SHOWCASE 500 BEADED JEWELRY

A Grain of Sand

Have you ever walked on the beach and felt the warm sand between your toes? The warmth envelopes your entire being. Sometimes a rather drab day enfolds you in this wonderful happening. As I experienced this book, I kept thinking about the grains of sand that are part of the entity that makes up “beads.”

“Showcase 500” introduces the wonderfully talented artisans that take these tiny spherical forms and create magic. Many of the wearable art forms must have taken hours to create, but what’s the rush? The finished pieces are glorious. Bead weaving, bead embroidery, and bead stringing are some of the methods embraced to produce these amazing body and hand adornments.

After perusing the book, I watched a video of Teresa Sullivan’s bead work. She is a master in this medium. The piece she demonstrated was a sculptural bead head. Her actions were quick and decisive in her choice of beads and colors. The finished bead was quirky and delightful.

Met Innmon drew me in with her Egyptian Waves Collar. I could visualize it as Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) wore it. No wonder Julius Caesar (Richard Burton) could not resist her wily ways.

Hub Peterson’s Blue Waterlillies necklace is beautifully designed and constructed. Wow, wouldn’t I be the bell of the ball at a summer party as I entertained in the gazebo.

The photographs in this book captured each and every tiny colorful speck worked by the talented beaders as they created. What a delightful memory of my walks on the beach this inspiration book elicited.