The New Beadwork [Hardcover]

Kathlyn Moss (Author), Alice Scherer (Author), Tommy Olof Elder (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1992

Beadwork, the last of the traditional crafts to be discovered by fine artists, has undergone a revolution in the past two decades. Creative men and women, interested in the medium's unique qualities of color, light reflection, refraction, and texture, are exploring its rich possibilities for delicate detail and spectacular pattern. Dozens of full-color photos taken especially for this book illustrate clothing, wall hangings, jewelry, game boards, vessels, and more.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The New Beadwork, states the foreword, is about "transformation and change, about painting, sculpting, weaving, layering, and building with beads." Packed with lovely full-color photographs, the volume presents the exquisite works of nearly 100 supremely talented bead artists. There are pieces of very elaborate jewelry as well as vessels, purses, decorative accessories, wall hangings, and sculptures. You won't find any how-to projects, just dozens and dozens of gorgeous beaded artworks that are a delight to look at and that may serve as a source of inspiration.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Harry N Abrams; First edition. edition (October 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810936704
• ISBN-13: 978-0810936706
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #712,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extreme Eye-Candy for Beadwork Lovers!, December 9, 2002

By 

D. K. Atkinson (Southern Illinois USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The New Beadwork (Hardcover)

This book is for one thing only - inspiration! But what inspiration! I'm an actually on my second copy of this book as my first became so worn from my paging and drooling.

The pieces are shown alphabetically by artisan with a two line biography, then a brief desciption of the piece and a listing of techniques used - I love the fact that the dimensions are given with each piece! There is also included an artisan's statement giving you insight into how the artisan sees his/her work.

As this was originally published in 1992 some of the resources are out of date but a web search will remedy that. Also, don't buy this book for instructions on how to do the beadwork, this is strictly eye-candy and how sweet it is! This is the book I pull from my shelf often to remind me of how much I love this medium, how far I have to go in my explorations, and how much fun getting there will be!

Sadly this book is out of print, but if you are a serious beadworker or someone who wants to see the best that beadwork can be - spend the time and money to get a copy of this treasure.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars indispensible book for the serious beader, February 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The New Beadwork (Hardcover)

You can't be a serious bead artist if you don't own this book, that's all there is to it. The introduction itself--with its cogent and encompassing trace of the contemporary groundswell in bead art--is worth its price. As a source for the work of the most well-known and emerging artists this book is a museum in itself. Ms. Withers is to be commended for the beauty of her presentations as well as for her sensitivity to the deeply spiritual and downright funky satisfaction both the bead artist and the bead art owner derive from the humble bead.Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but women prefer beads. And yes, real men do make bead art!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous beadwork!, December 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The New Beadwork (Hardcover)

Inspirational...helps get your own creative ideas going when you see some of the incredible stuff other bead artists are doing. Has a small how-to section which is not very helpful, but the photographs are wonderful.