I love finding out where people have come from in the beading world. Not just where they live but the journey the have taken in beading. I met a wonderful artists by the name of Barbara Green. She intrigued me when she ordered some of my BeadBacking. She said she likes to try new beading products. I instantly typed in her web site to find a beautiful web site along with some awesome beadwork. Please visit her site at
http://www.greentopjewelry.com/index.html. So I asked Barbara to take part in my interviews. Here is what she has to share.
I am Barbara Green, age 60. I am very happily married to the most wonderful man in the world. It is a 2nd marriage for both of us and we will celebrate our 25th anniversary in February. Between us we have 4 grownup kids – 3 boys, 1 girl – and between them we have 5 grandchildren – 4 boys, 1 girl.
I was born in Jonesboro, AR, but grew up in the Rockford, IL area. I always thought that I would grow up to be an author, but life had other ideas. I was married young (19) and started my family at age 20. It didn’t leave much time for art, but I always managed to work in a thing or two. I have always sewn and that was my artistic outlet for a long time, then as the kids got older and I had more time, I found myself trying more things. I
was also heavily involved in computer graphic design through work.
I found myself between jobs with some time on my hands in 1994, so I went to San Diego with my husband who was teaching week-long seminar. We were staying near the beach, where I found a bead shop with a view of the beach. I decided to sign up for a class to kill some time. It was an eye-opener. I was hooked.
That class taught me how to bead around a cabochon, bead embroidery and how to string beads. The beginning basics were enough to get me started and when I went home I kept working on it. Finding beads where we lived at the time was not easy then, but I persevered. About 5 years later, after I had given away as much as my family would take, my husband suggested that I try doing a show and selling my work. I was amazed – people liked my work and bought it.
In the meantime, I had discovered a great group of people on an AOL message board (which no longer exists) and through them I was introduced to so many other websites, bead stitches and some wonderful pattern designers.
I love to try new stitches and I am really hooked on spirals of all types, but when I get in a slump and am not sure what to do, I go back to my cabochons and do bead embroidery. It really helps that my husband has gotten involved in cabbing and he makes some incredible cabs out of beautiful stones.
As for new products, I have a love/hate relationship with Fireline. Friends at my gem club got me to try it. I love the strength of it, but I hate the tangles I get. I find myself sneaking back to Nymo.
I had tried Lacey’s stiff stuff and while I liked the way it held up, I wasn’t happy with the white and having to color it sometimes to make it not show through. I’m looking forward to using the colored material that Nichole sent me. I think it will be just right for what I do.
I would really love to go to one of the big bead shows up North and meet some of the wonderful folk who have inspired me and take a class from them. I find that even though I teach, I can always learn something new from others.
I am getting back into teaching this year. I had to stop because of some health problems. I find I love sharing my love of beading with others.
Barbara's beaded work can be found in several art galleries in her area and she holds classes as well.
Bead with Honor and Integrity
Nicole/Beadwright
