Today EBEG begins celebrating our 2nd BEAD FEST!!!!!

~~~Description~~~

EBEG Bead Fest is a seasonal event to encourage our members to create masterpieces inspired by a commonly chosen Theme. We organize Bead Fests in every season - which enables our Members to work on their piece nearly 3 months. This is a non-challenge event, when everyone can challenge themselves to create more professional bead work. There is no prize, no title, no competition - only the fun and inspirational beading. Participating on Bead Fests for our members are optional. This provides full attention and perfection of the entries.

All entries are posted in EBEG Treasuries at ETSY, Our FB Fan Page and here on the Blog.

~~~The Theme~~~
Romantic, ancient and sometimes steam punkish, filigree has adorned women and men both throughout the ages. A costume or hairstyle that needed a bit of added beauty would be complimented with a swirl of metal, gemstone, wood or beaded glory in the form of filigree adornment. Pendants, brooches, necklaces, hair combs, barrettes, even swords and shields have sported filigree. I thought that this component would be a wonderful theme for bead embroidery. No matter what the filigree is made of, it can be surrounded by beads in any way the artist sees fit, or even made up of beads itself. There are glorious works out there that have beaded 'filigree' used as the focal for a necklace or bracelet that have inspired me. So, anything goes, bead your own filigree, or use a metal or wooden component - or a pierced piece of faux ivory or gemstone - just include filigree as your main focal element for your piece and have FUN!!! (The main focal would also be considered to be multiples, as in a bracelet made of many small components which each included filigree.)

Throughout the week I will highlight an artist who participated in the bead fest, so you know who did each work.  This is such an amazing group with a lot of talent.  It is a pleasure to be part of this guild. 

Artist Interview

Artist: Catherine Taylor

Etsy Store: JewelryTaylorMade

 

While in college, Catherine Taylor majored in Interior Design and for many years worked in furniture stores, as a wholesale furniture manufacturer's sales representative, and freelance interior designer.  She then became a licensed life & health insurance agent and worked for major insurance companies in group employee benefits sales.

Her bead work journey started out due to a family tragedy. In 2005, her husband John Taylor had a misdiagnosed blood clot. This subsequently resulted in amputation which led to many other complications. His recovery was extremely long, and they were fortunate that she was able to care for him 24/7. That same year, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, connective tissue disease, and Reynaud’s disease. Her world as she knew it was shattered; all she had known up to that point was a corporate world. She recalls how your world can change overnight.
Several months after her husband's amputation, she started to teach herself to bead.  She started with simple stringing which eventually grew as she gained new skills and new desires to expand her creativity.  This led her to eventually to try bead embroidery and bead weaving. She could find solace in her beading, it became her new hobby.  Through the learning process with bead weaving and bead embroidery, she found herself on a new journey.

The White Enchantress

Many of her inspirations come from the ocean since they live on the sea for six months out of the year on their own yacht they named the "Chips Ahoy."  Many times her designs include dolphins, mermaids, sea shells, starfish and many other themes from the sea.  Other inspirations come from her large library of bead magazines and books from other bead artists.
 She does not have one particular style but wants her pieces to enhance and make the wearer feel beautiful.  Her styles tend to lean towards the romantic or Victorian preferring a more elegant theme in her work.  Some designs are thought out before hand but she says most just evolve spontaneously.  Since joining the Etsy Bead Embroidery Guild they have stretched her creativity with their first challenge in ways she herself would not have and that they have had a positive effect on her bead work vision and journey.
Her pieces usually start with a focal piece that sets the stage for her design; she says she tries to portray a story in each piece.  She loves to work with unusual beads, crystals or pearls and likes to use Miyuki and Toho seed beads.
Her bead work has been a process about growing and learning that is always continuous and she wouldn't have it any other way.  She has taught bead embroidery (and crochet) and hopes to be influential for others to expand their artistic talents in the bead world.  She feels if just one person can feel the way she does about bead work then it has all been worthwhile for her. Her future plans are to keep exploring new techniques and markets and to constantly expand what she has learned.

Snow Angel

She is married to John Taylor, and they have 6 beautiful granddaughters whom she adores. They have also become new parents to a Bernese mountain dog named Lulu. She resides in Overland Park, KS for half the year and the other half is sailing to the Pacific Northwest islands during the summer months. This summer (2012), they plan to cruise to Alaska which will be 3-4 months of exploration.  It will be interesting to see what new designs she comes up with from this experience and what new themes may develop.

Well March is here and the weather (hopefully) is making a change for the better as we head into spring.  With March already here our Bead Fest Challenge for spring is just about over, many of the artists have been working hard on their spring projects.  It is really amazing at the diversity and the quality of the beading in this guild.  The work and time put into these projects would boggle the mind.  On April 5 a showcase of the hard work will be posted here at the blog, the theme was to present work that had filigrees in them.
The guild has gone through many changes in February, old leaders stepping down and new leaders stepping up.  We have a new blog which I  hope everyone will enjoy reading which will feature many accomplishments and frustrations in this wonderful art medium from the beginning process to the end.  Also, being able to learn more about the members of the guild through our member spotlights and spotlights of some of the work that goes into making these lovely pieces. 
Along with our many changes we also had 19 new members join us this past month which is really exciting, all very talented Etsy bead embroidery artists.  Our group grew from 18 to a whopping 37! WOW! So welcome all the new members we look forward to hearing from you.
So welcome and enjoy everything that we have to offer and if you have any problems with the blog or questions please let me know either by dropping an email at ebeguild@yahoo.com or MPDesigns@MPBeadworks.com.   Thank you to all the support and positive words we have received from our many readers already.  Mickey Parker