Artist: Audrey Leonard

Craft Medium:  Mixed Media Artist's Statement: beading I am a self-taught bead-loomer. I spied a stunning beaded cuff bracelet on a woman at a party. Haunted by a desire for one, I researched the internet until, by trial and error, I managed to figure it out. My loom is an 18” x 20” wooden loom that stands on a table. I design my patterns on graph paper – each square representing one bead. I use Delica beads which are small uniform Japanese seed beads that come in a myriad of colors. Threads are stretched lengthwise on the loom to the width of the project. Each bead is then picked up with a threaded beading needle and is woven back and forth to create the beaded design. When the looming is complete, the end threads are laboriously woven back into the beaded work and clipped off. This gives a sharp, clean finish to the project that can be worn on either side as there are no tapes or knotted glued ends to be concerned with. Final step is fastening a clasp with jump rings or hand-stitching. I use various types of fumble-free magnetic clasps.