Bead On My Level

Ok, this month's feature is a lot of fun! We have Catherine Bradley from BeadOnMyLevel. She makes and sells intricate bead embroidered earrings and more. Her designs are breathtaking. They are absolutely one of kind. I can only imagine the discipline, level of patience, and amount of creativity it takes to create one of her pieces. They're seriously amazing. Catherine is a sweet lady with a creative spirit. It's hard to deny true talent when you see it! To find out more about bead work and all that Catherine does, keep reading!

What is exactly is bead work? There are many different types of beadwork. From simply stringing beads, bead weaving, 3-D beading, Huichol Indian bead art, and then there is what I do which is bead embroidery. Bead embroidery is exactly what it sounds like, embroidery but with beads. I simply stitch beads on to a surface using a needle and thread. I usually will string four beads at a time and then do a figure eight stitch so they are nice and secure. What I love about beadwork is that anything can be a bead. I love experimenting and collecting materials that are unique and unexpected. How did you find a passion in bead work? I've always been a lover of all things beads but it wasn't until college that I learned how to bead embroider during a surface design course. My professor was amazing and it was hard not to get hooked on the process. I love creating art that is intricate and requires extreme concentration. It is like meditation to me. How long have you been creating jewelry and head pieces? I love doing anything that allows me to use my creativity. I work for a textile design and manufacturing company which I absolutely love. Being around beautiful textiles helps fuel my fire. But my biggest passion (and I know I sound like a crazy, cheesy mom) is my little boy. He's constantly inspiring me and is my greatest adventure and work of art yet. What are your other passions? In all honesty I bead because it makes me happy. I love sharing my work in hopes that they will also make someone else happy. I fear that if I focus too much on the business aspect I may loose the joy that beading brings me. If my shop turns out to be profitable that would be an added bonus. Don't get me wrong I would love for this passion to turn into something more than just my side hustle. But if my shop turns out to be a bust I'll be ok because I enjoyed making every piece. At least there's always that. What is your favorite piece you've ever made? My favorite piece I ever made is the first collar necklace I headed in college. I poured everything I had into this piece and it was worth every blood, sweat, and tears. I spent 6 weeks working on it and I could have spent 10. I was inspired by my Dad and Georgia O'Keefe. I grew up hunting and always loved the antlers and skulls that my dad would find and collect. They have played a huge role in my artwork for many years along with Georgia O'Keefe's work. After visiting her museum in New Mexico I knew I had to create a piece of jewelry that embodied her paintings. And this piece is the product of that.

Who or what are some of your major influences? Anything can be inspiring. I try to take in everything and everyone around me as much as I can. But a lot of credit needs to go to my professor at SCAD, Sam Norgard and her teaching assistant Michael-Birch Pierce. She taught with such conviction and passion that you'd have to be crazy not to fall in love with her and the process. After that class I interned for Michael-Birch Pierce along with other students during his senior thesis. His work continues to inspire me today. Other artist that influence me are Marina Dempster, fashion designer Dries Van Noten, Beyoncé, and many more. You can find more of Catherine's work here: Instagram: @beadonmylevel Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/beadonmylevel Be sure to use offer code Floweringfox10 at checkout over at BeadOnMyLevel for the month of April to receive 10% off your purchase!