The Beadmakers Liberation Front

Speaking as a buyer I agree with you here. Sure, if I see an item that's worth say $50 and the artist prices it at $22 I think maybe the artist doesn't value it much. If however they start it at 99c I think the artist is very confident in their work, because they're obviously pretty sure that people will see the quality and bid it up to somewhere near it's full value.

And, dangerous.... ;o)

Arondelle

I think I was discussing this type of thing with Cheryl, not too long ago.... When I was in Okinawa, the "in" display thingy was a hibachi table, with the copper-lined box used as the display area, and a glass or plexiglass piece cut to fit to replace the original top. Common items in the displays: sea shells on beach sand, chopstick rests on rice, origami figures, temari. Kaytee "Simplexities" on

Tink, the thing that got me, is that I hear an undercurrent from some bead makers, especially if they don't make sets, that they are THE artist. (Tink, I'm not aiming this at you, it just happens that you wrote the words that I am making this response to)

As a beader, beads are components, raw materials. A bead can be a spacer or a work of art. The good thing about that is that more people want jewelry than want collectible beads. That means that for most bead makers, beaders are their best customers. I think bead makers should appreciate beaders, and want them to be able to make enough of a profit to stay in business and keep buying their beads.

We beadworkers buy lampwork because we appreciate and want tosupport of lampworkers, as well as to procuce a good product, of course. I just want bead makers we buy from to be appreciative and supportive of us too.

Tina

Sounds nice.

Mom, who has much more art than wall space, rotates the work on her walls. You could do the same with your presentation boxes. You could make backgrounds of peyoted matte mixes. Dull pinks with grey, slate blues with grey, etc, that would work with several beads (or maybe fabric instread). They make suitable glassed in boxes -- often sold to keep war medals and such.

And there are acrylic stands. I'm pretty sure I've seen some advertised that have a vertical metal post for putting beads on. And I have a metal stand that holds a specimen/gem/bead at about a 22 degree angle, that looks like a C with two screws.

I have a few beads that hang -- over the bed, in a window.

Tina

"Dr. Sooz" wrote

I've sensed that a lot of lampworkers don't "let go" of a piece once it's sold. Does that make sense? I think it's kind of what you're talking about. It hasn't been an issue for me because, in my case, it's not even about the beads I make, it's about "doing glass". Being as distanced as I am from jewelry-making contributes to that, too.

But I do know what you mean. That some beadmakers feel a sense of ownership (maybe not the right word) and more of an investment in the finished work of jewelry designers wherein their beads are used.

Damn. Bad grammar or something there, but you get my point. LOL!

T>Tink, the thing that got me, is that I hear an undercurrent from some bead

I haven't actually gotten around to completing this yet, but my idea for displaying my beads (I have some really beautiful ones from Tink that will be just perfect for this) is a "bead tree". I make hangers for my beads (that can also double of pendants if I want to wear them), and then I can put them on a tree to match my mood. I have an Easter tree that I got from Hallmark (meant to display theit miniature ornaments), and a tiny Christmas tree so far. Does this make any sense to anyone?

Just my 2 cents, Mandy

That's a heck of an idea Mandy. I think I will have to incorporate that. Do you mind?

Wow! That sounds like a great idea! When you do it, make sure you post pics for us, ok?

T>>How would YOU display them? How DO you display them?

They were used as a fire pit of sorts. About the size of a coffee table, with a section lined with copper sheet to hold the fire, and drawers/cupboards to hold the tools, etc. Some had a fairly large rim along one or two sides, so that people could eat at them-- something like a mini-version of the grill tables at Benehana have. The fire pit had a wooden cover for when it was not in use.

The antique ones were really nice-- however, I couldn't afford the ones in good shape, nor had the skill/time to refinish the ones in less than great shape, so I didn't get one. The modern repro's wouldn't have withstood my two rugrats-- they were made with veneer instead of solid boards, and the veneer on them wasn't even backed with plywood (just the veneer sheet except at the edges!!!); they couldn't be used as hibachi, either.....

I would have loved to get a set of step tansu, too....

Kaytee "Simplexities" on

Now I want a hibachi table. I'm going to ask my friend's mother if she'll bring one back or have one sent to me when she returns to Japan.

What do you think about rice in the bottom with the beads on display? I can cut the glass --- no problem. I have plenty of sheet glass around.

I just found some cute shadow boxes in the dollar store - I think it was Dollar Tree, but they all run together somehow. They are unfinished wood (probably balsa) with hinged lids. The lids have a plastic sheet in them - possibly could be replaced by glass.

AKA While You Were Out or Trading Spaces - in some of the shows they made coffee tables with a space to put stuff in under glass. It would be really cool to make one with sections and a hinged lid, maybe lit underneath - think a frosted plexiglass - so you could enjoy the beads every day... plus it would be easy to change them out. I've always wanted one like that I could put shells and collectables in. I'll wait though until the grandkids get older so they won't be tempted to "break in" or use the coffee table for wrestling matches!

The way I've been feeling this winter, I sure could have used a long weekend to catch a couple of shows and have lunch and dinner with a couple of my favorite ladies! I think I'll change that "bead bucks" jar to "vacation bucks" for next winter. ;=))

The real ones are very heavy, and back in 1990 were running about $600 for the "antiques" (pre-WWII) that were being brought back from Korea. Mind you, this was through the military wives' clubs and/or the PX, so most were being shipped to Okinawa via military transport at very low cost, and there were no import duties or taxes on them. The ones in need of a lot of refinishing were about $300-400. The flimsy reproductions were about $200, and were a lot lighter.

Kaytee "Simplexities" on

I have a glass table now. It's a slab of glass that sits on the table so you seen down to the bottom shelf? I'd have to show you a picture I think. Anyway, I wonder if creative husband to come up with something that's lighted that would sit securely under the slab. Hmmm....good idea, Karleen.

/slaps forehead

I was given a gilded metal tree that stand about 16' or 18" high. I never knew what to do with this thing because when I set it out, it always looked like it wanted something. Last November I had a show to do and made zipper pulls, how best to display them? I brought the tree down from the attic and hung all 20 pulls on the branches. That was the happiest wire tree and all but one zipper pull sold!

Thank you for this idea. This is something I can do now until I find some metallic paint that I like the color of to paint this tree. The gold gild is really not my style and would probably detract from the art beads. I have a few from Tink, too. :=)

Well, when minds crash together, even in disagreement, something good is bound to come from it, huh? ;o)

Beki

Got *that* right!