Beadwork

Beadwork on theceremonial dressof aDatoogawoman

Beadworkis the art or craft of attachingbeadsto one another by stringing them onto a thread or thin wire with asewingor beading needle or sewing them to cloth.Beads are produced in a diverse range of materials, shapes, and sizes, and vary by the kind of art produced. Most often, beadwork is a form of personal adornment (e.g.jewelry), but it also commonly makes up other artworks.

Beadwork techniques are broadly divided into several categories, includingloomandoff-loom weaving,stringing,bead embroidery,bead crochet,bead knitting,and beadtatting.

Ancient beading

A string of blue faience beads from northLisht,a village in theMemphite regionof Egypt, c. 1802–1450 B.C.

The art of creating and utilizing beads is ancient, and ostrich shell beads discovered in Africa can be carbon-dated to 10,000 BC.Faiencebeads, a type of ceramic created by mi xing powdered clays, lime, soda, and silica sand with water until a paste forms, then molding it around a stick or straw and firing until hard, were notably used inancient Egyptianjewelry from theFirst Dynasty(beginning in theearly Bronze Age) onward.Faience and other ceramic beads withvitrifiedquartzcoatings predate pure glass beads.

Beads and work created with them were found near-ubiquitously across the ancient world, often made of locally available materials. For example, theAthabaskanpeoples ofAlaskausedtusk shells(scaphopod mollusks), which are naturally hollow, as beads and incorporated them into elaborate jewelry.

Beadwork has historically been used forreligious purposes,as good lucktalismans,for barter and trade, and for ritual exchange.

Modern beading

Modern beaded flowers, yellow made in the French beading technique and pink in the Victorian beading technique.

Today, beadwork is commonly practiced byjewelers,hobbyists, and contemporary artists; artists known for using beadwork as a medium includeLiza Lou,Ran Hwang,Hew Locke,Jeffery Gibson,andJoyce J. Scott.

Some ancient stitches have become especially popular among contemporary artists. The off-loompeyote stitch,for example, is used inNative American Churchmembers' beadwork.

Jewelrymade of beads was widespread and fashionable in Western Ukraine, which was connected with the familiarity of Ukrainian artists with the artistic achievements of the countries of Western Europe, where from the 18th century. There was afashionfor artistic products made of beads. Modern ukrainian beadwork includes: beaded clothing, collars,bracelets,necklaces,necklaces-gerdanes, clothing accessories, and household items such aspysanka.

Europe

Russian Countess Olga Orlova-Davydova wearing a heavily beadedkokoshnik,1903

Beadwork in Europe, much like in Egypt and the Americas, can be traced to the use of bone and shell as adornments amongstearly modern humans.As glassmaking increased in popularity through theMiddle Ages,glass beads began to appear extensively in bead embroidery, beaded necklaces, and similar wares.

InNorthern Russia,theKokoshnikheaddress typically includes river pearl netting around the forehead in addition to traditional bead embroidery.

By 1291, artists inMurano, Italyhad begun production of intricate glassMurano beadsinspired byVenetian glassware.With the advent oflampwork glass,Europeans started producingseed beadsfor embroidery, crochet, and other, mostly off-loom techniques.Czech seed beads are among the most popular contemporary bead styles.

One technique of European beadwork is beaded "immortal" flowers. The technique's origins, though indistinct, are generally agreed to range at least several centuries back, as far back as at least the 16th if not 14th century.Two mayor styles were developed: French beading, in which the wire only goes through each bead once and the wires are arranged vertically, and Victorian (also called English or Russian) beading, in which the wires go through each bead twice and are arranged horizontally.In the late 19th and early 20th century, the beaded flowers were used to create long lastingfuneral wreaths,calledimmortelles(French for "immortals" ).In the mid-20th century, the art was introduced to United States with sales of flower beading kits. In 1960s to 1970s, books by emerging beaded flower designers emerged.In the 1990s and 2000s, there was another revival of interest in the craft, exemplified for example by the funeral wreaths made to commemorate victims of theSeptember 11 attacks.

Ukrainian pysanka

Ukrainian masters develop exclusively national motifs in their bead collections. Beaded artworks include clothing ensembles, clothing accessories, priestly clothing decorations, and household items. At the beginning of the 20th century embroidery workshops were created on the territory of Galicia and Bukovyna, where, along with weaving and embroidery, jewelry from beads was made. Contemporary beadwork includes: beaded clothing, collars, bracelets, necklaces, clothing accessories like handbags and purses.

North America

See also:Visual arts of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas,Quillwork,andNative American jewelry

Examples of contemporary Native American beadwork

Native Americanbeadwork, already established via the use of materials like shells,dendrite,claws, and bone, evolved to incorporate glass beads as Europeans brought them to the Americas beginning in theearly 17th century.

Native beadwork today heavily utilizes small glass beads, but artists also continue to use traditionally important materials.Wampumshells, for instance, are ceremonially and politically important to a range ofEastern Woodlands tribes,and are used to depict important events.

Several Native American artists from a wide range of nations are considered to be at the forefront of modern American bead working. These artists includeTeri Greeves(Kiowa,known for beaded commentaries onNative voting rights),Marcus Amerman(Choctaw,known for realistic beaded portraits of historical figures and celebrities),andJamie Okuma(Luiseño-Shoshone-Bannock,known for beaded dolls).

Great Lakes tribes

Ursulinenuns in theGreat Lakesintroduced floral patterns to young Indigenous women, who quickly applied them to beadwork.Ojibwewomen in the area created ornately decorated shoulder bags known asgashkibidaagan(bandolier bags).

Eastern Woodlands tribes

Innu,Mi'kmaq,Penobscot,andHaudenosauneepeoples developed, and are known for, beading symmetrical scroll motifs, most often in white beads.Tribes of theIroqouis Confederacypractice raised beading, where threads are pulled taut to force beads into abas-relief,which creates a three-dimensional effect.

Southeastern tribes

Southeastern tribespioneered a beadwork style that features images with white outlines, a visual reference to the shells and pearls coastal Southeasterners used pre-contact.This style was nearly lost during theTrail of Tears,as many beadworkers died during their forced removal toIndian Territorywest of theMississippi River.Roger Amerman (Choctaw,brother ofMarcus Amerman) andMartha Berry(Cherokee) have effectively revived the style, however.

Sierra Madre tribes

Huicholcommunities in the Mexican states ofJaliscoandNayarituniquely attach their beads to objects and surfaces via the use of a resin-beeswax mixture (in lieu of wire or waxed thread).

Métis Nation

Métiswere known as the Flower Beadwork People by theCreeandDenebecause of their culture of colourful floral beadwork and embroidery.During the early 19th century, European and Euro-North American observers and travelers frequently noted the intricate beadwork adorning Métis clothing. This beadwork, particularly floral patterns, has evolved into one of the most recognizable symbols of Métis culture. Métis artisans employed First Nations beadwork techniques along with floral designs influenced byFrench-Canadiannuns inRoman Catholicmissions. By the 1830s, vibrant and lifelike floral motifs dominated Métis creations from theRed Riverregion. Beadwork adorned nearly every traditional Métis garment, from moccasins to coats, belts to bags.The practice of beadwork became a vital economic activity for Métis women and families, spanning generations and providing both personal and commercial expression. Métis organizations like theLouis RielInstitute and theGabriel Dumont Instituteactively promote and preserve traditional beading through workshops and resources, ensuring its continuation within the community.

Africa

An elephant mask decorated with glass beads by theBamilekepeople inBandjoun,Cameroon c. 1910–1930

Several African nations outside of Egypt have beadwork traditions.Aggry(also spelled aggri or aggrey) beads, a type of decorated glass bead, are used by Ghanaians and other West Africans to make necklaces and bracelets that may be traded for other goods.These beads are often believed to have magical medicinal of fertility powers. In Mauritania,powder-glassKiffa beadsrepresent a beading tradition that may date as far back as 1200 CE; a group of women have been revitalizing the craft after the last traditional Kiffa artisans died in the 1970s.Cameroonian women are known for crafting wooden sculptures covered in beadwork.

See also

• Glass beadmaking
• Beadweaving

References

• Berlo, Janet C.; Ruth B. Phillips (1998).Native North American Art.Oxford History of Art. Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-284218-3.
• Dubin, Lois Sherr (1999).North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment: From Prehistory to the Present.New York: Harry N. Abrams.ISBN0-8109-3689-5
• Dubin, Lois Sherr (2009).The History of Beads: From 100,000 B.C. to the Present.New York: Harry N. Abrams.ISBN978-0810951747.
• Beads and beadwork. (1996).In Encyclopedia of north american indians, Houghton Mifflin.Retrieved 27 January 2014, fromhttp://search.credoreference /