2011 Bead & Button Show is an art bead paradise! Some of the top beadmakers in the country and beyond displayed their wares. I wish I could visit every booth and beadmaker - but there are just so many. Thankful there is a printed program to visit the ones online that I missed. Here were a few of my favorites this year:
Kerri Fuhr is always on my list to visit. Her amazing beads are a sight to behold and even more amazing in person. This year she had these little birds perched and ready to sing - love them. She also has a new line of butterfly pendants. Visit Kerri's website at http://www.kerrifuhr.com/.
Stephanie Ann Designs shares a booth with Kerri, so of course you have to see what's new with Stephanie! Stephanie's work has a very beachy theme with tide pools of glass starfish, handblown glass beads and matte glass disk beads that remind me of beach glass.
Polymer clay artist Pam Wynn had a beautiful range of earthy beads and an exciting line up of new brighter colors. She also offers pendants from her daughter, Heather Wynn. You can find Pam's beads in her Etsy shop and Heather's work in her Etsy shop.
I had the pleasure of meeting Heidi, the designer behind Lillly Pilly. It's so nice to meet the people behind the creations. Heidi and her helper Jodi create all the work from Lilly Pilly, which features engraved shell pendants in intricate designs inspired from nature. They are offering two new collections of metal sheets, one collection is embossed and patina brass and copper. The other collection is printed aluminium in geometric patterns. Both can be used to create pendants and bead caps. Check out their work at http://www.lillypillydesigns.com/.
I love Julie Nordine's work, you'll find her under the business name Credit River Art Glass. She makes the most amazing glass acorns with electroplated acorn caps and lampwork beads. You'll also find etched copper leaves and new this year were enameled copper leaves. Julie has an enchanting color sense, all earthy and organic. You can see more of her work at http://www.creditriverartglass.com/.
My favorite find from the show was Vintage Meadow Artworks created by Heather French. Heather hand colors lucite in the most amazing color palettes. I couldn't get enough of her work. She will be opening an online shop soon and when she does I will be the first to let you know!
I also enjoyed meeting Sak from Saki Silver - who by the way had a table full of bronze metal pieces. If silver has you sticker shocked check out their collection of alternatives in the dark, rich color of bronze. If you don't know Mellisa's lampwork from Sea of Glass, I recommend heading over to her website. I will share more of her work soon, she had the coolest new beads.
And it's not all art beads, I loved visiting with the girls at the Vintaj booth - they were during demos of their new embossing system on metal blanks - so easy and fun. And Sara Hardin from Soft Flex was showing off a make-and-take project.
I was at the show for 4 days so this is just a small sample of the beadmakers that I was able to visit. I loved seeing what was new at Green Girl Studio, Lisa Peters, Diane Hawkey, Earthenwood Studios, MakuStudio, Golem Beads and many more!
I made a quick video with my ipod of our row, filled with beadmakers. The show was dazzling, overflowing with all the treasures of beady dreams. Now to pull out the goodies from the show and create some new jewelry.
