Sunwise Celebrations Bead Party

We found out at the Sunwise Celebrations Bead Party that while beading is our passion, it is even more fun to gather together to progress with our projects. For one thing it takes such a long time to work with them, if you are using seed beads for weaving or loom work, or designing a variety that will be collaged together into jewelry or wall art.

Since it was such a beautiful August day we were outside on the porch all day – all the better to see you, tiny beads. We were all spread out on the table, a rather colorful and chaotic sight. Pictured above are some of my collection that I am putting together into a Talisman. In the oval shaker box is my hoard of Mark L. Roberts’ Ghana-style handmade beads. The other pieces I was choosing from were antique Venetian glass, macrame, antique Venetian white hearts, Swarovski crystal, semi-precious stone…

Here is a great picture of Collis Marshal, bead master. She remembers seeing my bead-work display at the first Karma Dzong fair, on the second floor of what now is the Boulder Bookstore, in 1972. It inspired her to do bead-work. The magic of the story is that we met at a shamanic training at Carter Caves, Kentucky, 30 years later. We have inspired each other aesthetically ever since. One thing I notice when I look at this picture, is how the sun is half  way across the porch. It is mid-summer, Lughnasa, and the sun is half way between the solstice and equinox. When we situated and designed the house we wanted to mark the solar journey like our distant ancestors did. In the winter the sun is so low that it streams through the house, warming it, and giving us good light to bead and make art by. This is the origin of our naming our place Sunwise Farm and Sanctuary.

Here, Collis is choosing threads and beads to create a look of clouds on her loom.

I can only imagine how much patience it took for Collis to put the warp threads on the loom, it will be a wide piece when complete – I’ll get a picture of it in process.

This picture is deceptive – these beads that will form into a representation of clouds, under Collis’ hand, are unbelievably tiny.

Collis made this necklace for Joyce years ago. She brought it to lengthen it. That white bead on the right is a carved bone owl. On the right, is a peyote stitched face bead. the board Joyce is holding behind it is handy for measuring the length of beads as you go.

Luci Morley is a master bead weaver. She uses spectacular delica beads to form into solid feeling triangles, connected into necklaces, like she is wearing here. She has a great sense of color.

Here, Luci has spotted an interesting and large Ghana-style handmade bead by Mark L. Roberts. She started right in creating a bezel to go through the hole of the bead. It became a loop through which I can pass a cord for a necklace.

Here, Luci is just starting the process, with Mark’s bead on her tray.

The amazing thing about Luci’s beaded chain and triangles is how strong they feel.

Luci brought other dimensional examples of her bead weaving.

I ended up stringing these beads into something I will share late. Collis gave me that rose quartz tetrahedron that I strung with other rose quartz beads I’ve had for about 25 years. And the bead goes on