 For our February 7th Program meeting, we are focusing on Ethnic Jewelry and Beads. It will be a sharing session. As mentioned in the book, Ethnic Jewelry (1), edited by John Mack, "the color and exuberance of ethnic jewelry have always attracted collectors and travelers." African beadwork, American Indian silver and turquoise, jade from the Far East, and shellwork from the Pacific are just some of the varieties of "gorgeous jewelry". How has your collecting or creating of jewelry been influenced by ethnic jewelry? Think about it! Bring some examples of your ethnic jewelry to the meeting. Dona Z. Meilach, author of Ethnic Jewelry: Design & Inspiration for Collectors & Craftsmen (2) refers to ethnic jewelry as an "intercontinental jewelry buffet." Ethnic Jewelry includes tribal jewelry, ritual items, and more. It does not include faddish designs such as Native American jewelry sold at roadside stands but made in other countries where there is cheap labor. In many cultures, jewelry communicates messages of "love, hate, power, hierarchy, aggression, pride, birth, growing up, maleness, femaleness and more." What does that mean to you? When you see celebrities on the red carpet with their jewels, do you think of this? Come join us for an interesting discussion and sharing of Ethnic Jewelry and Beads! Wednesday February 7th, 7 pm Pacific Time Zoom Meeting ID: 899 883 2615, Passcode: Beads All are welcome! Join us! Business meeting at 6:30 pm PT at the same Zoom address!
1. Mack, John ed., Ethnic Jewelry. Harry N, Abrams Publishers: New York, 1988. [Bead Society has three copies of this book.] 2. Meilach, Dona Z. Ethnic Jewelry: Design & Inspiration for Collectors & Craftsmen. Crown Publishers: New York, 1981. Pictures courtesy of our Pop Up vendors.
0 Comments
 Tony Todaro, husband of member, Lillian Todaro passed away in December. Tony was our first webmaster bringing the Society into the Internet Age! Tony was a frequent presence at the Pop Ups and Bazaars as he accompanied Lillian with her beautiful jewelry creations and beads. Tony also came to our meetings at the Veterans Memorial Complex when Lillian was VP to help bring the equipment we needed for the programs.
Tony was Co-founder with Lillian of the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society. He was also President of that group. He will be sorely missed. You can get in touch with Lillian at her email address. Picture and some text courtesy of the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society and Lillian T.  On Wednesday, January 3rd, the Bead Society is going to have a Member Showcase, Members will show their work and talk about themselves and their art. It should be an interesting meeting and a great way to learn about some of our members! Above is a picture of some of the participants and or their work. We will see a wide range of jewelry, and the use of beads in various formats! We hope that it gets your creative juices flowing! Join us!
Wednesday January 3rd, 7 pm Pacific Time Zoom Meeting ID: 899 883 2615, Passcode: Beads All are welcome! Join us! Business meeting at 6:30 pm PT at the same Zoom address! The November meeting of the Bead Society will focus on Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. This Grants Pass, Oregon company has been a favorite among Bead Society members for many years. Their catalogs are famous for being kept for years because of pictures of finished jewelry and projects one could attempt! In addition to all their gems, beads, findings, etc., they also have useful educational materials!  In lieu of a speaker, we will be exploring the FMG website and pointing out treasures and "gems" in more meanings than one. In particular, they have a very nice LEARN section on their website with tutorials, and patterns and step by step instructions!
Wednesday November 1st, 7 pm Pacific Time Zoom Meeting ID: 899 883 2615, Passcode: Beads All are welcome! Join us! Business meeting at 6:30 pm PT at the same Zoom address!  One of our members is now also part of another group that she would like us to know about. Diana Friedberg has joined the Ethnic Arts Council which is a group in Los Angeles which celebrates the ethnic arts and which includes beads, of course. They have an active and very interesting membership with lots of talks and visits to wonderful homes with great collections.
People can browse and see if they are interested in being part of the group. It also extends knowledge of ethnic arts and puts beads in the highlight. I am trying to emphasize the importance of beads in the overall picture as well, so it could be informative for our bead members to help spread the word within the group. Diana says they have a great once a year dinner at the Fowler Museum at UCLA with a silent auction. It is a really mixed group of males and females who are all hospitable and generous in sharing knowledge and homes. Their website is https://ethnicartscouncil.org/ Submitted by Diana Friedberg, past president, The Bead Society. This new column on Beads in the News will highlight articles and press releases and news items that focus on beads and jewelry. If you would like to contribute to this column, please send your input to [email protected].  These industrious beetles can live up to a few years without food, and rarely need water, making them unfortunately easy pets. MAXIMILIAN PARADIZ/WIKIMEDIA/CC The Living, Breathing Brooches of the Yucatán by ROXANNE HOORN, Atlas Obscura SEPTEMBER 7, 2023 The live, jewel-encrusted beetles called maquechs are tied to an ancient Mayan legend, but some worry for their future. This article talks about these wonderful bejewelled beetles from Yucatán, Mexico. Sold to tourists, the beetles are attached with a pin and a chain. They scurry all over the wearer's blouse. They are adorned with fake diamonds, ruby, emeralds, pearls, or velvety fabric. The beetles can go months or years without eating. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. has a collection of these beetles with and without adornment! For more information, click on this link to Atlas Obscura.  Dusting Off Your Pearls, New York Times, September 9, 2023, p. A3.
The New York Times advises us that Peals are back in and even men are wearing them! If you have ideas for this column, please send your input to [email protected].  claralieu, CC BY 2.0  HappyMidnight, CC BY-SA 3.0 Orange is the new Black. Well, not exactly in terms of beads. On October 4th at the Bead Society Program meeting, we will be discussing both Black & Orange Beads! These are the colors of autumn, Halloween and mystery! Bring your Orange and Black beads or finished jewelry and objects with those colors, and we will have an entertaining sharing session! Wednesday October 4th, 7 pm Pacific Time Zoom Meeting ID: 899 883 2615, Passcode: Beads All are welcome! Business meeting at 6:30 pm PT at the same Zoom address! Beads can symbolize union as they look better when they are paired with each other to make a necklace or chains. . .  Adornment has been around forever! We love to adorn ourselves whether it's traditional or bold, ethnic, intricate or in skinny chains. Whatever the style, it's YOU! Your statement to the world! We will showcase it all, handmade jewelry, wearable art and home decor. Come join The Bead Society and our fantastic artisans for our Holiday Pop Up on October 28th at the Veterans Memorial Complex, Culver City, CA, 10 am-4 pm.
The Bead Society Holiday Pop Up has the answers to all your gift and holiday needs! Come check out our 22 local artists showcasing their amazing works of art! We hope to see you on Oct 28th at the Culver City Veterans Complex, Rotunda Room and Lobby, Culver City, CA 10am-4pm. Free Admission and parking. For more information, and to check out pictures of some of what are vendors are selling, go to our Pop Up webpage! submitted by Sylvia Humphrey, Vendor Manager  Pauline Lum, long time member of the Bead Society passed away in August.
Pauline was a very active participant. She volunteered at many of our events, and attended most of the in person meetings. You could often see her handing out promotional bags at our Bazaars. She didn't like Zoom, but she occasionally came in for a meeting during the last few years with help from her family. Many of us were happy to see her at the Holiday Party last December. To see more about Pauline, you can go to Legacy.com. Pauline Lum Obituary (1930 - 2023) - Legacy Remembers https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/pauline-lum-obituary?id=52920066 Pauline was feisty, generous and always elegantly dressed. She let you know where she stood, and often made useful suggestions to the Board! She may have been one of the Bead Society's Secretaries at some point. Pauline had wonderful collections of beads that she would share with the group, and she will be sorely missed. We will have a display of pictures about Pauline at the Oct 28 Holiday Pop Up. Come pay your respects.  Vintage beads, gifts, vintage necklace The September 6th Bead Society Program Meeting will be about Inherited or gifted jewelry.--things we have gotten from our families and friends. This will be a sharing session. Think about jewelry you were gifted by family members or friends. What did you do with it? Did you rework a piece into something else? Or do you cherish it because of who gave it to you? What is the history behind the item? Does it sit in a box gathering dust, or do you use/wear it or look at it often?
Come to the meeting! Share your thoughts! And show your treasures! Wednesday September 6th, 7 pm Pacific Time Zoom Meeting ID: 899 883 2615, Passcode: Beads All are welcome! Business meeting at 6:30 pm PT at the same Zoom address! Come to welcome Lisa Shatts as the new Bead Society President presiding over the business meeting! The picture above shows various vintage beads and objects, some cuff links, pins and pendants, and a vintage necklace. |
NewsThe Bead Society Categories
All
|
RSS Feed