Bead Chat Magazine Winter 2014 | Page 65

is a cylindrical shape. You can bead around a cylindrical shape and join several shapes of various sizes together. The challenge in the “High Caliber Collar” necklace was the weight of the bullets and I had to come up with a secure way to put it together that would not distort the beadwork. The items you choose to incorporate do have a visual power of their own. The image of a bullet speaks volumes about violence, war, power, death, etc. I believe the necklace became successful when the beadwork around the bullets was serenely beautiful – creating a juxtaposition. I want the viewer to see a detailed byzantine necklace, then be drawn in for a closer look and realize there were bullets incorporated into the piece. I hope the juxtaposition then prompts a conversation about the components and the concept of the piece. Typically, how long do you spend working on a piece and what inspires you? I never really kept recor