Gallery of Work
Beadwork from Another Dimension - Sculptural Jewelry and One-of-a-Kind Art
Over the past 20 years I have worked to develop a style of woven beadwork that celebrates form and function, manifested as both wearable jewelry and sculpture. The work is extremely intricate and labor intensive in nature, with each bead stitched in place one or two at a time. There is no use of glue or adhesive; every element is attached to the next using needles and thread.
In addition to the small glass seed beads that comprise a large percentage of the work, I also work with other unique materials such as custom cut semiprecious stones, shells, glass eyes, insects, computer parts, leather and hardware components. The dichotomy of delicate beadwork with more striking elements creates a unique complexity and conceptual nature to the work.
In many ways, beadwork has been an under appreciated art because the concept of "beads" is most commonly associated with simple, strung jewelry. Over time I have learned to build highly structured and geometrically based forms using tiny individual beads, most of which are approximately 1mm in diameter. Average time spent on each piece varies with size and complexity, but to give you a sense of the labor involved, most of the 3-4 inch sculptural pieces take at least 40 hours to complete.
The theme of "eyes" is a reoccurring element in much of my work and actually draws upon ancient traditions in beadwork dating back over 6,000 years. Images of the eyes were and continue to be used in body adornment as a form of protection for the wearer. While initially an unsettling image, the eyes are actually an icon of good luck and fortune. By using both glass doll's eyes and antique human prosthetics, I have found I have been able to add a sense of life to the work.
It is my wish that by recontextualizing beads in these intricate and sculptural forms, I can help reinvent the ancient traditional of beads and beadwork in both body adornment and unique sculptural objects.
Here are just a few of the pieces I've created over the past 25 years . . .
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