Masters: Beadweaving: Major Works by Leading Artists [Paperback]

Carol Wilcox Wells (Author), Ray Hemachandra (Author)

Book Description

Series: Masters | Publication Date: October 7, 2008

Versatility, innovation, inspiration—that’s what The Masters series offers crafters, with an engaging and up-to-date survey of the finest contemporary work by approximately 40 leading artists in specific media. Beadweaving takes the spotlight here, and readers will find the showcased pieces eye-opening in their originality.
Each highlighted master takes center stage in an informative eight-page feature that includes nearly a dozen gorgeous, high-quality photos and a short essay by the curator placing the impressive work and its creator in context. These outstandingly talented and imaginative artists include Valerie Hector, whose beaded designs are a statement in bold modernity; Jeanette Ahlgren, who fashions intricate loom-woven vessels with subtle gradations in color and graphic, geometric patterns; and Marcia DeCoster, who uses her right angle weave techniques to create shimmering jewelry in rich jewel tones.
Beadweaver and author Carol Wilcox Wells served as the juror of this remarkable collection.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Bead art is alive and well, as this new title in the Masters series from Lark Books attests. The best of the best is included in this coffee-table volume of museum and gallery-worthy jewelry, sculpture, wearable art, vessels and containers, and more. The work of Bead & Button award winners, magazine contributors, and international artists of all stripes is showcased in full. This book is bound to be dog-eared, it will be perused so much.” — Bead & Button

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books; 1 edition (October 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 160059039X
• ISBN-13: 978-1600590399
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 8.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #180,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #51 in Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Folk Art

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MAGNIFICENT WORK, GORGEOUS BOOK, September 18, 2008

By 

Fine Craft Fan - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Masters: Beadweaving: Major Works by Leading Artists (Paperback)

MASTERS: BEADWEAVING is the latest title in Lark Books' astonishing Masters series and quite possibly my favorite. I'm a huge fan of this series. Each title is dedicated to a particular craft or niche; other books include the very beautiful Masters: Art Quilts: Major Works by Leading Artists (The Masters) and Masters: Gold: Major Works by Leading Artists (Masters Series). In Masters: Beadweaving, Carol Wilcox Wells, a master beadweaver herself and seminal bead-book author, has curated a title featuring three dozen bead artists each given eight pages to showcase their best work, with quotes from the artists and short essays by Wells about their style and technique rounding out the presentation.

Including sculptural work, vessels, and of course jewelry, as well as a wide array of stitches, the range of work presented is astonishing, and the excellence of the artists who are featured absolutely manifest. More than just outstanding craft, the pieces selected are truly fine art. Above all, this inspiring volume is simply gorgeous -- beaders and non-beaders alike will find endless visual delight in the book. Since I received it, I just can't stop picking it up. With it already underpriced at $24.95 for what it delivers, Amazon's discounted price makes it an amazing steal.

For beaders and fans of the medium, here's what you want to know: The 36 artists featured are Jeanette Ahlgren, Jo Ann Baumann, Virginia L. Blakelock, Rebecca Brown-Thompson, David K. Chatt, Sonya Clark, Marcia DeCoster, Sharon Donovan, Wendy Ellsworth, Margo C. Field, Linda Fifield, Diane Fitzgerald, Susan Etcoff Fraerman, Leslie Frazier, Valerie Hector, Laura Leonard, Dallas Lovett, Eleanor Lux, Laura McCabe, NanC Meinhardt, Maggie Meister, Ann Tevepaugh Mitchell, Rachel Nelson-Smith, Karen Paust, Huib Petersen, Don Pierce, Melanie Potter, Madelyn C. Ricks, Cynthia Rutledge, Joyce J. Scott, Sherry Serafini, Natasha St. Michael, Marcie Stone, Laura Willits, Amolia Willowsong, and Sharmini Wirasekara. Enjoy!

72 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bead Book RIP OFF - DUPLICATES from 500 Beaded Objects, April 1, 2009

By 

Pamela J. Welborn "violetbead" (Redding, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Masters: Beadweaving: Major Works by Leading Artists (Paperback)

here is the letter I wrote to Lark Books but was never answered:

I purchased Masters: Beadweaving from Amazon.

Boy was I disappointed in Masters: Beadweaving.

Sadly I already own a book that has many of the projects that you published in this one. Even sadder, it was published by you so you already knew those items were published in a similar collection.

SHAME on the publishers and the artists involved. I feel my money was stolen from me. Some of these pieces are over 10 years old! If they didn't have anything NEW to show, then they didn't deserve to be in this new collection. I didn't buy this book to see things I have already seen. I bought it to see NEW things. In many cases, you didn't even take a new photo of the piece. It must have been less expensive for you to have borrowed images from the previously published "500 Beaded Objects". You didn't have to pay photographers for new photos. One such photo was presented new by flipping the image in photoshop... a very cheap trick. Some of them had different names but the same photo credit and the same photograph. I am a beader and a photographer. This is all so very disappointing.

I might never buy another book by Lark Books or Sterling Publishing, I am so disgusted by this. I work hard for my money and with the economy in the state it is in, I am so disappointed that I paid for pages of items that I have on the shelf already. I simply don't have extra dollars to pay for inspiration that isn't very inspiring because I have much seen it before.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful artwork, beautiful book, October 9, 2008

By 

Jerrold Mitchell "jiwm" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Masters: Beadweaving: Major Works by Leading Artists (Paperback)

The beautiful and creative sculpture and jewelry in this book illustrate just how far beadwork has come as a medium and how far its best practitioners have come as artists. Whether figurative or abstract, the selections show the variety in style, content and technique employed by today's top beadweavers. The book itself is handsome, well designed and the reproductions are first rate. A must for any art library.