COME BY TO SEE NEW WORK.
SHOULD BE GREAT WEATHER FOR ART-STUDIO-HOPPING.
ALL WEEKEND I’LL BE CELEBRATING MAKING MY 3000th NECKLACE, BRACELET OR EARRINGS. IT ONLY TOOK 24 YEARS. HA! BUT WHAT FUN ALONG THE WAY!
FRIDAY, AUG 16 FROM 6 TO 8 PM. wine and cheese to celebrate 3000.
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, AUG 17 & 18 from 10 TO 4.
CATALOGUES FOUND AT HULL BUSINESSES. ALWAYS FREE.
“Blurry Shadows”
My Chinese Apothecary Chest: in 1994, it arrived via container to California from Hong Kong, where I discovered beading during my husband’s ex-pat assignment. Serves as the repository for my beads. Handcrafted. It has 52 Drawers, mostly sorted by color.
2017 Challenge: Create a Necklace a Week, using only the Beads from one Drawer at a time. Voila! 52 Necklaces!
Week 50/Drawer 50: December 13, 2017: “Blurry Shadows”
I am so close to the end that it is scary. Only two drawers left after this one.
My Apothecary Chest has seven rows of seven drawers, each 16” deep. Across the bottom, there are only three drawers: I call them my “double-wides.” And, I guess, because they are odd-sized, I used them for odd beads which didn’t have a home in one of the other 49 drawers. So these last three are free-form!
The first is wood. I found enough to fill one-third of a drawer. Not the sophisticated wood of Drawer 4; but playful wood, reminiscent of the large shapes that were strung into necklaces for us as kids—at least in my house where we were five girls, only eight years from me to my baby sister, and a play producer Mother—dress-up and staging plays in the cellar was what we did if there was no sun shining outside.
I glossed over the playful beads as I tumbled them onto my work surface because I immediately saw a contemporary (dare I say sophisticated?) design in black and beige. It is pictured above; I shall let you judge.
The necklace is symmetrical, chunky, and very light. A pleasing yet somewhat bold design. But I didn’t restrain myself with the earrings: asymmetrical; one beige, one black, neither matching. I got cold feet the next day and made a conservative pair of earrings. Both come with the necklace. Wearer’s choice.
The necklace measures 21.5” and is $59 including two pair of earrings.
I’ve been asked. Yes, Virginia, there will be a next year. I’ll take a break from weekly challenges and make it monthly in 2018, with little bits popping up in between on some Wednesdays. More info soon. It’s premature, but THANKS, I couldn’t have done this without your feedback and that ultimate compliment of a purchase.
“Dreaming the Dreams”
My Chinese Apothecary Chest: in 1994, it arrived via container to California from Hong Kong, where I discovered beading during my husband’s ex-pat assignment. Serves as the repository for my beads. Handcrafted. It has 52 Drawers, mostly sorted by color.
2017 Challenge: Create a Necklace a Week, using only the Beads from one Drawer at a time. Voila! 52 Necklaces!
Week 36/Drawer 36: September 6, 2017: “Dreaming the Dreams”
I’ve expressed my love for Venetian glass many times and the romance continues with this week’s choice. This shade of lime is especially dreamy. Actually, I do believe the gold foil centers of most of the beads causes the lime to impart a special glow on your neck. I have worn this twice and the compliments were many!
It is my opinion that Venetian glass is made by true artisans on the Island of Murano, a vaparetto ride from Venice ( details of my visit there in Blog dated June 29, 2013). Those artisans are the designers and the flame workers: they both have their hearts involved in achieving outstanding results. You don’t find any of the Venetian beads I’ve showcased this year in a bead shop (apologies to my local purveyor, Beaucoup Beads in Scituate…I still love to shop with you!), rather you have to go to shows where vendors lay out their best stuff, and make you drool!
Regarding this necklace, the 11 squares trimmed with yellow measure 7/16th of an inch…small, but large enough to be noticed. There are smaller squares, only 1/4” across, that I used as spacers. Be sure to notice two round lime beads with gold foil centers that comprise the focal point. In fact, all these beads except the distinctive square ones have gold foil centers.
This 18.5” necklace comes with matching earrings. Gold metal clasp. The set is $109.
“Romance Retold”
2017 Necklace a Week CHALLENGE: from 52 drawers of beads, create a unique handmade necklace using only the beads from one drawer at a time.
These large (1″ around) mottled gold Venetian glass beads will make any complexion glow! They are hand-blown thin clear glass with splatters of gold.
The centerpiece is a Nautilus-inspired shell in cranberry color with gold flecks which turn iridescent in the light. It is an artist-made lamp work glass bead. Other spacer beads are glass with gold foil inside. Secured by a gold metal clasp.
These Venetian beads are lovely to look at and wear, but please, handle with care since they are fragile. Don’t drop the necklace and don’t wear dangle earrings that are long enough to hit them as they swing from your ear. Truth in advertising now satisfied, don’t lust for this necklace unless you like attention because compliments will be endless! I guarantee it or refund offered!
Wear it with your own gold earrings. Title: Romance Retold. Length is 18.5″. $99.00.
July was crowded with brisk sales; August 20-21 is next with lots of new work; October 15-16 is a bonus last opportunity for artist-made gifts!
Open Studios in Hull is like Christmas in the summer! This year there are 39 artists creating their visual treats to present to you in August and October! Get your info on www.hullartists.com or pick up a free map-flyer at a local business.
———————————-
Now for my Beadleful updates:
My July Open Studios was filled with old and new friends and art appreciators! I waved goodbye to 29 pieces, mostly necklaces, but earrings and bracelets also. I love watching my work go to a new home and it motivates me to design more fabulous pieces to take their places!
Why such success? In addition to my beads’ fabulousness; I also cut my prices to below wholesale, making it easier to splurge on jewelry in a still-soft economy. I am also working on re-focusing my creativity to four styles, down from my previous eclectic six + styles. As I approach a big birthday, I’ve indulged in goal-setting and refreshing my work.
More on what’s upcoming in the next blog.
Right now I’m working on new pieces: glass is my current bead love! Here are a few images:
Here’s more on Open Studios (OS):
There are additional reasons for large crowds in July. Hull Artists, now celebrating our 21st annual Open Studios, has grown up! We have engaged in a branding program under the leadership of our own Graphic Artist, Paul Goes. Notice the clean design of our map-flyer, followed up in the posters on the doors of local businesses; yard signs; large signs alerting visitors on 228 and Geo Washington Blvd that it is Open Studios Weekend; our wind sock in distinctive aqua and white; even signs and balloons on street corners where artists are showing!
Additional improvements are establishing a data base to alert our visitors about upcoming events (best to state right now it is for our private use only). We jettisoned our old website and introduced a better one…same name…www.hullartists.com.
Lory Newmyer and Connie Crosby organized us experienced hands to share our seasoned knowledge of OS with new artists, at two workshops, resulting in upgrades to our customer service.
Of course we wouldn’t be fully of age until we engaged social media! Two tireless members set us up on Facebook (Bart Blumberg) and Instagram @hullartistsopenstudios (Connie Crosby).
And none of these efforts would have happened without our Fearless Leader, OS Chair Karin Nauth-Shelley. Karin is a Patron Member of Hull Artists and a technical Marketing Whiz in her professional life…as well as a volunteer like the rest of us. Thanks, Karin!
I’ll be looking for you August 20 or 21!
Priscilla Beadle Bead Jewelry Artist
Teal windsocks on cross streets in Hull will mark the locations for fascinating studios where real artists work!
Please visit me in my studio in Hull Village on July 9 or 10, Saturday or Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
23 Andrew Ave (3rd Left after Library on Main St), Hull.
781-925-0484
Be prepared to find newly designed Beadleful necklaces, lots of my trademark chunky bead jewelry, some bracelets and earrings!
Also, Marilyn MacDonnell returns with fabulous totes, key chains, purses and a new line of beach towels!
OPEN STUDIOS has been proudly presented by www.hullartists.com for 21 years. Visit our website for a map and info about the 39 participating artists
Local women artist’s lampwork beads feature in this necklace with silver clasp.
20″ long, $220
This wondrous necklace is sort of like a “One-of-a-Kind” (see blog dated Aug 7, 2013, “Oh, Oh, OK” for an explanation), but then again it’s not. It is an OOK if I count only half of the beads as OOK. It is not an OOK since most of the beads are artist made.
Enough of acronyms! Let us explore this amazing necklace full of lampwork glass beads made by some awesome women!
Envision long sticks of colored glass, a source of fire coming from a mini blowtorch on a stand in front of the artist, and a metal mandrel. Sit our artist down facing the fire, mandrel in the dominant hand to shape the glass into a bead, and, with her other hand, manipulating the glass rod as it heats up and goes molten. This is Lampwork Glass.
I collect these beads as I go to bead shows. Not for me, even though I am an incurable collector, but for you, wearers of my necklaces with these precious beads in them.
Identifying the artists whose beads make up this necklace is a special pleasure. Sheila Checkoway’s beads and small fat discs feature first; starting from the silver clasp, after the sterling silver bar, are two of five of her beads followed by a small fat disc, one of six by this Massachusetts native.
Then we see one of two umbrella-shaped discs by Maureen Henriques of Pumpkin Hill Beads (MA) with a polka dot circle by Kennebunkport Bead Art.
Now find a Gail Crosman Moore (MA) bead, chubby and squat with bumps all around and more bumpy stuff happening on top. Gorgeous in its excess!
Next is a modest disc (one of these gals has to do “modest” to ground all these blockbusters!) by “Two Sisters” whose shop in Carmel-by-the-Sea in CA is not to be missed! Another Henriques umbrella shading a Two Sisters disc follow.
Then three Venetian glass beads which are blown (see blog dated Sept 20, 2013, “Murano Island Rising”) in a pale grey green.
The centerpiece lampwork is a fabulous design by Gail Crosman Moore whom I discovered in a show in Oakland, CA, over ten years ago. I was impressed not only with her work but by the fact she lived in Western Massachusetts! Now she has a shop in Cape Cod at 174 Commercial St, Provincetown.
Starting up the other side, notice a faux silver bead (cheap but high style) plus more Sheila and Venetian beads, back up to the silver bar.
The clasp is another piece of work, as they say colloquially. An artful hook, although not artist-made, grasps a glass polka dot circle by Kennebunkport Bead Art.
This was a slowly percolating necklace that took years to come together. The color is odd but soft and surprisingly neutral. Perhaps it is best described as teal grey. Gail’s beads add a teal blue. My luck held out with the seed beads I found in my drawer—an interesting blueish green teal in matte Czech glass, not shiny.
The necklace is for sale. No way could I hoard this! It is for sale in my studio for $220. Add $15 for mailing and insurance and it is yours. It measures 20” long.
Hail West Coasters!
Hope to see you for my THIRD ANNUAL TRUNK SHOW…
“Chic Thrills” features a charming koi fish centerpiece I have had for a long time, waiting for the right mix of beads to show it off. Well, when nearly matching vintage orange Lucite (what plastic was called in the 1960’s) beads came into my possession, I had the answer. But what contrasting color to use? An odd green, don’t ask me why. I was so excited by the time I assembled the large faux pearl, the beetle wings and the small faux pearls, that I can’t remember how the colors all came together!
The fish is Asian in its origin as indicated by its large popping eyes and its elaborate tail display. It is a vintage piece perhaps made of resin with lots of nice carving marks on it.
The five beetle wings are iridescent and pointy and most unusual. A great conversation piece.
The necklace is almost 19″ long and the centerpiece dangle is 4″long.
Hammered gold-colored metal clasp, gold-filled wire connections in the dangle.
The price is $159 which includes earrings featuring green and orange beads with a beetle wing.
“A Smashing Good Time” is a classic sterling silver and turquoise necklace with a contemporary spin that the silver used here is a special basket weave pattern mastered by the Hill Tribes of northern Thailand. The clasp is also sterling silver by the Hill Tribes.
The turquoise chunky beads mix smooth and veined specimens of Chinese-mined turquoise stones.
The necklace is 23″ and the basket weave medallion is 2″ in diameter.
It is priced at $135.
“Flash Forward” is also color-forward: semi-precious amethyst beads matched with lime-dyed branch coral. The branch coral is bezeled with an electroplated gold bail for a shiny, blingy look. It is attached to the amethyst necklace and secured by two vermeil (gold plate over metal) beads. The necklace ends with more electroplated gold beads and a gold metal clasp.
Think of this piece as a fabulous good luck charm and wear it well!
The necklace measures 18″ and the centerpiece is 3″.
The price is $129.
Priscilla Beadle 