Kinga Bledsoe (née Nichols)
Principessa
Principessa is a glorious beauty of a bracelet, fit for the princess you are! Designed for the 2024 San Francisco Beaders Dream Retreat, this pretty pretty princess comes in two colorways: the original is a monochromatic cobalt blue while the other one will be silver grey (Pictures of the silver will be provided by February). The center of the composition is a paua shell cabochon. A truly special find from the Tucson gem show that I have been stashing away for a project deserving of its beauty. All the cabs are slightly different in shape and size very much like all the retreat attending principessas and so this class will be a design class. I will guide the attendees through the process of customizing this bracelet to their needs thereby making sure that this project can be successfully recreated regardless of wrist size.
Kits: $125.
Additional colorway coming...
Artist Statement
“My attraction to 3-dimensional shapes has created a fascination for me throughout my life and has fueled my creative spirit. My choice of beadwork as a primary medium has followed that same fascination. As my beadwork has evolved, my work seems to always lean towards the building of shapes and forms that are functional and wearable.
The choice to use beads as my medium was primarily influenced by my love of color. Beads reflect and absorb light, hold shape and dimension, and in so doing, offer chameleon-like qualities. It is not always the result that is the most important to me, however. The process of working with beads and thread is meditative and calming, which allows time for reflection. Engineering each piece is always a challenge that thrills me, as well as, giving me the power to make the decisions that need to be made for each piece. The more I experience the wonderful qualities of beadwork, the more I realize my relationship with beads will always be one of learning, experiencing, and sharing.
The decision to teach grew from my personal desire to share my love of beads and all the wonderful things that can be created with them. The commitment to teaching stems from my desire to share the knowledge I have gained while developing my own skills in this medium. Ultimately, my mission is to help to keep this art form alive and well.”
Bio
My path to being an artist has always been driven by my desire to create something that is beautiful to me. I bead for myself, to satisfy my desire to create, to feed my soul. That others admire my work is a gift. If they see something in my work that appeals to them, that calls to them, then I am blessed indeed, as maybe they can see a glimpse of the part of me that is just following my heart.
Cynthia is a contemporary seed bead artist and teacher specializing in peyote stitch and off‐loom weaving techniques, with an emphasis on developing sculptural unsupported shapes in beadwork. As a teacher (over 27 years), Cynthia used to share her expertise on the road for most of the year. After the pandemic, she moved into doing most of her workshops online.
Her work has been exhibited in national and international shows, many books and publications including her first solo book, “Timeless Beadwork Designs”.
Cynthia Rutledge Beadwork, Workshops & Kits
cynthiarutledgestudio@gmail.com
www.cynthiarutledge.net
Beki Haley has been in love with beads for over 50 years now. She was introduced to the amazing art form of seed bead weaving by her grandmother when she was a child. That early start in exploring the intricacy and fine detail that can be attained with seed beads has stayed with Beki throughout her life. Even as a young teen, Beki loved teaching others all the beautiful things that can be created with beads. She has over 30 years of teaching experience in several different venues from large auditorium settings to intimate one-on-one classes and everything in between.
Training as a classic silversmith at a young age gave Beki an appreciation and understanding of the art and beauty of jewelry design. Beki uses those formal skills to teach the technical aspects of jewelry design. In her classes, the students learn the importance of attention to detail and craftsmanship while exploring their natural creativity. Her love of beads led Beki to open her own bead store, Out On A Whim, in 1986. With her husband, four children, several animals, and days filled with beads, Beki’s life is complete. During any stressful time in her life, Beki turns to her beads for comfort and calm. The meditative action of beading is the perfect tool to bring peace and joy to her otherwise busy and chaotic life. Sharing that joy by teaching others how to create with beads is a blessing beyond measure.
Learn more about Beki from her Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/beki.haley
Contact me at: info@BeadersDreamRetreat.com
_________________________
_________________________
Your 2024 Beaders Dream Retreat
San Francisco Class Lineup......
Beki Haley
Reina
Only in your imagination exists a presence that captivates as powerfully as Reina. Her essence dances on the delicate line between reality and fantasy.
Her silhouette, graceful and ethereal, moves through your mind like a shadow weaving through moonlit mist. Cloaked in layers of mystery, her presence is an enigmatic melody that whispers tales of forgotten lands and hidden desires.
Reina is a portrait of timeless allure. Each delicate movement, each subtle gesture, carries an aura of intrigue that beckons the curious to unravel the layers of her mystery.
Create this beautifully mysterious necklace using various Right Angle Weave techniques.
Advanced: You should have a good working knowledge of CRAW
Kits will be available in at least three colorway options and are priced from: $78 to $95 each.
Cynthia Rutledge
Stained Glass Windows
Stained glass possesses an aura of mystery and romance. It is the interplay between light and color that sparks the imagination. It is one of the most unchanged crafts, still taking, as it did centuries ago, time and patience, and an appreciation for color and line design.
In celebration of this long enduring craft, and as a tribute to the beauty of this artform, Stained Glass Windows Bracelet was created. Cathedral-style three-dimensional window shapes are filled with a colorful array of bezeled CZs. These “windows” are linked together forming a flexible, yet substantial sculptural bracelet. The bracelet ends with a wide bar/tube closure for a secure finish.
Skill level: Advanced. The student should be very comfortable with peyote stitch.
Kits: $185
We're looking forward to Beading with you!
Kinga Bledsoe was born in 1980, in Hungary. At 19, she packed up her life in a backpack and moved to the US where she has been residing since, albeit not at the same place. She currently lives in Boulder, Colorado with her boyfriend and furbabies Samantha Regina Nichols and Marley. Samantha Regina is not only her muse but her model as well. Many of Kinga's best known pieces were popularized by the canine model.
One way or another Kinga has been always making things, which started turning into a career when she was painting murals at the time she lived in New York. The murals were fun, but she did not feel like painting was her calling. Eventually she picked up a bead and Button magazine in 2007, found a bead embroidery project, and slowly but surely the obsession took over.
After that first project, she started creating her own designs and quickly found her own distinctive voice that allowed her to translate her imaginings into beadwork. Kinga is always brainstorming, and her imagination provides an endless supply of fanciful ideas that she translates into bead embroidery.
Her work first got noticed in the first Battle of the Beadsmith, quickly followed by her being a BeadDreams finalist in 2013 and getting 3rd place in the same competition in the Swarovski category in 2014, and a book feature in Marcia Decoster Presents, 2014. In 2015 she won first place in the crystal category in BeadDreams. She has done a number of instructional bead embroidery videos for Interweave publishing in 2016 and 2017, and has been featured in magazines in the US and Europe.
In 2013 she started teaching and she hopes to continue this as her chosen profession for a long time to come, not only passing on beady knowledge, but perhaps her unique way of looking at the world as a magical place filled with endless possibilities.
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/crimsonfrog
Blog: http://crimsonfrogdesigns.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kinga.bledsoe