It might seem like a very basic question, but how do you shop for beads?
When I first started beading, every time I went to a gem show or bead show, I immediately gravitated towards the Czech glass and the seed beads. I would pile my little trays high with daggers, rondelles, hanks of Czech seed beads and strands of pressed glass beads.
Now when I go to a bead show or gem show, I immediately gravitate towards the artist beads - those wonderful, miniature works of art that I know have been crafted by hand so that no two are ever exactly alike. I suppose it's because I have built up my stash of seed beads and pressed glass beads, or maybe it's because I know so many good online sources where I can purchase large quantities of those types of beads that I mostly walk past the gemstone and pressed glass vendors now.
This year at Bead Fest Philadelphia, there is an absolute wealth of handmade glass bead, ceramic and clay artists selling their work. I purchased raku focal artist beads, ceramic and glass fired artist beads, lampwork glass focal beads, and last but not least, an absolutely stunning ammonite pendant.
So what do you look for first when you go to a bead show?
Comments
I was at Bead Fest Philly as well, and I pretty much did the same thing you did. I also believe we enjoyed the same raku artist
For me, I ended up picking up a ton of Grace beads, a good amount of raku, and some really cool ceramic pendants with fused glass in them. I did pick up a good amount of gemstones and bali as well, but they weren’t nearly the focus that the handmade stuff was.
I was at Beadfest, too. I travelled from Boston and had only one day for the show. I try to look for new lampwork artists that I’m not familiar with–new things I can see in person. I wish I had done the bottom floor first as (1) there were lots of “new” booths and (2) it wouldn’t have been so crowded when I got up to the first floor. All in all, great show!
When I go bead shopping, I try and find those glass cane beads. Also the swaroski crystals ans unusual clasps. I live in England and in May,myfriend Anna and I went to the West of England Bead Fair. We were rather disappointed, after a while, the majority of stalls sold the same sort of things. I am going to do a day course next month on’ learn to make your glass beads’.I’m really loking forward to it.
I shop by vendors list, mostly vendors that I have shopped online so I can see things in person. Then, I shop by my shopping list, things I need and have planned to purchase.
I’m very lucky because I live in Venice-Italy, one of the most important cities for glassbeads production. I felt in love with glassbeads many years ago and, in 2007, I decided to use just vintage and antique venetian glass beads for my creations. You can have an idea of my work just looking my website http://www.operavenezia.com . I hope you’ll enjoy!