BeadFX - a Canadian bead store - staffed with crazy bead ladies. We post beady tips, video clips, stories, notices about classes and sales, and sometimes totally irrelevant stuff that we think is interesting and you might too!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Mikimoto - the First Name in Cultured Pearls
No - a cultured pearl is not a pearl that knows to hold out it's pinky when drinking tea. A cultured pearl is one that is deliberately grown - as opposed to found at random in the wild. Largely - we have Kokichi Mikimoto for creating a revolution in the pearl industry - for endless research - and for realizing a vision that included "adorn(ing) the necks of all the women of the world with pearls."
Ultimately - the Mikimoto name became synonymous with pearls. Read more about this interesting man and his history here. (Click on history in the top menu.) Or just enjoy the pictures of the jewelry!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Sneak Peek at Next Week
Friday, May 29, 2009
Who will you meet today?
We have a few more introductions to make today. These artists, plus more will be joining us tomorrow for our Lampworkers Trunk Show - Join us on Saturday from 10am to 5pm - Awesome handmade beads for sale, plus demo's and yummy edibles. Look for one more post later today with a few more lampworkers!
Shannon Scollard
Shannon Scollard is a Toronto artist who specializes in both glass and textiles. She has been working with glass for two and a half years and took her first class with Amy Waldman Smith at the BeadFX Studio. To see more of her work please visit her website at www.beadsbyshannon.s5.com.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Beadmakers Profiles
Jody Wieler
Dwyn Tomlinson
About the Artist
Who first tied a claw or a shiny pebble on strip of leather and worn it as a decoration? — or a declaration?
For longer than recorded history, we have defined our differences and our allegiances, carried our memories and our wealth in the form of jewelry — very often in the form of beads. We have collected them, traded them, hoarded them, lost them. We have burned forests to make them, traded worlds for them. They have been the domain of kings, the fascination of children, the comfort of the bereaved, the lure for the greedy. They are pedestrian, they are art, they are ubiquitous, they are magic.
I'm fascinated with the timelessness of personal adornment — and the universal appeal of jewelry. The primal urge that causes us to hang decoration on our bodies. The endless fascination with beads, with glass a unique substance that defies logic, defies description, defines magic.
Glass, in particular, is a strange and wonderful substance. Hard, strong, brittle, clear, transparent, opaque, malleable, immutable, impervious, corruptible — what else is so ethereal and so solid at the same time?
And then, there is the process … is there anything with a more primal appeal than fire? Melting the glass, shaping it with heat and gravity — tools that you can't see, can't touch. One dangerous and the other so ubiquitous it is beyond noticing.
Oh, those golden days when the glass does everything you ask, and more. Magic, just magic!
What else? I can ride a horse, teach a dog to come when called, drive a stick-shift, milk a goat. I can tell a story, paint a picture, change a tire. I can build a web site, bandage a wound, and bake cookies. I read Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett and J. K. Rowling. I watch "Torchwood," "CSI," and "SpongeBob." I believe in big bold Cabernets, real butter, and death by chocolate. I know the international phonetic alphabet. I believe in the power of duct tape. Specialization is for insects. I am "DragonJools."
Julie Beverstein
A bit about me.... I currently live in Toronto but grew up in the country. I grew up around stained glass but never was exposed to glass it in its molten form! One Christmas my mother bought me a weekend glass blowing course which was amazing. Unfortunately not an affordable hobby for me but I love to do it when I get the chance. I had no idea that lampworking existed until I saw a kit in a store. The kit contained a simple hot head torch - I bought it and was hooked!. |
Once home, I rented some torch time at the local glass shop - Fantasy in Glass and they were super in helping me get started.
I soon invested in a better torch and kiln and set up a little studio at home. I spend much of my free time at the torch and I love creating new things.
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Stay tuned on Friday for more profiles and pictures!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
June is Just Around the Corner
The last few days of May look great as well. Angela Peace is back and has one more class on Thursday May 28th from 6-9pm, Snake Knot and Phoenix Knot Cords.
Saturday May 30th is our Trunk Show from 10am to 5pm. There will be a dozen or so artist involved. Beads galore for sale and demo's in the studio all day!
Sunday May 31st is Charmed I'm Sure with Heather Bell-Denison.
If you cannot make it on Sunday, Heather is offering Charmed I'm Sure again on Tuesday June 2 from 10:30 to 5:30pm.
Thursday June 4th Catherine Winter joins us again after a nice long winter in the south. How to Price Your Jewelry: Starting a Microbusiness, from 6-9:15pm.
Saturday June 6th Marilyn Gardiner has two classes:
Basic Bead Stringing
Byzantine Rose Bracelet
Celtic Star Pendant on Thursday June 11th with Rosemary Beasley.
Amy Waldman-Smith is running a two day Introduction to Glass Beading Making course on Saturday June 13th and 14th.
Robert Burton is offering a new class on Saturday June 13th from 10am to 1pm, the Silver Braided Bracelet. This is a beginner/intermediate class, some experience is recommended.
Stephanie Dixon's Wire Bead Crochet Multi-Strand Necklace is also on Saturday June 13th from 2-5pm.
Sunday June 14th is Ring Day. We have 2 different types of ring classes. Stephanie Dixon's Bling Ring from 11am to 1pm
And we have Robert Burton's Wire Wrapped Gem Stone Ring and Pendant class from 1:30-4:30pm.
Robert Burton's Wire Working and Wrapping 101, 3 week class, begins again on Monday June 15th, from 6-9pm.
Don't forget that tomorrow is Happy Hour Torching from 5 to 9pm. Buy one hour get one free, but remember to call and reserve a torch!
I know that the calender for July and August is a bit empty right now, but we do have tons of great stuff coming up this summer. We have been making some computer changes and upgrades over the last couple of weeks and I have not been able to get the new stuff up--but it is coming so stayed tuned for more details.
Happy Beading!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Lampwork Artist Profiles - Day 1
We're getting very excited about our beadmakers trunk show this weekend. If you can, join us on Saturday May 30th from 10 to 5pm for beadmaking demos, yummy edibles, and a chance to buy the most fabulous lampwork beads from Toronto's best artists. Over the next few days, I'll be profiling some of our participants.
Elly Peters
My friends call me Elly.
About three years ago, I discovered hot glass! I fell in love with the look and feel of lampwork bead jewelry, and decided that no matter what, I was going to learn how to do this amazing art.
I found a workshop at beadfx, took a class from an amazing teacher (Amy Waldman-Smith!), and hit the ground running! I soon set myself up with a hothead (a single fuel torch) and a kiln.
I find that the process of melting the glass 'grounds' me. I really enjoy the meditation and calmness that this artistic outlet creates for me.
The process of photographing the bead is very important to me. This is the moment when I 'fall' for my own work (or not).
If my work evokes an emotional reaction, whether it's a "oo! I want that!" or a "wow, that really speaks to me!", then it's a success in my opinion.
There’s nothing like slipping a necklace over your neck or a bracelet on your wrist that has beads that:
a) you enjoy feeling
b) are sentimental and significant.
and
c) are each completely handmade and unique
Hi, my name is Erin Maloney. I create handmade lampwork glass beads and lampwork jewelry designs in my home-based studio, here in Burlington, Ontario Canada. Art has always been my passion! My artistic interests and talents date back to when I was just four years old. I had gone on my first-ever family vacation to - no where else other than - Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida of course! I was so amazed at the creativity that surrounded me.
I often think back to when I was four and I now wonder "how could I have been so appreciative of "art" at such a young age?" Somehow, I was! I was drawn to all things imaginative and creative, and inspired by it. Because of my extensive interest in all art and design, my studio has been geared toward many things over the years...painting and drawing, clay, paper maché sculptural work, stained glass and now, flame working! I have finally found the medium meant for me! I have absolutely no idea how I came across searching "lampwork" on eBay, but one day, I noticed some gorgeous works of art. I looked further into it on the rest of the internet and thought to myself it would be so neat to learn how to do this! I enrolled in Dwyn Tomlinson's beginners' class at beadFX and the rest is history! After only four hours of instruction, it was then that I finally realized that my artistic soul mate was, in fact... glass! I was hooked and I am now here to stay!
The decision to pursue lampworking, as opposed to enrolling in another full-time college course, was a major adjustment! I thought family and friends would be disappointed in me for my decision to not attend school, and instead, sit in front of a torch all day to melt glass. When I finally vocalized my vision, the people I love couldn't have been any more supportive! My parents thought it would be a great creative shift for me, my younger sister Sarah couldn't have been more excited for me and my loving fiancé (and best friend) of eight years, Jay, was equally supportive. He helped me realize that life is all about doing what you want to do, and to have fun while you're at it!
Monday, May 25, 2009
One More Pic - that Tree Peony
Historical Recreations w Beads
Thanks, Sue B., for these fabulous pieces!
I don't pretend to understand the construction of them - I've included lots of close up pics. ;-)