Saturday, August 22, 2009

Focus on...RedCat ArtBeads!

RedCat ArtBeads is run by Irina Dalah, a mom in Israel. Here's her story:

Have you always been crafty?
I have been crafting ever since I was 4. The whole class in kindergarten had to do the same work: draw a carrot and cut out a blue wave (at least this is what I remember). The carrot won - it was the best carrot, the wave cut-out was a total flop. So I got stuck with a unquenchable desire to create the perfect handcrafted item. I've been paper crafting, salt-dough modeling, stained glass crafting, knitting, crocheting and bead stringing ever since.

Why did you begin making jewelry?
It all started with envy... I was admiring a necklace my favourite sister in law was wearing, and she told me that she took this class in bead weaving. I always wanted to take such a class myself, but always thought it's too expensive, or too time demanding. And when she told me she took it, when she has 5 kids, and half the income my family has, I decided I could too...This was 2 years ago, and she took 5 lessons, I'm at my 35th and still going. I was hooked from the first lesson, and I realized this would be a hobby I could do around my kiddies (unlike stained glass) and wouldn't be too expensive in materials and tools, and has the potential to become my livelihood.

Why do you make jewelry?
Because I have to! I read once, (and learned it afterward at a Kabala class) that if God gave you a talent, you should use it, or else it would ruin your life. The creative forces want to be expressed, and after more than 35 years of trying, mine have finally found a daily channel. I have to create, I have to bring into being all these beautiful things that my mind envisions, and bead weaving is the means that justify the end ;-)

How do you approach the process?
I regard each piece as a creation of art. I make everything with great attention to design, details, finishing, aesthetics. This is why is so simple for me to find names for each piece.

Are your pieces meant to be worn individually or as sets?
I'm totally into sets. I haven't listed all pieces as such, but I have made, or designed each necklace with at least a pair of earrings, and each bracelet with a necklace in mind. Many of my pieces, state which other listed item is part of the same set.

Do you have a blog?

*Thank you Irina and good luck to you!*

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