Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild show at the BBAC

Last night was the opening reception at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center in Birmingham, MI. Several pieces of my bead embroidery and other items were selected to be in this show. It was really nice to see the volume of beadwork that our guild produces - and the quality of all the artists involved. Photos were not allowed, but I didn't know if I was going to get back up to the show (it's about 45 minutes north of where I live), so I took some. I guess I really can't follow the rules.

I was completely blown away when I saw that my Soraksan Dragon was selected to be in the show poster at the entrance to the DeSalle gallery. What an honour!

The collection of religious icons looks stunning arranged this way on this wall. I might have to rethink the arrangement that I have at home - although they look good in a row over the sofa.
This is the starfish that was chosen by the editors of the 2010 Beading Calendars as first-place submission. It looks wonderful on a piece of amythest that was brought back from Ontario, Canada.


MySchloss Neuschwanstein looked so tiny in my eyes, but several people came up and told me that they loved the castle - the way I did the background with the canvas, etc.
Casie on the Rocks is the bead embroidery piece of my oldest Rat Terrier(ist) - Casie is just now starting to show her age and this piece captures her in her youth when climbing over rocks was not a big deal.

And a closeup of Soraksan on the wall. The way that they light is poised above it really makes the colours in the dragon pop. I love this piece.


I took a few other pictures and hope to get back and take a few more before the show ends on August 21st. I didn't join this show to sell anything, but if I do, that's a bonus. It's exciting to have things that I have in my home arranged professionally in a gallery. It was exciting to hear people talk about my pieces, how well they liked them, how the execution is wonderful, etc.

Leaving in the morning......

For a girly weekend in Ohio - at Sharon's house!! I'm driving down Friday morning with another beader from this area, also named Sharon.....that's going to be interesting.

Sharon is also the editor of the Bead a Day calendar, which as beaders we should all have one!

Certainly, beading and cocktails will ensue - I am hoping to finish my Portico necklace that I have been working on, an ID badge lariat for my sister, and who knows what else I will take with me. Sharon (Michigan Sharon) and I might work on a bracelet by Rachel Nelson-Smith

The carved Tagua nut is for my doctor buddy, Roque, who is going to Panama and will be picking up some of these beauties for me. I'm hoping for an octopus or jaguar for me. But I will let him use his eye for selecting me some.....

TTFN!!

2008 - Year in Review

2008

2008 - can it be over already?? It just started. I had a really rocky start to the year with my mother-in-law passing away on New Years Day (not a good start to any day....), but that was the lowest point of the year. Although she had dementia due to Alzheimer's, and it was a mixed blessing, she is still missed.



For my artistic side, it was a pretty good year:

• I received notice that I was in the 2008 Bead a Day Calendar (three days)
• I had my Korean Dragon accepted for publication in the August 2008 Bead and Button magazine. I have received emails from beaders around the world letting me know how much they liked this piece
• Nicole Campanella (Beadwright) accepted four pieces of bead embroidery in her book "Flatwork"
• I worked with Marcia Decoster as a teacher's assistant in Milwaukee in June. I also lied to her about the weather - it was scarey. But I wasn't going to let her freak out. Besides, John the bartender would have saved us if necessary.
• Simply Beads published an article on traveling beaders which featured a picture from the 2006 Bead Cruise, of which I am in.
  I finished the 2007/08 Bead Journal Project with Robin Atkins and company, and have started the 2008/09 Bead Journal Project.
• Our study group from the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild continues to meet. We worked on a round robin project this year, of which the projects should be coming home soon.
• I entered a funky pair of reading glasses into the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild challenge to Bead an Everyday object.
  

Alan and I had a good year - we went on our second Bead Cruise with Beady Friends in January, we found a campground that we like in Monroe, MI that was can get to in 1/2 hour for long weekends. We also camped for a week in Brighton as gasoline was too expensive to drive too far this year. The state park there is very nice.

Dad and Patsy are doing well and wintering in Mission, TX - enjoying not being in Michigan with all the snow this year.

I hope that your year was as good as mine was.

2009 Bead A Day Calendar

The Bead A Day 2009 at Shop.com or 2009 Bead a Calendar at Amazon.comis now available to the public! What a great source of inspiration this has been for me in the last year. I keep one on my desk and when I don't have a good day - I look at projects. Kudos to the editor and publisher!

Here is the link on the publishers web site: http://www.andrewsmcmeel.com/products/?isbn=0740771639

p.s. Yes, I do have a couple of items in it - thanks for asking!

Bead - A - Day Calendar

Hi!

Let me introduce myself: My name is Sharon Hessoun and I’ve been a bead and wire artist for about 17 years. There’s not much that I don’t like about beads and wire, but I have a particular passion for knitting wire and love off-loom beadweaving.

I’m very happy to be the new Editor for the Beading Bead – A – Day Calendar and I’m in the process of compiling the 2009 edition. Believe it or not, the 2008 calendar has been printed and will be arriving in your local bookstores within the month!

The 2009 calendar will have different projects and inspiration pieces from the 2007 and 2008 editions, as well as basic instructions in numerous techniques. If you have a project that you’d like to have considered for inclusion in the 2009 calendar, please contact me at calendar09@gmail.com .

Don’t be shy! This is a great way to get your work “Out There”! If your work is included, you’ll receive a free copy of the calendar as your payment, along with your contact information published with your project!

I hope to hear from many of you with projects and inspiration pieces to consider! There are a lot of days in a year!

Sharon Hessoun
Beadecked and Beaddicted
www.beadeckedonline.com
calendar09@gmail.com