Beaded Jewelry Design

I am often asked how I get my inspiration. Beaded jewelry design is like any other art form--inspiration can come from almost anywhere.

One source of inspiration is the work of other designers, such as David Yurman. From his Bijoux collection, I like his use of asymmetry, in which the two sides of a necklace do not quite match. I also like the way he combines textured and smooth links in his chains. And I especially like the way he showcases special beads in his jewelry design.

My finished design is quite different from Yurman’s. But, you can see the combination of textured and smooth in the sterling and Hill Tribes silver, the asymmetry in the use of jade on one side of my central bead and pearl on the other, and the way I made the Grade A yellow/blue tiger-eye bead the focal point, setting it off with Swarovski® crystal rondelles.

My beaded jewelry design often is inspired by nature. For example, I’ve interpreted the color of the sea, the sky and the coral reefs around Caribbean islands in this ring. The turquoise ranges from blue in the nuggets to blue-green in the smooth beads.






















The coral is actually from Swarovski® -- crystal coral-colored beads. I choose not to use real coral in my beaded jewelry design, because reefs are usually endangered habitats.

Another source of inspiration for beaded jewelry design comes from the beads themselves. When I look at a wonderful lampworked bead or a millefiori bead from Italy, I can draw inspiration from its colors and texture. I ask myself whether it calls for gold or silver findings and accents. What colors will bring out this or that color within the bead? Should I use a similar or a contrasting shade in my design?

Life itself inspires my beaded jewelry design, as in the Mommy bracelet I am designing to celebrate the coming birth of my second child. In fact, my jewelry design business began with my first child, Isabella Rose. She continues to be the wellspring of my creative spirit.

One of the things I love best about beaded jewelry design is using a variety of carefully chosen materials to create wearable art. If my designs never see the inside of a museum that’s OK, as long as my creations are eye catching and wearable!

If you have questions about beaded jewelry design, please ask. I’ll be happy to answer in this blog.

Ciao
Mariealena