Kiff Slemmons – Brilliant New Work
December 31, 2008
We e Chicagoans are fortunate to have Kiff Slemmons living among us, after she and her husband Rod relocated from Seattle a few years ago. Rod is the Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College of Chicago.
For many years Kiff has been one of the world’s leading art jewelers….although I am not sure that the term does her justice. She’s more of an artist who happens to work in the medium of jewelry.
Her latest body of work is being featured at the Douglas Dawson Gallery in Chicago from December 13, 2008 to…
Studio News
Studio News
December 29, 2008
The last week of the year is always a quiet time, as we all rest up after the holidays and prepare to welcome the new year.
I’m using this quiet time to begin making a few pieces for the “Recycle: Recreate, Redefine, Re-Imagine” show which runs from January 28 to February 15, 2009 at Facere Gallery in Seattle (www.facerejewelryart.com). Facere’s focus is art jewelry, and the gallery is well worth seeking out on your next visit to Seattle.
In the spirit of the show, most of the parts I’m using are…
Two Beaded Panels from Czecho-Slovakia
Two Beaded Panels from Czecho-Slovakia
December 20, 2008
Recently I came across two small beaded panels featuring commercial prints of the Virgin Mary surrounded by little beaded flowers and set within beaded wirework frames.
The heart-shaped panel shows the Virgin Mary by herself and the oval panel shows her holding the Christ child in her arms.
The front of each panel is topped with a glass dome, shaped to match the piece it protects. The backs feature metal hooks for hanging.
I originally thought that these pieces must have been made in France, possibly as an offshoot of…
A Spectacular Example of Chinese Bead Embroidery
I came across this beautiful piece in Beijing in 1997. It was hanging on the back wall of a tiny shop which was devoted almost entirely to jade carvings.
The shop attendant, Mr. Hou Wei Liang, was more than happy to discuss it with me….and eventually he began to tell me of his experiences during World War II, when he served as a translator for General Stillwell on the Burma Road. Or so he said, and that would certainly explain his excellent English-speaking skills.
Anyway, 
it is a spectacular example of Chinese bead embroidery, probably made…
Decoding an Anomalous Gujarati Chakla
This post is dedicated to an unusual piece I found online a few months ago, the chakla shown here, which was probably made in Gujarat State, Western India.
The chakla measures 11 ½” wide by 14 ¾” tall, and it is made of European glass beads united in peyote stitch.
Chaklas are decorative wall pieces that are hung on the walls of the home or over a door to beautify the home and attract positive energies.
I could tell that this chakla wasn’t too old, maybe from the mid-20th century, but I also knew that it wasn’t typical for Gujarati…
The Thoughtful Beadworker
Introduction to My Blog
I’ll be posting notes every few days on my favorite topic: beadwork. Sometimes I’ll talk about the beadwork my western colleagues and I make, but more often, I’ll be featuring the beadwork of other times and cultures in hopes of expanding our understanding of the world, its people, and ourselves.
I’ve named the blog “The Thoughtful Beadworker” after a character in an ancient Chinese legend, a bead-stringer, who despite his humble social status and menial occupation gives valuable advice to a troubled king.*
In my experience, non-beadworkers tend to assume that beadwork is a tedious process. For me…