One of the things I love about being HJC's editor is getting to share about artists that I think are incredibly talented! Today, I am going to introduce you to Kerry Bogert from KAB's Creative Concepts. You may already be familiar with her work, she is the author for few books such as the book listed below - Wire Style 50 Unique Jewelry Designs...
Read the interview below:
Jane: Tell us about yourself
Kerry: Hey Jewelry Tutorial Lovers, My name is Kerry and I am the artist behind KAB's Creative Concepts. If you are into wire worked jewelry, you may already be familiar with my work. I combine my handmade one-of-a-kind lampwork glass beads with sterling silver and colored copper wire. I have had tutorials appear in a dozen plus jewelry making magazines (/Bead & Button, BeadStyle, Step By Step Wire, Step By Step Beads, Easy Wire, Creative Jewelry, and others/) and I am also the author of the book /Totally Twisted: Innovative Wire Work + Art Glass Jewelry/ (Interweave 2010). More importantly than all that, I am a stay at home Mom of three!! Most days you can find me in my home studio balancing beads, soccer practices, laundry loads, tutorial writing, gardening, blogging, and wire wrapping. I am thrilled to be invited to share my work with you here at Handmade Jewelry Club!
Jane: How did you start doing jewelry (or beadmaking) as a business?
Kerry: My adventures into jewelry began nearly 8 years ago. I had visions of making myself a pendant with my daughter's name in wire. I went to the local craft store, bought some beads and wire, and by the end the night I had made 23 pairs of earrings. I was hooked. Just a few weeks later, I was visiting an aunt and said "look what I made!" She replied with "look what I found!" And she shared with my huge wholesale jewelry supply catalog. One thing led to another and I was signed up for a street craft fair by the summer. That first year, I had no idea that my little beading hobby would become the business it is today. For me, it really just seemed to /happen/. I followed my gut and did what felt right when opportunities came along. I had faith in myself and took risks, like submitting to magazines, even though I was a nervous ninny about it at the time.
Jane: Every artist has a personal "creative process", can you explain yours?
Kerry: I really have two sides to my work, the bead making side and the jewelry making side. When creating jewelry, most of the process happens in my mind. I spend hours and hours thinking out every step in the creation of a piece; how I will make the beads, what colors I will use, how I will bend the wire. Then, when it is time to construct the finished piece, it really makes itself. All the details have already been worked out, so there is no hemming or hawing about what to do next. When I am making beads for others to use in their work, I just play and have fun at the torch. I design color combinations that I want to share and I just go to town making beads.
Jane: When people start doing jewelry, they tend to try a lot of different things before settling down to something that resonates with them, tell us how has your jewelry work changed since you began?
Kerry: When I first got into jewelry making, I was all about gemstone chip strands and seedbead weaving. Now, it is the complete opposite! If you saw my early work, you would have no idea it was connected to me.
Jane: Can you share with us a some jewelry making or design tips?
Kerry: My business really took off when I stopped making things I *thought* would sell and started creating things to came from my heart. So that is my best design advice. Make what you love and you are sure to find a crowd of others that love it as much as you. That authenticity really comes through. ***
Jane: If you teach, where will you be teaching this year?
Kerry: I am super excited about teaching this year because it is the first year that I am taking my teaching to a national level. I taught at Bead Fest Philadelphia (www.beadfest.com) on August 19th 2010. The classes being taught are all wire related: Timeless, Bang Gals!, and Framed. In September, I visited Washington DC at ArtBliss (www.artblissworkshops.com). At this event I taught an introduction to beadmaking class called K.reating A.rt B.eads. This is a huge first for me, I have only ever taught beadmaking in private classes. I have been asked forever to teach a workshop and I am finally doing it!! I am also teaching a wire bangle workshop, as well, called Bang-A-Rang.
ArtBLISS 2010 - The Inaugural Event
Jane: Do you write jewelry making tutorials? Tell us more about it...What is your plan in tutorial writing?
**I have a bunch of free tutorials on my blog!!
Breeze link tutorial
Easy Toggle Tutorial
The Grandma Bracelet
I have also made a few video tutorials related to lampwork bead making!!
Watch Me Make A Bead
Watch Me Make A Hollow Bead
I hope you have learn something from Kerry here. I would like to thank Kerry for her sharing and I wish her all the best in her business. Thanks again, Kerry!
Download lots of free jewelry making tutorials at DiyLessons! Are you a jewelry (jewellery) making teacher/ tutor? You can also list your tutorials here too.Don't miss a post! Subscribe to Handmade Jewelry Club by Email FREE
