nancygould

I love the endless possibilities of working with beads. Beads are made in an almost infinite variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Add to that finishes of matte, transparent, opaque, aurora borealis, crackle and more. Throw in various pearls, crystals, semi-precious gems. Did I mention beads made from shells, bones, wood and metals? A person on the street would be amazed at the inside world of beads.

The inspiration for my pieces is as varied as the beads themselves. Nature, color, clothing, event, theme. I like to learn techniques and stitches but am not afraid to bend the rules so I can follow where my imagination and the beads want to go.

Much of my work involves beads called seed beads. I use a beading needle and beading “thread”. Each seed bead is individually picked up with a needle and sewn to the next bead in a type of weaving pattern. I would describe my pieces as being created in a bead-weaving technique with a heavy emphasis on peyote stitch.

I love my pieces to be noticed, to stand out and not be one of the crowd. I want them to be wearable pieces of art that are unique and not similar to what every other person walking down the street is wearing.