Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry (500 Series) [Paperback]

Since the moment I got this gorgeous book in my hands and knew I was going to have a treat looking inside at all the beautiful work. I was not wrong, this book is full of fantastic pieces of art made by very talented artists.

The great use of bright colors in some of the pieces is one of the things I enjoyed more. It is not easy to combine colors in a way that will not compromised your design and these artists were masters in their work.

Even if you do not work or create jewelry with beads, this book will be a great source of inspiration and creativity.

Beautiful book and wonderful pictures !

The Showcase 500 series are chosen collections based on themes. Art books, like carefully curated collections, they are generally what would be considered a coffee table book. The photos are in full color, with detail shots on some images. All printed in a nice big size.

This collection is focused on beaded jewelry. There are over 350 artists represented and the pieces cover a broad range of techniques and ideas. It's pure eye candy for bead artists.

What I liked best about this volume is everything. Trying to narrow it down is hard. The pieces chosen are inspirational. The artists prove that bead art is fully relevant and expanding. Mr. Hemachandra picked the pieces well to cover simply an amazing array of styles and techniques while sticking to the criteria they must have beads and they must be jewelry.

There are sculptural pieces made from wire and beads, strung pieces made using handmade beads, and over course, all the types of seed bead work including looming, off-loom bead weaving and embroidery.

Artists used their skills and imagination to create pieces that are conversational, interesting and beautifully made. Some of it is made with subtle humor. Some of it is just laugh out loud funny. Some is very thought provoking. There are also a lot of pieces that are inspired by more traditional work, but bring it completely into the 21st century. There are also pieces that just are, they are gorgeous, colorful, elegant and beautiful and that's all they need to be. It's bead art jewelry at it's best.

My favorite pieces were impossible to choose. Of course, I love fellow Alaskan Rebecca Starry's elegant violence. She turns dangerous weapons into amazing works of intricate art. But I'm equally entranced with the various artists who used glass eyes in their pieces, the artists who created gorgeous flowers to wear around their necks and amazing sculptural Art Nouveau Peacock set by Mary Ann Helmond.

I think every time I look through this book there will be a new favorite, and it's a book that deserves to be looked through again and again. For ideas, inspiration and just to be amazed at the intricacy, balance, color use and art created from beads.
[I received a complimentary copy of the book to review on my bead site- BellaOnline Beadwork. My reviews are always my honest opinion]

I believe that the moment you get your hands on this incredibly beautiful book you won't be able to stop looking at it until you have seen everything at least once. Possibly twice! It is remarkable how gorgeous this collection of jewelry is.
Each picture has been carefully selected by the author and juror, Ray Hemachandra.
It is a dance across the pages as the reader follows the beauty, remarkably stunning technique, and, occasionally, the wry wit which is on display from the 360 modern jewelry artisans who contributed.

The reader will be familiar with many of their names if he or she knows and loves jewelry.

For example, I immediately recognized the amazing Laura McCabe when I saw her "Ostrich Cuff".
It is outstanding; proud and fierce looking.
This sort of jewelry is very modern, yet extremely and passionately timeless.
We have adorned ourselves with beautiful treasures which we have made since the earliest days. Now that we have come to this millennium, a philosopher/anthropologist could teach a course on human history by observing jewelry design.

There is also a celebration of color in this stunning book which cannot be denied.

The eye delights in Marcia DeCoster's neon right angle weave "Party Girl" necklace, with glass by Heather Trimlett. It beckons you to come out and play!

Another colorful necklace I liked was Sandy Lent's "Bevy of Butterflies", made of seed beads with acid-etched lampworked butterflies. It is flat out pretty!

As well, I admired the architecturally oriented Maggie Meister's glorious "Castellani Necklace". She is apt to take her inspiration from past buildings, sites, or geometrics. This beautiful creation uses the loveliest carved scarabs. You could look at the shapes and the colors which she has combined in her seedbeading pattern for hours. Lapis, ruby,gold, emerald. Seed beads which speak of ancient civilisations and their love of stones and minerals which are precious and rare. However, this necklace is anything but old fashioned. It is as chic as can be.

One of my favorite pieces which I loved seeing and thinking about was the witty "Necklace/Crown" by Juan Riusech De Haro.It says below the photo: "hair beads;tension set". The photo shows a beautiful long haired model wearing a wreath on her neck. The following photo shows the same model with the wreath on her head. The wreath of "hair beads" is actually pink medium sized plastic hair rollers stuck through with white roller hair pins. The reason I like this design is that it says so many things. The model's hair is long and uncurled. It is as if she does not perceive what the rollers were initially intended for. I believe this shows our more modern thinking -- instead of the uptight nine-fifties, women can be beautiful today in any way they choose. In effect, they can let their hair down and play.
The effect is of a Gauguin painting or a really hip magazine shoot.

I was delighted to see Stephanie Sersich's "Juicy Color Necklace" as she is an amazing lampwork artist and famous for her knotting as well. I believe she is one of the main instigators of the popular knotting trend. Knotting is so fascinating and worth studying.Her necklace is full of different shapes, sizes and colors of beads.

What can be said about Carol Wilcox Wells' "Full Bloom" necklace? It is exquisitely lush and lovely. It has a pearl flower focal which goes through a loop of right angle weave. It is made of seed beads, magatma beads, pearls, and cubic zirconia. The colors are of soft gold, greens, and pearl, giving a feeling of the middle of summer or the height of beauty.

There are many seed bead jewelry designs, but there are also pieces made of felt, rubber and steel wire, porcelain and wood.

As was stated, 360 artists contributed to this remarkable book. Showcase 500 beaded jewelry is packed with designs to love. The reader also gets close up views so he or she may see the techniques being used at times. This is a great addition and very inspirational if the reader is a true jewelry lover. One's creativity soars, looking at the wonderful designs in this book.

One of this reviewer's favorites is Sabine Lippert's "Crownie Pendant". There is a closeup of the focal on this, and one can see the amazing colorplay which the artist is so famous for.

The reader will see that all the photos give one the feeling that the pieces could be picked up and selected right off of the pages.

There is so much to love here I cannot say enough about this amazing book, Showcase 500 beaded jewelry, with Ray Hemachandra, as both juror and author.

It has so much insight into why we love jewelry. The colors you will see, the shapes and textures, the pure fabulousness of this gallery of designer pieces will have you swooning.

This is a book to cherish.
This is also a book to give to your beloved friends and family.

It has been mindfully put together to create a seamless sort of brilliance. It is the kind of brilliance which celebrates what creativity we hold in our hearts and our minds as members of the human race.
This book, Showcase 500 beaded jewelry, is a must have for your library, if you love jewelry. And who doesn't love jewelry?