My beading journey began after working for years as a visual
artist. Then my daughter, Amy, started beading and I was hooked. I
learned the basics from her, and never looked back (except, of course,
at her continued beautiful work). My visual art had evolved over time
into work that is highly symbolic, and grounded in archetypal and
symbolic imagery. My beadwork led me to explore these same themes..
I grew up and lived most of my life in Maryland, but a short
“sabbatical” in Ontario, Oregon, and a longer one in Silver City, New
Mexico, had a definite influence on my work. My current jewelry includes
themes that are primal/mythic, romantic/decorative, contemporary, and
southwestern.
My jewelry has been sold in several emporiums in Maryland and shown in
many galleries in New Mexico and Oregon. It also has been shown,
alongside my visual art, in a variety of venues. After moving to Lowell,
Massachusetts, I am currently focusing on the wider audience that the
internet provides to share my jewelry. And yes, I am still active as a
visual artist.
I love to combine seemingly disparate elements. For example, I love to
pair semi-precious stones and glass; large chunky nuggets with tiny
Swarovski crystals; coral and bone with sterling silver accents. It
enchants me to combine these different elements, and I am always
surprised at where my jewelry leads me. I never met a bead I didn’t
like.
Beading is a journey, as is art. I never know when something will
inspire me to go into unfamiliar territory, and I love branching out to
use new forms of jewelry making. For example, I recently combined shiny
faceted Czech glass beads, highly deco, with long pieces of tied rice
paper for a look I’m not sure how to describe yet (except that it
follows my love of mixed media art). And as a journey, working on each
piece, whether it be a necklace or a pair of earrings, is a wonderful
experience. It’s this experience of mystery and joy that I want my
jewelry to convey to you.
I hope you enjoy visiting my shop and sharing parts of my journey. Maybe
you will find something that can add uniquely to your own journey.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/EnchantedRoseProduct
Wonderful interview with a very talented artist!
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