Artist Profile: Summer Brights Contest Winner - Aurelio Castaño

Caribbean Sunset by Aurelio Castaño

We are very pleased to share the US winner of our "Summer Brights" contest, Aurelio Castaño. Aurelio's Caribbean Sunset bracelet uses seed beads woven into an intricate bangle bracelet in bold summertime colors.

We asked Aurelio to tell us a little bit more about himself and his work so that we could share it with our readers.


Tell us about yourself:

My name is Aurelio Castaño, I was born in Colombia, South America. I moved to the US in 1994. My life literally revolves around beads and Mechas, my shih-tzu. Even though I have silversmith formal training, it is my bead work that is so fortunate to count with so many fans around the world.

How did you get interested in beading/jewelry making?

My Art/Jewelry work started in metal more than a decade ago, but I craved the bright colors of my Latino heritage. Beads gave me that palette and allowed me to create even more sculptural, wearable designs.

What are your favorite materials to use in jewelry making?

I don’t have favorite materials per say, I use whatever catches my attention, I am a big fan of thinking outside the box.

Who or what inspires your creative process?

I find great inspiration in the form, color and texture that 'Nature' offers. That is who and what inspires me.

Is there somewhere people can see/purchase your work?

www.aureliocastano.com
www.facebook.com/Aurelio.clau
www.etsy.com/people/clauart

Mamaroneck Artist Guild
126 Larchmont Ave.
Larchmont, NY 10538

Congratulations again Aurelio, and thank you for sharing you work with us. We wish you all the best in your future creative pursuits.

Around Our Community: The Beading Group at the Villages

Our friends over at the beading group at the Villages have written us, and we'd love to share their story!

The Villages is an active retirement community located in the heart of central Florida, full of sunshine, golf courses and shopping. Among their many recreational activities, they have a group of lovely, creative women who love to bead. 

Beading began at The Villages about 10 years ago in the home of Nancy Weiler.  Nancy, along with 15 other women, gathered together on a regular basis to make jewelry and beaded purses. Before they knew it, the group grew too large for Nancy's home and an official beading group at The Villages was born.  Now the group meets twice a month in a large hall in the central part of the community.  Nancy scours the web and magazines for projects that might be of interest to the group and she then makes patterns and supply lists for the beaders to use.

Together they have done wire wrapping, chain mail (which is Nancy's favorite), lots of bead weaving, kumihimo, bead crochet and braiding.  These days, Nancy is away for the summer months, but she encouraged her beading friends, headed by Barbara Haegele, to take reign of the group.  The beaders are still very active and the group is continuously growing.  Along with a great summary of their beading group, Nancy has also attached some wonderful photos of the beaders in action!
 
Many of the photos show the women with tension chords attached to chairs, working the four strand braid to make Beadaholique's Unisex Anchor Bracelet. They attach string to chairs and then work the cord from there to get good tension.  What a great idea!


Some members have been with the beading group at The Villages for 10 years and counting!  Their knowledge and experience is a helpful source for those new members joining the beading group. As with everything new, flexibility, patience and enthusiasm make for a good learning and teaching atmosphere.


The team at Beadaholique would like to thank the lovely ladies at The Villages for their support.  We are so glad that our instructional videos offer inspiration to your beading group and hope to continue to inspire your creativity.  Thank you for reaching out Nancy, and to the group: Keep Beading!

- Karlin

PART THREE: Announcing Swarovski Innovations Autumn/Winter 2012-2013 Release

Welcome to the final installment in our trio of blog posts dedicated to revealing to you the magnificent new Swarovski Innovations! We have already covered the mouth-watering new colors and effects, and introduced you to the innovative new articles ("article" is Swarovski's term for "item style").  Now we are about to take you on a tour of the last "facet" (if you will) of this brilliant collection. For our beading enjoyment, Swarovski has released a bevy of tried and true familiar favorites - beads and pendants - in all new sizes.

Let's begin with the pearl. Who doesn't love a Swarovski pearl? Other faux pearls simply pale in comparison. Now these perennial favorites are going to come in an all new, big and bold 16mm size. Not only that, these gorgeous giants boast a hole which is large enough (1.4mm) to accommodate your favorite silk ribbon, chain, or cord, for a visually striking design.

 Next we have one of my personal favorites- the square double hole bead. This bead has leant itself to many a unique design in its 14mm size. Say hello to the more diminutive version, the 8mm square double hole bead. Isn't she darling?

Another classic design that has been around for awhile is the 6010 briolette pendant. Shown here in the lovely new effect called crystal antique pink, this beautiful pendant is going to come in an impressive 21.5mm x 50mm size-- perfect for hanging on a chain from a handmade, wire wrapped bail.


 







As you may remember, the previous Swarovski Innovations release (Spring/Summer 2011) revealed a whimsical series of heart pendants designed by Manish Arora, collectively known as "Love Story of the Heart". Each of these heirloom quality designer pendants will soon be offered in new, miniature versions of their grand predecessors. And, of course, look for them in the new effect: crystal antique pink.

As we wrap up this tantalizing preview of all the new Swarovski goodies to come, I hope you are as oozing with eager anticipation as we are!  Keep on the lookout for new projects and how-to videos to help provide you with ideas and techniques to use with your new crystals.



Enjoy, & Happy Creating!

-Andrea

The Learn To Bead Video Series

Are you just starting out on your beading journey? If so, the world of bicones, strand reducers, Soft Flex, and crimp tubes probably seems a bit confusing and overwhelming. Even to seasoned beaders, the constantly evolving world of beading can be complicated at times. To help sort out the confusion, Beadaholique is very pleased to announce the Learn To Bead video series!

In this multi-part series we take you step-by-step through the beading process. The first several videos are dedicated to beads, findings, stringing materials, and tools. Explaining in detail what is available, what each item is called, and how to use it. This will build a strong foundation from which you will be better equipped to read beading project instructions and choose the appropriate supplies for your own projects.

In the following videos, we will visually demonstrate beading techniques, working our way from the very simple to the more complex. Your skill level and knowledge base will grow as you progress through the video series, making beading even more exciting and fun. 

"Learn To Bead Video #1: All About Beads" is available below, and on our website now. This video is both a gallery and tutorial of bead styles and shapes. Up next will be a video all about findings. If you have a suggestion for a video, let us know, we'd love to hear from you. 

Happy Beading! 

7,000 Bracelets For Hope

It was during one of my daily fixes of beader extraordinaire Lori Anderson's Pretty Things blog that I first learned about 7,000 Bracelets for Hope, a campaign by the Global Genes Project to raise awareness for children with rare diseases.

From their website:  "To help raise awareness we're asking 7,000 jewelry designers, volunteers from the craft community and various artists to donate one bracelet to this campaign to show their support for kids living with rare disease, disorders or conditions.  These bracelets will then be distributed to participating families in December 2011."

The theme for these bracelets is denim, as in jeans (get it, genes?), and I was super excited to dig in to all of our blue jean hued elements and get started on Beadaholique's contribution to this cause.  Sarah and I both immediately thought of Denim Lapis, and I definitely wanted to add a fabric element to the design.  I decided upon a lovely dusty blue silk ribbon, cut into segments and frayed for a loved, lived in, well-worn effect-- just like your favorite pair of blue jeans.

Forever In Blue Jeans

I was really happy with the results.  I hope it brings a smile to its recipients' faces, and reminds them that there is an army of beaders out there, thinking about them and wishing them strength and health.

If you would like to be involved, visit the Global Genes Project site, click on the 7,000 Bracelets For Hope emblem, and follow the instructions to register.  To get inspired, here are some blue-jeanie goodies to browse through!


-Andrea

Creating Jewelry Out of Meaningful Objects, or How I Learned to Shoot a Gun and Like It

By: Andrea Morici

Senior Designer at Beadaholique.com

I am a peaceful person, for the most part.  I love tranquility. Being in nature, curling up with a good book and a hot cup of tea, spending time with friends and family, visiting museums, making beautiful jewelry, and listening to music are just some of the things that make me feel truly blissful.  I despise violence and I am terrified of guns.

So, how did I find myself having the time of my life blasting giant holes though a simulated "bad guy" target with a Remington 870 12 gauge shotgun? Allow me to explain:

Let me first just reiterate: I really am a peaceful person, honest to goodness!   I also happen to be a faithful student of Krav Maga, a brutal form of hand-to-hand combat.  It literally translates as "Contact Combat." I began studying Krav Maga because I believe it is important for women to be able to defend themselves.  Krav taught me how to finely tune my reflexes to my advantage.  It showed me that even someone as little as myself can put up a fight if need be.

Part of my training includes learning how to defend against attacks by various weapons, such as knives, sticks, guns, and even hand grenades!  We practice with fake weapons, of course, but we always treat them as though they were the real deal in order to make the attack as true to life as possible.  Even though I had had many hours of practicing gun defense with the fake guns, the fact remained that I was still terrified of the real thing.  I finally decided to face my fear.

A few of the other Krav Maga ladies and myself approached one of our instructors one night after class.  Would he please take us to the shooting range where he practiced and teach us how to properly handle, load, and shoot a variety of real firearms?  He very kindly obliged.  We picked an evening, met up at the training center, piled into our instructor's car, and off we went.

The shooting range reminded me, strangely, of a bowling alley.  There were numbered lanes, and a kind of stale smell in the air.  The big difference was that you rented deadly weapons instead of shoes. We bought our ammo and targets, grabbed a pair of safety glasses and some ear protection, rented a Glock in addition to the 9mm and shotgun that my instructor had brought, and made our way from the lobby into the shooting gallery.

After a brief tutorial on the basics, the instructor looked around.  "Who wants to go first?" he asked.  Nobody said anything or made a move at all.  Finally, (I don't know what possessed me!) I stepped forward.  "I'll go!"

I was shaking fiercely as a grasped the weapon.  I heard the words, "Nice and easy..." spoken from somewhere nearby.  I took aim directly for the middle of the target's paper chest.  I slowed my breathing...gently and steadily squeezed the trigger... "BOOM!!"  It was so incredibly loud.  

I surveyed the damage.  My aim was true.  The bullet had torn a hole in the target, dead center.  I heard my friends clap and congratulate me.  "Wow!  Great shot!!"  Still shaking, I carefully set the gun down and stepped away.  After that, everybody else had a turn shooting the handguns, and then we tried a few rounds on the shotgun.  I couldn't believe it...  I was enjoying myself!

Dead Center Shot

One thing you immediately notice at the shooting range is the massive amount of empty bullet shells littering the floor.  The drifts of brass shells kicked my jewelry designer's brain into high gear.  I discretely picked up a few of them and put them into my purse.  I made sure my Krav buddies didn't notice, because I was pretty sure they wouldn't understand why I would want to collect little pieces of gunpowder covered garbage.

We all left the gun range happy and excited to have done what we just did.  The next day at work, I fished the shells out of my purse.  I picked out a smaller casing (a .22) and made sure it was relatively clean of residue and had no dents.  I chose two lovely spikey green Kyanite beads, and using E6000 glue, I glued them securely in the shell.  I used 22 gauge (appropriately enough) gold colored Artistic wire to wire-wrap a bail onto the top of the bullet.  For the chain, I scavenged all of the bits and pieces of bulk chain left over from other projects and joined them together, creating one 30 inch long chain. Some pieces were gold plated, others brass.  They were all different lengths.

I love the overall effect.  I love that people will compliment me on my necklace without even realizing what the pendant is made of.  I'm still afraid of guns, but I love that when I look at my necklace, I am reminded of the time I faced my fear... and had fun doing it.

Now it's your turn, dear beader-reader.  Tell me about jewelry that you have made to commemorate special moments in your life using found objects or treasured artifacts.

-Andrea

Designer Profile: Andrea Morici

Andrea is the senior designer at Beadaholique.com.  

She has designed most of the hundreds of free instructional projects you can find on our website.  We sat down with her to find out how she keeps coming up with design after unique design.

Andrea Morici senior designer
for Beadaholique.com

Beadaholique:  How did you get interested in beading/jewelry making?

Andrea:  I have always been artistically inclined, and I really enjoy working with my hands. Beading is such a comprehensive art form because it contains elements of visual layout, color composition, textural juxtaposition, even a bit of math. Plus the finished product is utilitarian; you actually get to wear your art!


B:  What is your educational background in the arts?   What was your favorite art subject?

A:  I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. My concentration was in painting, and I always thought it was such a shame that I had to whittle my interests down to such a fine point. Even though my focus was on painting, I absolutely adored my sculpture, printmaking, metal and wood shop, photography, and (of course) jewelry making classes.


B:  You have a distinct personal fashion sense, and a distinct design aesthetic.  How would you describe them?  

A:  Thank you... I think!  Once again it goes back to that artistic, right-brained curse. I am constantly thinking, "What can I do to make this piece unique?"  Perhaps there is a bead or a finding that has a traditional use, well, I try to visualize it in a non-traditional setting. It is the unexpected little details that make a piece interesting.


B:  What are your current favorite materials to use for making jewelry?  

A:  Oh, there are so many! Working at Beadaholique is like being a kid in a candy store. I have nearly limitless resources, which makes designing such a fun adventure. Lately, though, I have been having a great time playing with all of the amazing Steampunk items that we carry, and I'm loving the Patera collection.


B:  How do you arrive at your color palettes in your jewelry work?

A:  I am a self-proclaimed color addict, and I draw my inspiration from many different sources. Sometimes I am inspired by colors of the natural world, sometimes I like crazy, unnaturally vibrant color stories. I love odd color combinations that somehow work well together, or variations on a traditional color scheme. One of my favorite websites is colourlovers.com where you can create your own customized color palettes and patterns. It is a treasure trove of inspiration for anyone in the design world.


B:  Is there a technique that you haven’t tried yet but plan to soon?

A:  I'm getting really excited about all of the resin molds we are getting in. I can't wait to try them out. Also, I love the idea of fine silver wire fusing and I can't wait to experiment with it as well!


B:  Do you work best in chaos or an orderly workspace?

A:  I have to say, I believe my workspace is a combination of both. It is organized chaos. I try to stay on top of everything, but as any beader knows, this is easier said than done. You may start one project, only to be distracted by something else. Beads and findings inevitably pile up, and as long as I can remember where and why I made said pile, I consider myself ahead of the game.


B:  What is your favorite piece of jewelry that you own?

A:  Over the years I have collected mostly vintage pieces from resale stores. I love those pieces, although my favorite jewelry was given to me by loved ones. As a birthday gift one year, I received two stunning turquoise and silver necklaces. One of them, from my parents, was a large and interesting chunk of turquoise set in sterling silver, and hanging from a sterling snake chain. The other was a bizarre and enormous antique art deco era silver and turquoise piece, given to me by a friend.


B:  Is there someplace people can purchase jewelry or artwork that you have made?

A:  I am in the process of setting up my Etsy store. I'm really excited about it!  More details to come.


B:  What inspires your creativity?

Everything from music to fashion, the past, the future, magazines and websites... I am inspired to create by so many things!


B:  Who inspires you in your creativity?

A:  Once again, I have to be broad here, because I am surrounded by creative beings who make me want to create. These include my family, my friends, my boyfriend, and of course my coworkers!


B:  A little bird told me that you are also a musician, and that you’ve appeared on a number of records.  Care to elaborate?

A:  I find so often that people who are into the visual arts tend to be involved with music, as well. I'm no exception. It is the right-brained thing, I think. I began taking piano lessons at age seven, and by the time I was in my early twenties I was playing keyboard and writing songs for my first band. A few years ago I was asked to sing for a well-established band that I really admired. After many tours and several albums together, I am still so humbled and honored to be a part of this musical project.