Interview with the Artist: me!! Part 1

Hi! I thought I'd interview myself today (yes, the lazy way out for a subject). I will say up front that my Etsy shop, BeadsOnHand, is on "vacation", meaning that it's currently empty. Although there are other kumihimo pieces on Etsy, my silk necklaces are more complex. I am not saying my work is better than others, just different. So, on to the interview.

Briefly, kumihimo literally means "bringing together". Kumihimo braiding may have been done in the earliest Japanese eras, 8000-400 B.C. but fibers wouldn't have survived in the damp climate. There is evidence of braids from 300-500 A.D. burial mounds where are found ceremonial clothes adorned with braids. Yes, Japanese samurai warriors used braids to tie on their armor plates, but braids were also used in daily life and religious ceremonies.

What made you choose a fiber art? I started knitting when I was 7 and made sweaters for my Barbie doll (the only time I ever played with dolls). I sew, knit, crochet, and quilt. The wonderful array of fibers in yarns and weaving constantly amaze me.


When and why did I start braiding? For some reason that I can't remember I decided I wanted to try this new technique after seeing a kumihimo gallery at Braidershand. Unfortunately there was very little information on the net about 6 years ago showing how to braid. Finally, I found a site with very simple instructions. I made my first braid using a disk cut out of a cereal box! Six years later you can find many sites with kumihimo galleries showcasing work from accomplished artists around the world. I have used books from two of these artists: Jacqui Carey and Rodrick Owen.

My then-husband made me this wonderful maru dai. The maru dai is the traditional braiding stool; mine is slightly taller than the regular 16". To braid you would kneel (or sit on a chair with the maru dai on a small box, for those of us who can't kneel hours on end).

Why do I prefer to use silk? Well, it's the traditional fiber used. But it is also very comfortable to wear against bare skin even in hot weather. And silk is a very strong material. Here's a photo of my home made tama (bobbin for holding the silk) and the silk. Since a set of 8 "real" bobbins is about $100 I covered some prescription bottles with polymer clay. I can vary the weight by adding or removing pennies in the bottle. Weight is very important to braiding, and that would be a whole other discussion.



How long did it take me to be comfortable braiding, and reasonably proficient? Well, 6 years later I have made every mistake in the book! All SATeam artists have spent hours, days, months, and years learning their craft. Kumihimo is the same: you are teaching your hands to braid and your eye to combine colors, shape and form.

Did you need to learn anything else? Yes!! Years ago there were no clasps availabe for braid ends. So, while attending a jewelry show I met a wonderful woman who worked with copper, Penny Cox. This was the first time I had met someone who worked with copper professionally. She inspired me to try my hand with it. (I think I'll do a second part of this interview next week.)

Can you show examples of your work? Both of these necklaces were posted on the Starving Jewelry Artists forum. The first is a combination of my love affair with glass leaf beads and different braids using the same colors:



And a close up view:



And a close up of the clasp, in copper of course:



Finally, another necklace and detail of the braids:




So, Part 2 next week. I can hardly wait!!

A Salute to the Sensational Seedies

Truth is I am not qualified to provide any information about seed beading, but I so admire the talents and creativity of this special breed of Jewelry Artists that I decided to learn a little bit about the techniques and supplies used in the creation of some of the most incredible pieces of jewelry art that I have ever laid eyes on.

Seed beads are those “itty bitty beads” ranging in size from less than a millimeter to several millimeters. The sizes are expressed as the number of beads that fit into a standard unit, 15/0 (fifteen/aught), 11/0, 8/0, etc. which means the higher the number, the smaller the bead. They are the most commonly used beads in jewelry and the decoration of garments. Primarily made of glass and produced in the Czech Republic or Japan modern seed beads are available in a several shapes such as Bugle, Charlotte, Cylinder, Delica, and a much broader assortment of colors and finishes from opaque to transparent. Some beads are lined either with a metallic material or different color, while others are treated with a coating to produce a lustrous surface, providing more visual interest and variety.

The techniques of seed beading are as diverse as the varieties of beads available to execute them. Peyote, Brick, Right Angle Weave RAW, Ndebele, Herringbone, are the foundation of bead weaving with variations to create tubes, ruffles and sculptural dimension. Supplement these basics with Netting, Daisy Chain, Picot, Crochet, Embroidery, Bead Lace, Bead Looming, Beaded Beads and the possibilities are staggering.

I am always astounded by the magnificent creations the “Sensational Seedies” of the SATeam exhibit and awestruck by the talents and creativity of this group. I can only imagine the amount of time that goes into the designing, bead selection, preparation and fabrication of even what may seem to be the simplest of seed bead creations…my mind is boggled by what it takes to produce a more complex, prize worthy work of art.


Kudos to our gifted seedies.

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current Etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com

Featured Artist: Cheryl Coccaro

Cheryl Coccaro is the creative mind and hands behind Cape Cod Art Jewelry on Etsy. Her work can also be seen on the web at gypsy-woman designer jewelry.

At Starving Artists, we always look forward to seeing Cheryl's work; her contemporary and modern take on wire wrapping has a clean elegance that is perfect for every occasion. Sterling silver is her favorite medium; but from time to time, she dips into 14k rolled gold jeweler's wire.

Cheryl has always loved art and creating objects. Before settling on making jewelry, she admits that she had tried just about everything. But wire wrapping has always had her heart, and she credits Preston Reuther with giving her the nudge she needed to get started. Long before she began making her own jewelry, she had clipped a photo of one of his wire-wrapped pendants and saved it, with the idea of some day learning how to do it herself. Several years later, she discovered Reuther's training videos, and the rest, shall we say, is history. The student has become the teacher.

After building a solid foundation of technique with Reuther, Cheryl has continued to grow and explore on her own. She is constantly creating and learning; in fact, she can't imagine living any other way. As Cheryl says, "Just believe you can do it, relax and have fun and most of all share what you learn with others." Cheryl is living proof of her own philosophy; she teaches wire wrapping at a senior center and a local craft store, actively passing on her techniques and ideas.

Cheryl has a special relationship with wire; she approaches making jewelry as if she is the student and the wire is her teacher. With each piece, she learns; the wire speaks to her as it moves; together they dance and create beauty. When she wears a piece of her own jewelry, she feels unique and special, and she hopes that other women share that feeling.

You can talk to Cheryl about her work in the Wire Wrap Bracelet Class Project, Great project for coiling! thread at the Starving Artists Forum.

Her advice to those who would like to start making jewelry is simple: Just Do It! She did, and she loves it. And it shows.

New Starving Artist Team Treasuries

Latest treasuries featuring creations from the Starving Artists Team on etsy. Thanks to Prolifique Jewelry, WillowbranchMusings and ShinyAdornments!

New Starving Artists Team Created on Etsy!!

Members from the Starving Artists Forum have created their very own team on Etsy. Starving Artists is dedicated to giving jewelry designers a place to learn, grow, inspire and be inspired in a friendly, fun environment.

Click this link to find our gorgeous team creations. You can check out our Starving Artist Team profile page on etsy for more information about Starving Artists and to see our member shops.