Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry (http://amzn.to/z6tZH2) will publish in August. We know Showcase 500 Necklaces will be a book devoted to work of creative excellence and innovation, and we invite and welcome your contribution to the book. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Ray Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/LarkJewelryBeading Follow us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/larkjewelry Ray Hemachandra Team Lead and Business Manager Lark Jewelry & Beading 67 Broadway Asheville, North Carolina 28801 (828) 253-0467 ext. 762 ray@larkbooks.com
http://www.larkcrafts.com/jewelry-beading"
Posted in bead weaving, beads, beadwork, jewelry design, jewelry making | Tagged: book submission, juried jewelry | 2 Comments »
Posted by learntobead on May 30, 2012
PRESS RELEASE –5/31/12
TOPIC:
OnLine Voting Begins!
9th International 2012 The Ugly Necklace Contest
- A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist
Eight Jewelry Artists from around the world have been selected as Semi-Finalists of The 9th International 2012 The Ugly Necklace Contest – A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist, by a panel of four judges from The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts and Land of Odds.
Vote Online for your favorites, and help determine who will win the Grand Prize – a $992.93 shopping spree on the Land of Odds web-site (http://www.landofodds.com). Runner Up Prize: $399.07 shopping spree. Voting Ends June 30th, 2012
More details and images on-line at:
http://www.landofodds.com/store/ugly9contest.htm
Our 2012 Semi-Finalists Announced:
Nivya Raju, Dubai, United Arab Emerates
Juli Brown, Wells, Minnesota
Joan Veres, Norwood, New York
Corrine Zephier, Kyle, South Dakota
Lynn Margaret Davy, Dorset, United Kingdom
Pamela Orians, Zanesville, Ohio
Quisha Saunders, Atlanta, Georgia
Brenda Donaldson, Mesa, Arizona
Synopsis:
It’s not easy to do Ugly!
So the many jewelry designers from across America and around the Globe who entered our 9th International 2012 The Ugly Necklace Contest — A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist , found this contest especially challenging. After all, your brain is pre-wired to avoid and reject things which are ugly. Think of snakes and spiders. And even if you start your necklace with a bunch of ugly pieces, once you organize them into a circle, the very nature of an ordered round form makes it difficult to achieve Ugly. Yes, “Ugly” is easier said than done.
Who will win? We need the public’s help to influence our panel of judges.
Our respected judges evaluated these creatively-designed pieces in terms of hideousness, use of materials and clasp, the number of jewelry design principles violated, and the designer’s artistic control. Extra points were awarded for artists’ use of smaller beads, because it’s much more difficult to do Ugly with these.
Now it’s time for America and the World to help finalize the decision about which of these 8 semi-finalists’ Ugly Necklaces to vote for. The winner will truly be an exceptional jewelry designer. The losers….well….this isn’t a contest where you really can “lose”.
Come see these and the other semi-finalists’ pieces at www.landofodds.com, and vote your choice for the Ugliest Necklace, 2012.
And if you are in the Nashville, Tennessee area, please stop by The Open Windows Gallery (fine art jewelry) at Be Dazzled Beads, where the 8 semi-finalists’ Ugly Necklaces are on display through September 15, 2012.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
LAND OF ODDS
Attention: Warren Feld
www.landofodds.com
718 Thompson Lane, Ste 123, Nashville, TN 37204
Phone: 615-292-0610; Fax: 615-460-7001
Email: warren@landofodds.com
ABOUT UGLY NECKLACES
The UGLY NECKLACE CONTEST (www.landofodds.com/store/uglynecklace.htm) is a jewelry design competition with a twist. The contest presents a challenge not often tackled — at least intentionally. The contest draws the jewelry designer into an alternative universe where beautiful artists create ugly necklaces. It’s not easy to do.
“Ugly” is more involved than simple surface treatment. It is not just laying out a bunch of ugly parts into a circle. It turns out that “Ugly” is something more than that. “Ugly” is the result of the interplay among Designer, Wearer, and Viewer. “Ugly” is very much a result of how a necklace is designed and constructed. “Ugly” is something the viewer actively tries to avoid and move away from. “Ugly” has deep-rooted psychological, cognitive, perceptual, sociological and anthropological functions and purposes.
As research into color and design has shown, your eye and brain compensate for imbalances in color or in the positioning of pieces and objects – they try to correct and harmonize them. They try to neutralize anything out of place or not quite right. You are pre-wired to subconsciously avoid anything that is disorienting, disturbing or distracting. Your mind and eye won’t let you go here. This is considered part of the fear response, where your brain actively attempts to avoid things like snakes and spiders…. and ugly necklaces.
This means that jewelry designers, if they are to create beautiful, wearable art, have to be more deeply involved with their pieces beyond “surface”. Or their pieces will be less successful, thus less beautiful, thus more disturbing or distracting or disorienting, thus more Ugly. Luckily, for the jewelry designer, we are pre-wired to avoid these negative things. This makes it easier to end up with pieces that look good. Beauty, in some sense, then, is very intuitive. On the other hand, it makes it more difficult to end up with pieces that look bad. You see, Ugly goes against our nature. It’s hard to do.
The Ugly Necklace Contest is one of the many programs at The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, that encourage beadwork and jewelry makers to test their design skills, have fun, and learn some fundamentals about jewelry design in the process.
To add your name to our email list associated with The Ugly Necklace Contest,
send an email to: oddsian@landofodds.com
and Write “Ugly Necklace Email List” in the subject line.
Sponsors:
Land of Odds www.landofodds.com,
Phone: 615-292-0610; Email :warren@landofodds.com
Land of Odds provides bead and jewelry making artists with virtually all their beads, supplies, books and jewelry findings needs, with over 35,000 products. Retail/Discounts/Wholesale.
Be Dazzled Beads www.bedazzledbeads.com
Nashville’s premier bead store.
Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts www.landofodds.com/beadschool/
Educating beaders and jewelry makers in the Design Perspective.
Other Programs at Land of Odds:
ALL DOLLED UP: Beaded Art Doll Competition
www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm
JEWELRY DESIGN CAMP
www.warrenfeldjewelry.com/jewelrydesigncamp/
Learn To Bead Blog
Start your education with our ORIENTATION TO BEADS & JEWELRY FINDINGS
http://blog.landofodds.com
Posted in beadwork, Contests, jewelry design, jewelry making | Tagged: jewelry design contest | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on February 8, 2012
Just found out that one of my pieces — Little Tapestries/Ghindia — was juried into the book SHOWCASE 500 BEADED JEWELRY, Lark Publications. The book comes out August 2012, but is already listed on Amazon.com at http://amzn.to/z6tZH2 .
From Amazon.com:
This book gathers photographs of 500 of the most breathtaking beaded jewelry designs created in recent years. The techniques the beaders employ are as varied as the aesthetic sensibilities they bring to their gorgeous creations and include beadweaving in every stitch imaginable, embroidery, quilling, loom weaving, and kumihimo braiding, as well as basic stringing, simple wirework, and fine metalwork. Sometimes, a bead maker’s focal piece simply is set in a straightforward, unpretentious, and beautiful design.
Virtually all of the world’s most famous beaders who make jewelry have pieces included – including Carol Wilcox Wells, Diane Fitzgerald, Marcia DeCoster, Jamie Cloud Eakin, Huib Petersen, Paulette Baron, Sabine Lippert, Sherry Serafini, Margie Deeb, Maggie Meister, Melanie Potter, Ann Tevepaugh Mitchell, Laura McCabe, Suzanne Golden, Jean Campbell, Rachel Nelson-Smith, Eva Dobos, and many more – but we also present work from many artists who have never been published before. All together, this extensive, international, and fabulous survey of 500 pieces includes work from nearly 300 artists from 30 countries and reveals the striking vision and ambition of today’s beading community.
Posted in beads, beadwork, jewelry design | Tagged: 500 beaded jewelry, bead weaving, jewelry design, lark publications | 1 Comment »
Posted by learntobead on January 16, 2012
THE ILLUSTRATIVE BEADER:
Beaded Tapestry Competition
Congratulations to:
WINNER
Dot Lewallen
Westerville, OH
RUNNER-UP
Patty Rockhill
O’Brien, FL
FINAL RESULTS posted on the Land of Odds website at:
http://www.landofodds.com/store/tapestry1contest.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also check out
THE UGLY NECKLACE CONTEST
A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist
ALL DOLLED UP: Beaded Art Doll Competition
JEWELRY DESIGN CAMP
Posted in beadwork, Contests | Tagged: beaded tapestry, competitions, Contests | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on January 5, 2012
VOTING ENDS 1/14/12: BEADED TAPESTRY COMPETITION
Beaded Tapestry Competition
GO VOTE OnLine: Voting ends 1/14/2012
http://www.landofodds.com/store/tapestry1contest.htm
Visit the web-pages of each of our 4 Beaded Tapestry Competition Semi-Finalists.
#1. KAY FIELDEN, Auckland, New Zealand, “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold
#2. JUNE JACKSON and JAMIE BRUNS, Bryan, Texas, “Lizzie Borden” by Elizabeth Engstrom
#3. DOT LEWALLEN, Westerville, Ohio, “Black Notice” by Patricia Cornwell
#4. PATTY ROCKHILL, O’Brien, Florida, “When Night Falls”, by Jenna Ryan
International 2011
THE ILLUSTRATIVE BEADER:
BEADED TAPESTRY COMPETITION
Theme: Mystery Genre Book Covers
Sponsored by:
Land of Odds
The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts
Be Dazzled Beads
Posted in beadwork, Contests | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on December 10, 2011
THE BEAD STRINGER AND THE CLIENTS
New Post in
How To Bead A Rogue Elephant column.
Read more…
It remains a curious fact that necklaces were once believed to protect the wearer against getting hypnotized.
Yes, hypnotized. This made sense in that the inherent beauty of the necklace was thought to distract the gaze of the ill-intended hypnotizer away from the lady’s eyes.
Thus, this piece of jewelry protected its wearer from the unwanted advances and influences of undesirable gentlemen, who spent their days and nights maliciously trying to hypnotize her. And it followed that women, (and their protective parents), wanted the very best, most spectacular, and most distracting necklaces from the very best artisans. They believed the more elaborate the necklace, and the more expensive its components, the more powerful it was in this regard. With more powerful necklaces, the parents were less likely to lose their wealth through an ill-spent dowry. And the more likely to retain the honor of the lady.
Such a purpose puts an awesome responsibility upon the shoulders of the jewelry designer….
Read more…
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Posted by learntobead on November 14, 2011
APPLIED FASHION
Women don’t just wear pieces of jewelry – they inhabit them.
Buying a piece of jewelry for yourself – a necklace, a bracelet, earrings, a brooch, something else – isn’t a task easily given to someone else. It’s often not a spur of the moment thing either. You just don’t rush off to the local boutique or the local Wal-Mart, grab whatever you see, and go home.
I’m not talking about that impulse buy during your leisurely visit to the mall. I’m referring to purchasing those pieces of jewelry you know will have to do a lot of the hard work to accessorize your wardrobe and help you get the compliments and notice of your family, friends and c o-workers you comport with and compete with each and every day.
No, buying a piece of jewelry for yourself is a multi-purposed moment, one which must be thought through carefully and one which must be savored. Lest you buy the wrong piece. That doesn’t really go with what you intend to wear. Or is over-priced. Or poorly made. Or conveys the wrong impression about status. Or is out of fashion. Or something one of your friends already has.
The jewelry you buy has to conform to quite a long list of essential criteria before you could ever think of buying it. It is something you will wear more than once. As such, it is your companion. Your necklace is not merely lying around your neck. Or your bracelet around your wrist. Or your earrings dangling from your ears.
Jewelry can cause you to lose face with others. It can irritate or scratch your skin, or get caught up in your hair. It might weigh you down or stretch or tear your ear lobes. Jewelry can break without warning in the most unexpected and embarrassing of places. It can get caught on things, sometimes hurting you in the process.
Jewelry conveys to the world something about who you really are, or think you are. As such, jewelry is very personal. Your private, innermost, most soul searching choices made very public for all to see.
As you caress it, as you touch the smooth or faceted or creviced beads and metal parts or the clasp or the material the beads are strung on, when you twist and move the piece within your hand, you are confirming to yourself the extent to which your jewelry is doing its job.
When you buy new jewelry, the dilemmas multiply. How will the new compare to the old? Will it be able to handle all these responsibilities – looking good, representing you, fitting in with your wardrobe, meeting the expectations of others? Like divorcing, then remarrying, changing your jewelry can take some time for readjustment.
And you do not want to be seen as noncommittal to your jewelry. This would sort of be like going to a hotel, but not unpacking your suitcase while staying in the room. Conveying some sort of social or psychological distance from your jewelry can be very unsettling for others.
So you need to inhabit it. You need to inhabit your jewelry, wear it with conviction, pride and satisfaction. Be one with it.
Inhabiting jewelry often comes with a price. There becomes so much pressure to buy the “right” pieces, given all the roles we demand our jewelry to play, that we too often stick with the same brands, the same colors, the same styles, the same silhouettes. We get stuck in this rut and are afraid to step out of it.
Or we wear too many pieces of jewelry. The long earrings, plus the cuff bracelets on both arms, plus the head band, plus the hair ornament, plus the 7-strand necklace, plus the 5 rings. We are ever uncertain which piece or pieces will succeed at what, so hopefully, at least some combination or subset of what we wear will work out.
In a similar way, we wear over-embellished pieces – lots of charms, lots of dangles, lots of fringe, lots of strands. Something will surely be the right color, the right fit and proportion, the right fashion, the right power statement, the right reflection of me.
And our need to inhabit our jewelry comes with one more price. We are too willing to overpay for poorly made pieces in our desperation to have that right look. The $100.00 of beads strung on elastic string. The poorly dyed stones which fade in the light. The poorly crimped and overly stiff pieces with little ease for accommodating movement and frequent wear.
It is OK to inhabit our jewelry. In fact, it is necessary, given all we want jewelry to do for us. But we need to be smart about it. We need to learn to recognize better designs and better designers.
This need not be expensive at all.
Just smarter.
Posted in beads, jewelry making | Tagged: buying jewelry, fashion, jewelry fashion, wearing jewelry | 1 Comment »
Posted by learntobead on November 14, 2011
Excerpt from column
HOW TO BEAD A ROGUE ELEPHANT
WAS FREEDOM ENOUGH?
I emancipated myself from my upwardly mobile position, after 18 years of progressively more responsible positions, having attained an annual salary the income taxes from which supported one whole government worker.
And what did that do for me? Emancipation. Over the next 20 plus years of starting all over again. At the bottom. Learning another trade. Having no accumulated reputation or power or wherewithal to get ahead. I had freed myself to make my own choices. I had painted myself into a picture of my own dreams. To be an artist. To make jewelry. To play with beads. And to make a living at it.
But what did I achieve, except for the very freedom itself to be free to make my own choices? …
Continue reading….
Posted in jewelry design, jewelry making | Tagged: career change, jewelry design, jewelry making, switching careers | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on November 8, 2011
LAND OF ODDS – JEWELRY DESIGN CENTER
Take a Moment To Read….
THE DESIGNERS GAZETTE
Fall 2011
The Design Perspective On Beading and Jewelry Making
http://www.warrenfeldjewelry.com/pdf/fu111011/fall2011pdf.pdf
Chilled Morns and Eves Warmed by Fall’s Soulful Colors, Stylish Clothes, Sophisticated Thinking, and Layered Looks. Nostalgia – for changing leaves, apple cider, turkey and dressing, family gatherings, office parties, warmth by the fire. Fall is all about presenting a more elaborated side of you to the outside world. Work and play. Online and off. Jewelry to tell the world to open up, you’re coming in from the playful summer heat.
The Illustrative Beader: Beaded Tapestry Competition – SemiFinalists Announced
Jade Carving Event
Three Artists at SOFA: New York
Bracelets in 3-D Print
Erotic Watches Auctioned Off
Australian Jewelry Topos
Tiffany Video
Ara Kuo
Robert Ebendorf – Mixed-media
Asagi Maeda – Art Jewelry
Daniel Porter Stevens – Metalsmith
Creative Mentoring – Andrea Rosenfeld
Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder
Snakes – Claire Kahn
Cristobal Balenciaga
LOOT 2011
SODAmore 2011: Contemporary Art Jewelry
Empowering the Jewelry Designer
Existence for the Jewelry Designer is Befuddling
The Ugly Necklace Contest – Enter to Win
Getting Started in Beading and Jewelry Making
Jewelry Design Camp
Sherry Serafini Workshops
The Design Perspective on Beading and Jewelry Making
Land of Odds
Be Dazzled Beads, &
The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts
718 Thompson Lane, #123, Nashville, TN 37204
http://www.landofodds.com
615/292-0610
Posted in jewelry design, Stitch 'n Bitch | Tagged: contemporary jewelry, design perspective, jewelry design | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on November 4, 2011
Semi-Finalists Chosen!
Beaded Tapestry Competition
GO VOTE OnLine: Voting ends 1/14/2012
Visit the web-pages of each of our 4 Beaded Tapestry Competition Semi-Finalists.
International 2011
THE ILLUSTRATIVE BEADER:
BEADED TAPESTRY COMPETITION
Theme: Mystery Genre Book Covers
#1. KAY FIELDEN
Auckland, New Zealand
“The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold
#2. JUNE JACKSON and JAMIE BRUNS
Bryan, Texas
“Lizzie Borden” by Elizabeth Engstrom
#3. DOT LEWALLEN
Westerville, Ohio
“Black Notice” by Patricia Cornwell
#4. PATTY ROCKHILL
O’Brien, Florida
“When Night Falls”
by Jenna Ryan
Evaluate their images, their write-ups, and their materials and techniques.
Then use the on-line form you will find at the bottom of each of their web-pages
to Score them in terms of
Visual Appeal,
Artist Insight,
Artist Technique, and
Use of Beads in the Design.
The judges were blown away by the quality of all 4 semifinalists. It was truly amazing how well each artist captured the essence of their book. Each artist brought these books to life within their book cover design. Yet each artist’s approach was different. These artists should commend themselves on the amount of thought, insight, and coordination of ideas and techniques which went into producing their Beaded Tapestry pieces. Bravo!
Here we use the concept of “Tapestry” in its broadest sense as a stitched, sewn and/or woven wall hanging. Your tapestry may be woven, loomed, stitched, quilted, cross-stitched, crocheted, knitted, sewn, braided, knotted, embroidered, macrame’d, beaded and the like. Your tapestry will combine fibers/threads/and/or cloth and beads in some way, and the surface area must consist of at least 70% beads. Beads may be used in many ways, such as forming the background canvas of your piece, and/or embellishing your canvas, and/or as fringe, and/or as stitchery covering parts of your piece. Your piece should be mounted or framed in some way, ready for hanging on a wall. Your tapestry may utilize many different techniques.
GO VOTE OnLine: Voting ends 1/14/2012
http://www.landofodds.com/store/tapestry1contest.htm
Posted in bead weaving, beads, beadwork, Contests | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on November 3, 2011
The DESIGN Perspective
On Beading and Jewelry Making
The DESIGN PERSPECTIVE is very focused on teaching beaders and jewelry makers how to make choices. Choices about what materials to include, and not to include. Choices about strategies and techniques of construction. Choices about mechanics. Choices about aesthetics. Choices about how best to evoke emotions.
These choices must also reflect an understanding of the bead and its related components, and how all these pieces, in conjunction with stringing materials, assert their needs. Their needs for color, light and shadow. Their needs for durability, flexibility, drape, movement and wearability. Their needs for social and psychological and cultural and contextual appropriateness, satisfaction, beauty, fashion, style, power and influence.
This DESIGN PERSPECTIVE contrasts with the more predominant Craft Approach, where the beader or jewelry maker merely follows a set of steps and ends up with something. Here, in this step-by-step approach, all the choices have been made for them.
And this DESIGN PERSPECTIVE also contrasts with another widespread approach – the Art Tradition – which focuses on achieving ideals of beauty, whether the jewelry is worn or not. Here the beader or jewelry maker learns to apply art theories learned by painters and sculptors, and assumed to apply equally to beads and jewelry, as well.
The Craft Approach and the Art Tradition ignore too much of the functional essence of jewelry. Because of this, they often steer the beader and jewelry maker in the wrong directions. Making the wrong choices. Exercising the wrong judgments. Applying the wrong tradeoffs between aesthetics and functionality.
The focus of the DESIGN PERSPECTIVE is strategic thinking. At the core of this thinking are a series of design principles and their applications. These principles provide the beader and jewelry maker with some clarity in a muddled world.
The belief here is that, since there are so many different kinds of information to be learned and applied, it is impossible to clearly integrate this information all at once. When learned haphazardly or randomly, it becomes too difficult or confusing to bring to bear all these kinds of things the beader or jewelry maker needs to do when designing and constructing a piece of jewelry. Thus, the beader and jewelry maker best learn all this related yet disparate information in a developmental order, based on some coherent grammer or set of rules of design. This is the DESIGN PERSPECTIVE.
So, we begin with a Core set of skills and concepts, and how these are interrelated and applied. Then we move on to a Second Set of skills and concepts, their interrelationships and applications, and identifying how they are related to the Core. And onward again to a Third Set of skills and concepts, their interrelationships and applications and relationship to the Second Set and the Core, and so forth.
In the DESIGN PERSPECTIVE, “Jewelry” is understood as Art, but is only Art as it is worn. It is not considered Art when sitting on a mannequin or easel. Because of this, the principles learned through Craft or Art are important, but not sufficient for learning good jewelry design and fashioning good jewelry.
Learning good jewelry design creates its own challenges. All jewelry functions in a 3-dimensional space, particularly sensitive to position, volume and scale. Jewelry must stand on its own as an object of art. But it must also exist as an object of art which interacts with people (and a person’s body), movement, personality, and quirks of the wearer, and of the viewer, as well as the environment and context. Jewelry serves many purposes, some aesthetic, some functional, some social and cultural, some psychological.
The focus of the DESIGN PERSPECTIVE is on the parts. How do you choose them? How should they be used, and not be used? How do you assemble them and combine them in such a way that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts? How do you create and build in support systems within your jewelry to enable that greater movement, more flexibility, better draping, longer durability? How do you best use all these parts, making them resonate and evoking that emotional response from your audience to your style, vision and creative hand that you so desire?
The beader and jewelry maker is seen as a multi-functional professional, similar to an architect who builds houses and an engineer who builds bridges. In all these cases, the professional must bring a lot of very different kinds of skills and abilities to bear, when constructing, whether house or bridge or jewelry. The professional has to be able to manage artistic design, functionality, and the interaction of the object with the person and that person’s environment.
Read: ABOUT GOOD JEWELRY DESIGN: Principles of Composition
Enter: The Ugly Necklace Contest – A Jewelry Design Competition With A Twist!
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: art, beadweaving, beadwork, craft, design perspective, jewelry design, jewelry making | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on October 25, 2011
Ara Kuo
http://www.arakuo.com/
Ara Kuo is a young jewelry artist from Taiwan. She displays a very whimsical sense of design in her pieces.
Visit her website to see more of her pieces.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: ara kuo, jewelry design | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on October 25, 2011
Robert Ebendorf – Mixed Media Jewelry Artist
http://galleryloupe.com/exhibitions.php?sn=0&exhibit=39
Robert Ebendorf uses unusual objects like soda pop tabs, crab claws, squirrel paws, silver spoons to create his unique and unconventional jewelry.
At Gallery Loupe, they have a retrospective of his pieces posted online.
It’s always fun to re-purpose things, and play with different media and materials. However, it is often difficult to mix media and materials into a successful, satisfying piece of jewelry.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: jewelry design, mixed media, robert ebendorf | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on October 25, 2011
Asagi Maeda – Art Jewelry
http://www.asagimaeda.com/#/en/
Asagi’s favorite motive is the Box, or the Box as container. Often he creates little “scenes” and encases them in an acrylic box. The box becomes a component in a larger piece of jewelry.
His works are what you would call “Amusing”. And amusement is one of his primary goals.
Each piece has a story. The story is told like a play on a stage.
His “box” motif represents something inside and something outside. He tries to build the “emotions” or “theme” or “energy” within the confines of the box. The viewer experiences these by experiencing the jewelry outside of his box.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: asagi maeda, box motif, jewelry design | 1 Comment »
Posted by learntobead on October 25, 2011
Daniel Porter Stevens – Metal Smith
http://www.danielporterstevens.com/
I had recently read an article showcasing the work of Daniel Porter Stevens. The reviewers were talking about his sense of “line”.
“Line” is an important jewelry design element — one of the most important things the designer needs to control.
Line establishes a “silhouette” — it delineates a part of the body above it and below it.
The curvature or straightness of the line evokes a wide range of feelings and emotions on the part of the viewer.
Sometimes the line is like an arrow pointing the viewer’s attention to one place over another.
Lines can be blurry or sharp.
Lines can be rigid, or the designer can somehow “break” the line.
Lines are important.
Visit Daniel’s website and look at his slide-shows of his jewelry.
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: daniel porter stevens, jewelry design, use of line | 2 Comments »
Posted by learntobead on October 25, 2011
Creative Mentoring – Andrea Rosenfeld
http://www.savorthesuccess.com/member/andrea-rosenfeld
http://openstudiocoach.com/
http://openstudiocoach.com/about-andrea-rosenfeld-coaching/articles/
I recently came across an article Andrea Rosenfeld had written about Creative Mentoring. I thoroughly enjoyed the article, her extremely clear and accessible writing style, and was very interested in taking a little internet road trip to her website.
How do you take your passion and your art work to an audience? I deal with this type of question from our students and customers almost every single day.
She offers many ideas and many services. I suggest reading some of her articles are articles by “visiting creatives” for special insights.
Posted in business of craft, jewelry design, jewelry making | Tagged: andrea rosenfeld, business of craft, creative mentoring, getting organized, marketing, selling jewelry | 1 Comment »
Posted by learntobead on October 25, 2011
Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder
Online International Jewelry Exhibit
55 artists
Cintra Harbach
http://www.ganoksin.com/exhibition/v/beb/
Ginny Benton
This exhibit highlights jewelry made from materials other than gold, platinum or silver. Many use found objects. There are many “green” objects and materials.
Jill Morrison
Jewelry is defined as wearable art using a variety of materials.
Melanie West
You will see such materials as copper, brass and bronze. Vinyl, velvet, machine components, bone, plastics, rubber, magnets, aluminum, wire, wood, plant seeds, pearls, and gemstones.
Shu Hsuan Tu
This exhibit shows a tremendous range of the possible.
Nancy Overmyer
You can see the full exhibit online.
http://www.ganoksin.com/exhibition/v/beb/
Sarah Kelly
Louve and Don Coulson
Burcu Buyukunal
Wired Elements
Patricia Alvarez
Valerie Ostenak
Louise Gore Langton
Valerie Ostenak
Sheila Schwede
Posted in jewelry design | Tagged: beauty is in the eye of the beholder, burcu buyukunal, cintra harbach, contemporary jewelry, don coulson, ganoskin, ginny benton, jewelry design, jill morrison, louise gore langton, louve coulson, melanie west, nancy overmyer, patricia alvarez, patricia alvarezx, sarah kelly, sheila schwede, shu hsuan tu, shuy hsuan tu, valerie ostenak, wired elements | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on October 25, 2011
SNAKES
“Snakes” are popular jewelry themes and forms.
Claire Kahn
The undulating body form.
The sharp, threatening teeth.
The relationship to the Adam and Eve story.
The use of the snake in various cultural myths and mythologies.
The patterning of the skin.
Claire Kahn
The snake evokes something primal within us. It has an aesthetic that we all recognize and share, perhaps sensuous, perhaps threatening, yet always steeped in beauty.
Claire Kahn
Many of our students and customers love making snakes. Snake necklaces. Snake bracelets. Snake cuffs. Snake rings.
Claire Kahn
Claire Kahn‘s work recently caught my eye.
http://clairekahndesign.com/
Claire Kahn
Her website displays many beautiful, detailed images of her pieces.
Posted in bead weaving, jewelry design | Tagged: beaded snakes, claire kahn, snake jewelry, snakes | Leave a Comment »
Posted by learntobead on April 15, 2013
WHAT SHOULD I CREATE?
reposted from my Jewelry Design Discussion Group on FaceBook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/jewelrydesign/
Kierkegaard – and I apologize for getting a little show-off-y with my referents – once described “Creativity” as “a passionate sense of the potential.” And I love this definition. Passion is very important. Some kind of intuitive sense made operational by bringing all your capabilities and wonderings and technical know-how to the fore – creativity is the sum of a whole set of thinking and mechanical and imaginative activities.
You sit down, and you ask, what should I create? For most people, especially those getting started, they look for patterns and instructions in bead magazines or how-to books or websites online. They let someone else make all the creative choices for them. The singular creative choice here is picking what you want to make. And, when you’re starting, this is OK.
When you feel more comfortable with the materials and the techniques, you can begin to make additional choices. You can choose your own colors. You can make simple adaptations, such as changing out the bead, or changing the dimensions, or changing out a row.
Eventually, however, you will want to confront the Creativity issue head on. You want to decide that pursuing your innermost “jewelry designer”, no matter what pathway this takes you along, is the next thing, and right thing, to do. That means, at first, you want your jewelry and your beadwork to reflect your artistic hand. You want to develop a personal style. You want to come up with your own projects.
But applying yourself creatively is also work. It can be fun at times, but scary at other times. There is an element of risk. You might not like what you end up doing. Your friends might not like it. Nor your family. You might not finish it. Or you might do it wrong. It always will seem easier to go with someone else’s project, already proven to be liked and tested – because it’s been published, and passed around, and done over and over again by many different people. Sometimes it seems insurmountable, after finishing one project, to decide what to do next.
But it’s important to keep pushing on. Challenging yourself. Developing yourself. Turning yourself into a bead artist or jewelry artist. And pursuing opportunities to exercise your talents even more, as you enter the world of design.
So, what kinds of creative advice can you offer others about enhancing their creativity?
Here is some of my advice:
Success Stories. While you are fiddling with beads and wire and clasps and everything else, try to be as aware as you can of why your successes are successful. What are all the things you did to succeed? On what points does everyone agree the project succeeds?
Un-Block. Don’t set up any road blocks. Many people, rather than venture onto an unknown highway of creativity, put up walls to delay their path. If they just had the right beads. Or the right colors. Or sufficient time. Or had learned one more technique. Or had taken one more class. Or could find a better clasp. These are excuses. Excuses to avoid getting creative.
Adapt. Anticipate contingencies. It amazes me how many people come into the shop with a picture out of a magazine. We probably can find over half the components, but for the remaining components pictured which we don’t have in stock, we suggest substitutes. But, NO, the customer has to have it exactly like the picture, or not at all. Not every store has every bead and component. Many beads and components are not made all the time. Many colors vary from batch to batch. Many established companies have components especially made up for them – and not available to the general public. The supplies of many beads and components are very limited – not unlimited.
Play. Be a kid again. Let your imagination run wild. Try things. Try anything. If the world says your color combination is ugly, don’t listen to them. Do it anyway. Ignore all restrictions. Forget about social and art conventions.
Be Curious. Play “What If…” games. What if a different color? What if a different technique? What if a different width or length? What if a different style of clasp. Re-arrange things. Tweak. Take out a bead board, and lay out beads and findings on the board, and re-order everything — Ask yourself: More or less satisfying?
Embrace the New. Don’t do the same project over and over again, simply because you have proven to yourself that you can make it. While you might want to repeat a project, with some variations, to learn more things, too much doing of the same-ole, same-ole, can be very stifling.
Evaluate. Learn from failures. You have invested time, money and effort into making these pieces. And not everything works out, or works out well. Figure out why, and turn these failed pieces into lessons and insights.
And if you suddenly find your productivity interrupted by Bead-Block and Artist-Block and Jeweler’s-Block, put your project down. Take a break. Robert Alan Black gives great advice. He shouts at the blocked: Break A Crayon. He shouts again: Draw Outside The Lines. And I would add: Stick your hands into a bowl full of mud. These are all great advice.
Do something out of the ordinary. Something unexpected. Or socially taboo. Or something not just done. This will shock your system to think in different ways. To see things in a new light. To recognize contradictions.
And unblock you.
Posted in Stitch 'n Bitch | 4 Comments »
