Friday's Featured Artist - Smadars Treasure

I'd like to introduce you all to a very talented bead weaver that I've had the pleasure of getting to know! I contacted her awhile ago with a question - and that conversation turned into a friendship that eventually led to me joining the Etsy Bead Weavers! There's so much more I could say - but I'll let her work and her words speak for themselves :)

1. What type of art work do you do?

I create jewelry, focusing on beadweaving and embroidery, but I also like designing other jewelry with assembled components and wire-work.

2. How did you get started

doing art work?

In 2004 I attended a beading workshop – simple stringing – and I realized that creating with beads was very relaxing for me. I continued beading for a few more months until I discovered the fascinating world of bead weaving.

3. Do you do any other crafts?

Ever since I was a child I liked crafting – painting,

knitting, scrapbooking, wood engraving and sculpting, but what I really love is drawing. Beadweaving took over my spare time (and my Muse) and I sometime miss drawing … This is my last drawing, from about two years ago, of an old Indian woman by a photograph of one of my most favorite photographer Wendell Phillips (please see the images at the bottom)

4. What's your favorite piece in your shop right now?

Note - I did ask her this question - but I'm thinking it must have sold because I can no longer find it! Congrats on the sale Smadar!

5. Where do you sell your work?

Most of my work can be found in my Etsy shop www.smadarstreasure.etsy.com

but I also have a shop on Artfire www.smadarstreasure.artfire.com and another one on Dawanda , where you can find my assembled jewelry. http://en.dawanda.com/shop/SmadarsTreasure

6. Do you blog?

Yes, I do have a blog http://smadarstreasure.blogspot.com . I wish I could post more often, but there's never enough time… I try to update my blog everytime I have a new work finished.

7. Are you on any social networks you'd like to share?

Not long ago I have joined Facebook, which is fun and lets you make new beady friends from all over the world. I am also proud to be a member of two beading groups – the Etsy BeadWeavers (EBW) and the Bead Art Originals (BAO) group.

8. Do you watch or listen to anything while you work? If so, what?

Sometimes I listen to a local radio station that broadcast non-stop music, but I prefer working in a quiet environment. That's why I usually bead at late night hours, when everyone in my family is sleeping.

9. Tell us one random fact about your self *wink*

I think I am a compulsive collector. :) Until I discovered beading, and to the resentment of my family, I used to collect many kinds of what people would call "junk", like boxes, pieces of wood, wrapping papers etc. in order to create something beautiful out of them. I now have tons of "materials" in my working room, waiting patiently to be reused. I stopped collecting junk materials, but now I am collecting beading supplies of all kinds..;)

The picture on the left goes with the link and is the picture she was working from as mentioned in question #3 :)

http://www.wendellphillips.com/india/05.asp