Recently returned from my first trek to the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee, WI.
I felt like a kid in a candy store! There were so many goodies there to see. Along with the added excitment of catching up and hanging out with old friends and making new friends, I also had the opportunity to meet some online friends at this popular event for jewelry makers.
I was there helping out the very talented artist/teacher, Gail Crosman Moore, at her booth for a couple of days. At least I think I helped her. I did sell a lot of $5 eyeballs after all! That may sound a bit creepy but, glass eyeballs are very popular. I only wish I could've stayed longer...ya know, sold more eyeballs and all that. Gail is also a 2009 Saul Bell Design Award winner! She has a terrific website where she also sells her components and kits, and lists upcoming workshops and you can find a link to her blog here. The photo above shows a piece of jewelry I made with one of Gail's lampwork beads from the Tempest series; the metal work is mine.
I also spent time with another favorite artist/teacher/Saul Bell winner, Kate McKinnon. I mean...if you don't know who Kate McKinnon is, then you obviously aren't working with metal clay. Kate also does fantastic bead work, has several books out, she just released a new DVD, and has a new book coming out in the fall.
Oh so many beautiful and fun people...I had lunch with the beautiful and talented Tonya Davidson of Whole Lotta Whimsy, along with Sharon Dickerson and the multi-talented metalsmith & tool-maker Cindy Moore, the Cool Tool Chick, whom I just love! Cindy's strong southern accent just makes her feel like family. LOL.
I had a chance to chat a couple times with one of my favorite men, Robert Dancik, Thing-Maker Extraordinaire & inventor of Faux Bone. Robert has recently moved to England. So, if you get a chance to take one of his classes in the U.S. - I recommend you experience it.
Others work I know and admire, and finally met in person, included Tracy Stanley of Wired Arts, Michele Goldstein, Holly Gage and Dana Peters. Gail's booth was right next to Lisa and Tony Blackwell, of Zoa Art. They have fantastic work in metal. I'm sure they thought I was stalking them, I couldn't keep my eyes off their metal objects! ...oh, and their display was to die for. I hope they visit us at the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild Bead Bonanza in October.
Those that I had hoped to bump into, but kept missing, included the sensationaly popular Susan Lenart Kasmer, Gordon Uyehara, Celie Fago and Jen Kahn. Turns out I also missed Thomas Mann. So many of my favorite metal artists gathered in one place.
Those are just a sprinkling of the talented, sensational, artistic people that can be found at the Bead and Button Show (and so, so, many other names that escape me right now). So you may want to start planning now, for 2010.
Next Stop: Metal Clay World Conference in Chicago, July 15-18th. Hope to see you there!
I felt like a kid in a candy store! There were so many goodies there to see. Along with the added excitment of catching up and hanging out with old friends and making new friends, I also had the opportunity to meet some online friends at this popular event for jewelry makers.
I was there helping out the very talented artist/teacher, Gail Crosman Moore, at her booth for a couple of days. At least I think I helped her. I did sell a lot of $5 eyeballs after all! That may sound a bit creepy but, glass eyeballs are very popular. I only wish I could've stayed longer...ya know, sold more eyeballs and all that. Gail is also a 2009 Saul Bell Design Award winner! She has a terrific website where she also sells her components and kits, and lists upcoming workshops and you can find a link to her blog here. The photo above shows a piece of jewelry I made with one of Gail's lampwork beads from the Tempest series; the metal work is mine.
I also spent time with another favorite artist/teacher/Saul Bell winner, Kate McKinnon. I mean...if you don't know who Kate McKinnon is, then you obviously aren't working with metal clay. Kate also does fantastic bead work, has several books out, she just released a new DVD, and has a new book coming out in the fall.
Oh so many beautiful and fun people...I had lunch with the beautiful and talented Tonya Davidson of Whole Lotta Whimsy, along with Sharon Dickerson and the multi-talented metalsmith & tool-maker Cindy Moore, the Cool Tool Chick, whom I just love! Cindy's strong southern accent just makes her feel like family. LOL.
I had a chance to chat a couple times with one of my favorite men, Robert Dancik, Thing-Maker Extraordinaire & inventor of Faux Bone. Robert has recently moved to England. So, if you get a chance to take one of his classes in the U.S. - I recommend you experience it.
Others work I know and admire, and finally met in person, included Tracy Stanley of Wired Arts, Michele Goldstein, Holly Gage and Dana Peters. Gail's booth was right next to Lisa and Tony Blackwell, of Zoa Art. They have fantastic work in metal. I'm sure they thought I was stalking them, I couldn't keep my eyes off their metal objects! ...oh, and their display was to die for. I hope they visit us at the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild Bead Bonanza in October.
Those that I had hoped to bump into, but kept missing, included the sensationaly popular Susan Lenart Kasmer, Gordon Uyehara, Celie Fago and Jen Kahn. Turns out I also missed Thomas Mann. So many of my favorite metal artists gathered in one place.
Those are just a sprinkling of the talented, sensational, artistic people that can be found at the Bead and Button Show (and so, so, many other names that escape me right now). So you may want to start planning now, for 2010.
Next Stop: Metal Clay World Conference in Chicago, July 15-18th. Hope to see you there!
