Beading Across America

Seed bead artists from across the U.S. share a project and inspirational statement about how their area of residence influences their work. Readers can mix these geographic influences into their personal cultural fusion to help define their own work as American artists.

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Paulette Baron is known for creating three-dimensional scultural art with beads. She teaches classes at several national bead shows.
Amy Katz's signature style is characterized by pieces that use seed beads and crystals and carry a fine-jewelry look. Amy teaches beading across the country.
Sherry Serafini lectures and teaches throughout the U.S. She has also won numerous awards for her beaded artwork. She coauthored "The Art of Bead Embroidery" with Heidi Kummli.

Introduction
Tutorial

NORTHEAST
MA - Debra Saucier - Isabelle's Cuff Bracelet
CT - Laura McCabe - Eiffel Tower Ring
NJ - Sandy Houk - Spiral Ornament
NY - Suzanne Golden - New York City Bracelet
PA - Sherry Serafini - Three Rivers Rhapsody Earrings
MD - Paulette Baron - Dancing Lady Brooch

SOUTH
VA - Amy Katz - Potomac Jewel Earrings
NC - Carol Wilcox Wells - Sunset Bracelet
KY - Sandy Martin - Appalachian Mist Bracelet
GA - Margie Deeb - Colorful Coin Collar
AL - Yoli Pastuszak - Garden Haunt Necklace
FL - Louise Hill - Paradise Pendant

MIDWEST
MI - Liz Thompson - Starburst Necklace
IL - NanC Meinhardt - Rapunzel Lariat
WI - Diane Hyde - Wisconsin Memories 1952
MN - Diane Fitzgerald - Crystal Helix Beaded Bead
IA - Darcy Horn - Free-Form Bracelet
NE - Marcia Laging Cummings - Black & White & Red All Over Necklace

SOUTHWEST
TX - June Huber - Bugle Blocks Bracelet
NM - Nikia Angel - Puerto de Luna Cristal Earrings
CO - Heidi Kummli - Rocky Mountain Buzz Bracelet
AZ - Scarlett Lanson - Sedona Sunset Earrings
UT - Sherri Haab - Beaded Bee Bracelet
NV - Susan Barrett - Nevada Flowers & Buds

NORTHWEST
AK - Jeanette Shanigan - Moose Forget-Me-Not Pin
WA - Beverly Ash Gilbert - Sea Glass Necklace
OR - Carol Perrenoud & Virginia Blakelock - An Oregon Bouquet
ID - Stephanie Eddy - Tri-Flora Exotica Necklace
CA - Huib Petersen - California Poppy
HI - Alethia Donathan - Lei Haku Necklace

About the authors

Beading Across America - Jewelry Inspirations From Coast to Coast sounds like it would be a gallery of beadwork. It is, but it also a book full of projects.
The editors, Paulette Baron, Amy Katz and Sherry Serafini got projects from 30 different artists in 30 states. The projects are in full color with diagrams and text to explain how to make them.
Because of the number of artists, and the fact that this isn't a themed book like all one stitch technique, or type of jewelry means there is a wide range of projects in this book. Assemblage and bead embroidery, helices, herringbone, right angle weave and stringing are all represented, along with more common techniques like brick stitch and peyote stitch. The range of colors, techniques and styles means that most seed beaders will find a project that absolutely love in this book and may very well find a new technique.
It is very inspiring, there are pieces in here that are wearable jewelry for every day, and a lot of pieces that are quite simply wearable art. Impressive and exciting.
My favorite pieces are the Garden Haunt Necklace by Yoli Pastuszak which is a combination of bead embroidery and a richly embellished strap to make a leafy, dramatic necklace, June Huber's Bugle Blocks bracelet which combines ladders to make a geometrically interesting and very wearable bracelet, and Huib Petersen's California Poppy which is a dimensional, fairly realistic looking poppy necklace.
This is a very nice book with a good mix of challenging pieces for the more experienced beaders and simpler pieces for people who are still learning the basics.
-Shala Kerrigan, BellaOnline

There are seed bead enthusiasts everywhere. Their work is as varied as their backgrounds and locations. And yet what unites them is a "common thread" - the ability to make beautiful designs out of the most humble of beads.
Kalmbach Publishing just sent me Beading Across America: Jewelry Inspiration from Coast to Coast to review. It's an amazing collection of bead work inspired by the vast landscape of this enormous nation.
The project book is divided by region. There are five in all featuring the work of 30 artisans from different states. I guess they couldn't fit in representatives from all fifty states! Many of them will be familiar to bead workers.
There is something for everyone, from simple projects like the moose pin from Alaskan, Jeanette Shanigan, to really elaborate designs like Yoli Pastuszak's Garden Haunt Necklace below. She is from Alabama.
Some of the easier projects - read fast gratification - are the rings or earring ones like Virginian Amy Katz's Potomac Jewel earrings.
One of my favorite small project designs though has to be the delightful Dancing Lady brooch by Paulette Baron who hails from Maryland.
Bugles are not that commonly used in bead work so Texan June Huber's Bugle Blocks bracelet caught my eye. It has an Art Deco look about it.
Some innovative beaders include the Sea Glass beaded necklace by Beverly Ash Gilbert who is from Washington.
The Three Rivers Rhapsody earrings by Sherry Serafini of Pennyslvania is drop dead gorgeous. Bling lovers will appreciate her use of rhinestone chain in the design.
Arizonan Scarlett Lanson uses a copper wire foundation as part of her design for her Sedona Earrings.
There were a few designs which underwhelmed me but they were definitely in the minority. All in all, this book is a beadworker's delight!
-www.beadinggem.com