Bead and button ~ HUGE BEAD ARTIST sculptor SHOW 2008

 

What is it like to be at a HUGE bead show? No pictures 😦 ….LOTS OF WORDS 🙂

Honestly, the beads were great! And! What people do with beads is awesome too!

SO MUCH TALENT in the Glass bead world. People are making little sculptures that are priceless.  It is really hard to put a price on these beautiful creations.  (We are talking JUST ART! Not all practicle. The stuff I am nuts over!) And ofcourse,  little manufactured beads to adorne.

This show really had me thinking….Glass art is miss-placed in this country.  A bunch of sculptors appear to be stuck in a bead makers body. Does that even make sence?

Sometimes, I think it is beacuse it is instant to create with glass. You start, you finish,…done! Sculpture is not much like that. With real large pieces, it tends to take longer, and cost more.  Beads seam like a good alternative to LARGE scale, back breaking art.

I am sorry that many Artist’s do not get seen by collectors at Bead & Button. Not a whole lot of collectors at the show this year. (Not that I noticed! I am not sure about previous years? Is it the economy?)  This show is mostly about beads, and jewelry.  Collecting was limitted.

I sold most of my “jewelry” beads, and I came out ahead! I had very little cost going into the show too. Most people there spent 10 TIMES what I did to be there. SCARY ECONOMY! (I hope they come out okay? I really wasn’t sure.)

IT WAS WORTH GOING! NO DOUBT! Bead and button introduced me to one gallery to sell my work at, one collaboration/inspiration/eventually selling at a bead store in some other State…(FLORIDA; my relatives live there!) some new customers, a couple custom orders, and I got to get to know my Guild members. 

Getting to know people is fun. I have to say, I am VERY lucky.  It is hard to come by good people in this life. My guild has some really nice members, with very diverse styles, that compliment each other. 

Every day we worked hard. Everyday, we each took a break to walk around and see all the beautiful beads. The weather was interesting; we had a tornado warning almost everyday. (And I did come home to NO power for 4 days. UG!) We spent time critiquing ourselves, our art work, and each other constructively, and most importantly productively. We did not waist time. (Except for my cigarette breaks! WAIST! It was nice to be with non smokers because I know I smoked less than I would of otherwise.)  I learn a lot from people that have more experience at this type of show than I. I think joining the guild was one of the best decisions I made in the last few years. THANKS PEOPLE! Oh! And I really enjoyed my Margarita on Sunday night! 😉

I will probably do B & B again. Even though, on the last day, I was SO TIRED, and I could not find any coffee… and it was inventory time. Poor Kim had to listen to me repeat myself, and forget where I was…it only took 1-1/2 hours. When you look at the BIG picture, that was not that long.

The guild made it possible for me to be at Bead and button. I would not of been able to swing that much overhead for that show. Without the guild, I would not of been there. I can not thank these people enough!

To sum up B & B: It is a rather large bead show. Many awesome beads were there, and VERY unique art. My favorite glass working suppliers were there, ANY kind of bead you could ever really need is there. 

I really think alot of the LAMPWORK glass art bead makers belong in a Fine art gallery; not “just a bead show”.  That has come out of many of my customers mouths. (And, yes that makes me happy…)  I It is inspiring; take this beautiful work of art, and YOU have the right to display it as art, or use it in your own art. Talk about a beautiful celebration of passion.

My next show with the Guild is the (Jurried, and I am in!) Orchard Lake Fine Arts show. I am really looking forward to some serious GLASS sculpting this summer for that show! Marbles beads, little sculptures!

This summer I am hanging close to home, side jobbing, and I AM SCULPTING GLASS!!

Oh! BTW! Sketch book study is coming to my blog next week! Check back, or RSS THIS BLOG!

PEACE!