Tuesday, February 21, 2006

It's time you met some of my creations.
Two new pieces I just finished for the gallery. The large glass blue and white beads on the blue spiral were made on torch in my studio with Italian Moretti and German Lauscha glass rod. The green necklace is just seed beads, crystal and vintage mother-of-pearl buttons I've been collecting for ages. Most likely each of these necklaces is comprised of more than 3000 seed beads, each picked up by needle individually. The loop for the button closure is brick-stitched delicas from Japan which are beautifully uniform tiny beads, so they lock up nice and tight when you weave them together. These necklaces are about 20" long, and the beads are woven on about 20 feet of single strand nylon thread.

Yes, I have impeccable eyesight. I don't like my work to be all matchy-matchy - anyone could do that. I like a loopy unexpected energy to my work and I think I achieve that. You don't have to like it. I just thought I'd show you. I'll show more pictures of other styles I make later on.

11 comments:

phlegmfatale said...

Wow, thanks Ben! Yeah, I'm sure we would get along well. It's always great to see how other people put things together. Next time I come to England I'll look up Hobbycraft. There's a great bead shop in London, too, called Beadworks. Not far from Piccadilly Circus. It's incredible.

Anonymous said...

I love your creations. They are beautiful. It's good to know how much time and work goes in, an non Jewellery person would never know.
I like how you used buttons on the green one.

phlegmfatale said...

Wow, thanks, Jacquie. They actually look better in person, and I am about to get a light tent for photographing my work and then hopefully you'll get to see a lot more clarity and detail. I'm glad you like it. Yeah, it's time-consuming, but I love needle bead weaving.

Rocky (Racquel) said...

these are gorgeous! I'm at the basic level (meaning I steal my patterns from Bead & Button), and don't imagine I'll ever achieve the artiste level that you are clearly the captain of!

oh but the beads are as addictive as crack, though...

Twisted Lady said...

Whoa! That is crazy. Those look FAB!

I was wondering what you had up your sleeve...

Post more pics!

Twisted Lady said...

Hey Rocky, how do you keep them lit?

phlegmfatale said...

Sure ya will, rocky. It just takes a little work is all. And you're not stealing from Bead&Button - the designs are there to fuel your creativity. And yes, it's addictive. If society ever breaks down to the point where beads are a currency again, well, I'm stocked up and extremely wealthy!

I'll post more soon, blog whore. I've ordered a light cube for my small beadwork photography, and I hpoe to have it within the next week, and I should be able to have marvelous photos after that. I want to get a MAC, too, to photoshop stuff for clarity. PCs suck for that...

Twisted Lady said...

I bet we ordered the light cube from the same place ;) I am waiting for mine too. Paypal takes forever, I guess...

phlegmfatale said...

Possibly, blog whore. I can't wait - it should make an enormous difference, and I really do need to start documenting my work. I saw my hairdresser today and for about 5 seconds I felt fiercely jealous that she had bought a fabulous glass bead bracelet from someone else. Of course, it turns out I made it. Asshat me.

Anonymous said...

Grrrllll--your jewels ROCK!

phlegmfatale said...

Why thank you kindly! I enjoy making them, and it keeps me off the streets!