San Diego Bead Society: 2014

Thursday, October 2, 2014

October 19, 2014 Class

October 19th 2014, Sunday Class

We are happy to present Aimee Sweet-McNamara, author and jewelry artist who specializes in soutache braid jewelry.

If you are totally new to this technique, here is an introductory video to soutache embroidery and to Aimee SweetMcNamara. Enjoy.

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zXIN-1RyT9Y

Here is the class project.

Blossom Pendant for Anu

Hope we got you interested.

This class will be the last one for 2014. We hope you enjoyed the variety of programs and classes this year.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

October 18, 2014 Program

This month we are hosting Alice Scherer, the co-author of the book that started the beading revolution in 1992 The New Beadwork.

The topic of her presentation is:

From Basket Making to Beadworking:
Woven Native Beadwork in the 19th-century Greater Pacific Northwest

This program showcases the woven bead work of indigenous peoples of the greater Pacific Northwest from northern California through Oregon and Washington and into British Columbia and Alaska during the 19^th and early 20^th centuries and describes its evolution from the very early basketry-derived techniques to when Western-introduced beading looms and frames and easier, more flexible bead embroidery work became the dominant forms of beadwork expression throughout much of the region.

Woven Indigenous Beadwork places Northwest indigenous beadwork in the context of beadwork worldwide during the 19^th century and discusses the importation of beads into the region both during the British and American fur trading eras (1808 to c 1860) and the several-decades-long flood of American pioneers which followed relatively soon thereafter (1842 through about 1890).

Each era had its stylistic effect on the native work of the times, as did the types of beads which flowed in.

Beadwork from Northeastern Indians came in with the fur trappers and traders. This style of work was later taken over by the designs and techniques which came with the women pioneers and the ladies magazines of the day.

Further inspiration was provided by printed designs on fabrics and wallpapers, and advertising images in newspapers and magazines at the end of the 19th century.

About Alice Scherer

Alice Scherer is the Founder of the Center for the Study of Beadwork, established in 1989 in Portland, Oregon to promote the field of contemporary beadwork. This organization now serves primarily as a base for her independent research in indigenous beading traditions worldwide.

She is currently the Secretary/Treasurer for the Society of Bead Researchers, an international organization devoted to gathering and disseminating bead and beadwork research through its publication Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers.

She is also co-author of the seminal book The New Beadwork, which established the “beadwork as an art form” movement in 1992.

She has written numerous articles on beadwork in:

Threads Magazine
Ornament
Fiberarts
Beadwork Magazine

She has curated or juried several exhibitions of beads and beadwork around the United States, including the 1986-1989 groundbreaking show The Bead Goes On., a two-and-a-half-year traveling exhibition which was the first serious effort to cover the work of contemporary beadworkers, under the aegis of Visual Arts Resources at the University of Oregon in Eugene.

Monday, September 8, 2014

September 2014 Program and Class

September 20, 2014 Saturday Program

Mingei Museum, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 10 a.m. until noon

This month we are featuring famous multimedia artist Kim Van Antwerp as our speaker. Her presentation is Light, Form, and Color:Beadwork that Sings.

She describes her work and design approach:

A color wheel is not enough when you're designing beadwork. Seed beads come in thousands of colors, different opacities, finishes, textures and shapes-- not to mention the pattern and the dimensional shape of the beadwork itself. All these things change the way light and color are perceived.

Years of hits and misses have led me to some interesting observations which I will share in dozens of photos and samples.

I don't believe there are any right or wrong combinations. Only that the more you know, the more you can ,manipulate the interplay of your palette and control the finished effect of your beadwork. I am endlessly fascinated by color and the textile quality of beadweaving. I cannot wait to share my excitement with you.

Kim Van Antwerp has been working with seed beads since the 1990ies, most recently creating work for Kate McKinnon's Contemporary Beadwork Volume 2. Still exploring the possibilities introduced in this inspirational book, Kim also makes mixed-media jewelry combining the two disciplines.

When she is not making jewelry, you can find her on her bike or her snowboard near her home in South Lake Tahoe.

In this class, you learn to prepare and color silk cocoons as jewelry components. Then you add an iridescent patina to fine silverpods. You make layered flowers with them which you can wire to a silver frame or a branch to make a unique pin or pendant.

With time permitting, Kim will also discuss simple ways to turn small objects into useful jewelry components. She is bringing some of her own things to demonstrate this. Students are welcome to bring their own materials for discussion.

Class is held in a private home. Directions will be emailed to participants who have paid for the class.

There is a kit for class materials for one pin or pendant for $30. Additional supplies are available for sale in class.


Silk Coccoon Flowers

Jen is a natural storyteller who found mixed media art a decade ago and never looked back. She’s drawn to the imperfect, the funky, the quirky, the artsy and the authentic: be it people, object or art. Jen is currently the Director of Education and Marketing for ICE Resin Susan Lenert Kazmer. She is also the author of “Art Chooses You,” a new art marketing column for Belle Armoire Jewelry. Jen is also a monthly columnist on CreateMixedMedia.com for the Creative Insights blog. - See more at: http://www.createmixedmedia.com/meet/artist-profile-jen-cushman#sthash.QutpweoL.dpuf

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