Wi Natcielecle Embroidery Technique, Design, & Inspiration ie Bt Ae Nee Ba ico <3 eseCes , at heovemova “Everything on the surface seems to move. I see circles, spirals, and loops. And symmetry.” “The frst time | saw the photo of Sherry Serafin’s beadwork on the cover of Bead&Button magazine in 2003, | was transfixed and unable to put the page down, | went to clean the sink and kept going back to study the beadwork. | finally went to the copy store and made color copies so | could have the im- ‘age with me — in my studio, in my car, and over the sink. How was this type ‘of work done? Would ever be able to bead with such majestic stitches? Ineed a book! ‘Afew weeks later, a frend told me about Heidi Kummls piece that won first place in the bead category of the Saul Bell Design Awards, ard | went to her Web site to see her work. Her pieces are at once ethereal and emotional. | was delighted to find that she lves a short distance from me and soon thereafter, we met when she was a guest artis in a bead store. I saw her beautiful beaded jewelry and bags and once more, | was mesmerized. | returned several times, to study these lovely pieces during the evening and left feeling inspired and ‘excited. I's dificult ta sleep when you see that kind of beaded art ‘Although | had done some bead embroidery, Lad nat seen embroidery techniques, charrns, and cabochons used in this way. | am fascinated by tiny seed beads (that was back when | thought 11°s were tiny) and had started to se them in my own work. But seeing Sherry and Heidi's works of art gave new meaning to those tiny bits of glass. Like most bead artists, | was curious and fascinated and wanted to learn ‘more about bead embroidery methods. What foundations and glues would one use? Where does one start, or for that matter, finish? And, | wondered where to find such unusual materials to incorporate into a beaded piece. The Art of Bead Embroidery: Technique, Design, and Inspiration will answer these questions and more. You will be inspired by these two very talented and prolific women: one who works in an upstairs space high in the Rocky Moun. tains and the other wio works in her kitchen near a big city in Pennsylvania, Both artists are surrounded with the sights and sounds of the real world: family, kids, pets, confusion, and even chaos at times. But it doesn't slow down their at life. In that way they are centered and profound. No matter where we are or what our circumstances, to bead is a solitary activity for the most part. Its fun to bead with our frends, but the real discovery happens as we sit with the beads, placing them one at a time on the needle and watching that idea form and become something seductive and poetic, Why couldn't | have had a book lke this to do a book report on at schoo? Ill look at this book many times and read it rom cover to cover. Sherry and Heidi have given us 2 complete, no-secrets-alowed, lovely-to-gazeupon book. May you feel the thrill of inspiration as I have. —Janet Kay Skeen Janet Kay Skee, eva Janet fom Another Planet has shown er wrk in the Irterweave toecing “stow The Beaded Clot and The Beaded igre. Se ed two pices in Bead Ihtemationsl 2006 Janet has writen articles an ected about beadwork heughost the Unio States. Sh ives in Darwer where she beads mat days, eaches beadwork, active inthe Rocky Mountain ead Society, pints ait, and has ta wih ends a5 oten a5 posse.