Customer Reviews

The New Beadwork

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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As this was originally published in 1992 some of the resources are out of date but a web search will remedy that.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.

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!

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.

This book full of photos with amazing artworks. I was surprized what people can make with beads. You can find a lot of great ideas or you can give this book as a gift to someone who enjoys beading or just loves albums with beautiful pictures. You gonna love it!

Every page is filled with inspiring ideas andbreath-taking artwork. You will be amazed by the incredable detail and mastery of the design. Full color photos bring the beadwork alive. Basic beading techniques and advise is included to get you started!

Back in 1992, If you said "beadwork," people would think of the simply strung love beads of the 1960's, or they might consider Native American beadwork. Yet the art of serious beadwork was still alive and was growing, thanks to people like the authors of this book. Unlike today, when there are more books on beadwork than one could possibly read and still have time to actually DO some beadwork, there were no real books on the kinds of beadwork being produced by a few small pockets of artisans.

Then "The New Beadwork" was published.

It would be hard to overstate the impact that this slim volume has had on the art of beading. In the early nineties, if you wanted to buy a book on beadwork, this was it. Not that anyone buying the book would feel as if she hadn't gotten her money's worth - this book became an instant treasure. It was a major factor in elevating a certain calibre of beadwork to an art, just as a beautiful woodcarving or an ancient mosaic is art. The beadwork in this book is so far from love beads or the macrame potholder hanging in your grandmother's kitchen, it seems almost criminal to speak of them in the same breath.

Any serious beadworker, or anyone who aspires to be a beadworker needs this book, as inspiration and also to see how far we have come. If one could only purchase a half-dozen books on beadwork (which would be tragic), this would have to take a place with "The Art and Elegance of Beadwork" and "Creative Beadweaving" by Carol Wilcox Wells, "The Beader's Guide to Color" by Margie Deeb, "The Art of Beadwork: Historic Inspiration, Contemporary Design" by Valerie Hector and Lois Sherr Dubin, and "The History of Beads: From 30,000 B.C. to the Present" (Unabridged Edition) by Lois Sherr Dubin. This listing is subject to debate, of course, but most beadworkers would consider these books to be the best of the best.

It's a pity this book is out of print - but it is still available, and still fresh and useful. It is a worthy purchase for anyone who wants to raise her beadwork out of the craft category and into the realm of artwork.

The cover of the book was beautiful and I thought the patterns would be included. While the book has great inspirational pictures of work, it was disappointing that no patterns were included. I think from now on I will read reviews for the books before I buy a book. The work in the book is beautiful.

I know I can't make most of these items with my innately limited hand and eye coordination, so luckily it's not a how to book, but such inspiration! The examples give you a great idea of what can be done with color, shape, texture and design. I bought a used copy since it didn't have instructions, and was very happy I did so I can look at it and dream. It has inspried a few projects of my own.