Beading Arts

Artist: Kelly Alvarez Mace Business Name: K. A. Mace Jewelry Location: Southern California Websites: K. A. Mace Jewelry Online store K. A. Mace Jewelry blog Etsy Shop Mindt Shop Indiepublic Profile How do you describe your work, Kelly? I focus on fine, handmade jewelry that is inspired by nature. My designs incorporate colors and textures from the beach, from local vineyards, from my hikes in the foothills. I love to work with colorful gemstones, and love to bring colors together in unexpected ways. I create thematic collections around specific inspirations, so my Ocean Treasures Collection focuses on lampwork sea creatures on strands of colorful gemstones and freshwater pearls. I want my jewelry to be fun, to be something that can be worn at work, for a speical event or at play, and my work transcends trends or demographics. I have teenage girls who wear my anklets, I have grandmothers who order my huge cocktail rings! I love that so many different kinds of people con...

Artist: Wendy Van Camp Location: Yorba Linda, CA Website & Blog: Indigoskye Bead Fashions Wendy, how do you describe your work? I am a jewelry artist. I wire wrap semi-precious stones and handmade art glass into women’s jewelry. My designs are unique but simple, jewelry that everyone can wear. When I was searching for a business name, I knew that I wanted to include the word “bead” in it since back then the search engines put much weight in the name of a webpage or a business. I also wanted a word that would be unique to me so that if people were googling me, it would be easy to find me. So I took two email handles that I was using at the time, indigo and skye, and put them together. The blue skies connotation seems to put a smile on my customer’s faces and the name stuck. I even answer to indigo or indigoskye on occasion! What is your creative process like? I start by going through my stash of stones and picking out combinations that appeal to me. Then I just put t...

Enameling on Metal Clay My friend Pam East has written a new book on combining two great media into stunning jewelry pieces! I have to be honest here and tell you that I don’t work much with either medium, so I’m not really in a position to tell you whether or not this is a good book. But from the reviews that Pam has received, I’d have to say that people who do know what they’re talking about agree: Pam’s book is a good ‘un! So if you’re looking for the next step in jewelry making, this might just be it. From the publisher: Enameling adds a whole new dimension to metal-clay jewelry. The striking, exciting projects in this book range in skill level from beginner to advanced and include earrings, pendants, pins, beads, and a ring. A tools and materials section, as well as metal clay and enameling basics, introduces key supplies and techniques. Easy-to-follow step-by-step directions are illustrated with detailed photos, and tips, tricks, and troubleshooting help ensure success. Some proj...