A friend of mine loves the word “astonish.” What a fun word! I love being astonished. And I love astonishing.
Do your creations have the ability to astonish? Of course not every piece of jewelry you make. But have you made a piece where you purposefully set out to make a piece that astonishes?
I’ve seen a trend in the last decade in beaded jewelry. An assumption that the more beads one can load onto backing or string, the better a piece will be.
This “more is better” attitude is everywhere. When we watch the news we see 5 boxes of information being fed to us rather than concentrating on one story.
My husband, a guitar player, has shown me that line of thinking takes the form of how fast a player can play; how may notes the artist can cram into one or two seconds. The more notes, the better the player. Absurd, as it sounds, that’s the thinking.
In reality, “more is better” is a lazy approach. If one doesn’t have the focus, competency, or knowledge to consciously compose something interesting or beautiful, one falls back on simply doing more, more, and more of something, hoping others will be dazzled by sheer volume or amount of energy expended.
How many items one can attach to leather backing is production, not true creativity. It is not astonishing.
I find that in jewelry that astonishes me, every bead is (or looks as if it is) purposefully arranged, with thought to each bead around it, and how it relates to the entirety of the piece.
- The composition is planned and ordered, even if it appears to be spontaneous and random.
- Colors harmonize with each other and are balanced throughout the entire piece.
- It’s well-planned movement guides my eyes and delights my senses: I enjoy following it.
- It interacts with the body in fluid, seamless motion.
- The technique intrigues me.
- An overall harmony exists: of the entire piece as a whole, and each individual piece.
I’m interested in hearing your thoughts. What astonishes you?
Color for Bead Artists 
13 comments
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July 16, 2014 at 11:49 am
Michelle
This is an excellent post! I find the ‘more is more’ approach you mentioned about as appealing as the ‘saggy pants’ trend that has plagued the fashion industry. It’s astonishing for sure. A true ‘eye-roller’. I’m still baffled by the sheer number of people who praise up and down the jewelry pieces that look as if someone has spilled their entire bead stash on the floor and then just closed their eyes and started stringing strand after strand and wire-wrapping bead after bead together – holy cow! But, due to the craft/trade magazines needing to keep things fresh so their audience doesn’t become bored, I wouldn’t be surprised if this trend hangs on for quite sometime or morphs into even ‘more’. 😉
July 16, 2014 at 12:09 pm
colorforbeadartists
HI Michelle,
You wrote “…jewelry pieces that look as if someone has spilled their entire bead stash on the floor and then just closed their eyes and started stringing strand after strand and wire-wrapping bead after bead together”. That sums it up! I hadn’t thought about your idea of bead magazines wanting to keep things “fresh.” I think there is truth to that.
I think of beading as still rather “young.” I know beading has been around since humans stood upright, but I’m referring to seed beading as more of an art form – that is still very young. People are experimenting. And it seems to me that maybe it is in it’s “adolescent” phase where it is trying everything in excess to see what works.
Thank you for reading and for posting.
July 18, 2014 at 5:43 pm
Connie Haddock
Michelle, LOVE your “saggy pants” analogy! Anyone else remember parachute pants, as well? Eye-rollers indeed! 😀
July 16, 2014 at 11:58 am
Linda Thompson-Mills
I find that a well thought out and then executed design, with a little something I don’t expect, can be astonishing.
July 16, 2014 at 12:09 pm
colorforbeadartists
I agree, Linda. Sometimes the simplest design, when well planned and executed, is jaw-dropping.
Thanks for posting = good to “see” you again!
July 16, 2014 at 12:23 pm
Connie Haddock
Margie,
I completely agree with you here! I see all of these over-the-top pieces and it makes my head spin – lol. Albeit incredible, many of them are not my idea of attractive, and they must take weeks, if not months, and cost a fortune. I don’t have that kind of money, nor do I want to spend weeks and months on one project. I need variety. Frankly, though, I will admit that they sometimes make me feel “inadequate” as a jewelry designer. Reading your comments made me feel better. 🙂
I have all (I think) of your books, including your most recent on jewelry design. Talk about incredible! I must say, you are one of my heroes. I have learned so much from your books and articles. I refer to your color guides regularly. While I’m still pretty timid, your books are coaxing me toward trying more varied and bolder color palettes, not just for jewelry-making, but also in the other types of crafts I engage in.
You and your talents are amazing and I want to thank you for sharing them will all of us! You are a true artist!
Sincerely,
Connie Haddock
July 17, 2014 at 12:06 pm
colorforbeadartists
Dear Connie,
Thanks for what you wrote about sometimes feeling inadequate. I find myself questioning myself often when I see these pieces. Wondering, should I just jump on board and force myself to like this stuff? Force myself to create this kind of stuff. The craze has made me doubt myself. I’m glad my post made you feel better. I don’t like when there’s some prevailing trend that artists feel they must do. It can derail creativity.
I love hearing that you’re trying more varied and bold palettes. It can be empowering to venture into new color territory. I force myself to do it regularly. Wether I fail or success isn’t the point: learning and overcoming fear is.
Thank you so much for this, Connie: “You and your talents are amazing and I want to thank you for sharing them will all of us! You are a true artist!” That means a lot to me. More than I can say.
July 16, 2014 at 1:52 pm
sublime22k
Hi,
I normally have trouble tying things in but will see how my mind changes, when ive read your new book, i purchased, love youe colour book too
July 17, 2014 at 12:01 pm
colorforbeadartists
Thank you, Sublime22k!
July 16, 2014 at 6:29 pm
Crystallized Gems
Less Is More is my mantra. I see elaborately beaded pieces which have won awards, looking garish and overcrowded. Could it be the adjudicators see More Is Better as the winning touch? I just don’t. I find an Astonishing piece to be simple and pleasing to the eye with a touch of thoughtfully placed spark. One of my rather restrained pieces, which included a beautiful trillion-cut yellow CZ has astonished customers–I glowed each time I heard it!
July 17, 2014 at 12:01 pm
colorforbeadartists
“Could it be the adjudicators see More Is Better as the winning touch?” Maybe so. If so, that’s really disappointing. I’d love to see your “rather restrained” piece with the trillion-cut yellow CZ. I agree with you about simplicity.
Thanks for reading and responding.
July 16, 2014 at 10:36 pm
Mortira
I agree with you 100%, Margie. Remember when it was all about getting as many rivolis in a piece as one possibly could?
When I look at other beaders’ work, the pieces that really Wow me are the ones that take a single color, shape, or pattern and make it shine with just the right supporting elements.
July 17, 2014 at 11:59 am
colorforbeadartists
Yes, Mortira, I remember the Rivoli craze. Esther Liebermen refers to it as “All Swarovski. All the time.” Stuff fit for Liberace! Thank you for reading and responding.