Instructors

Meet our fabulous instructors for Bead Fest Philadelphia!
Click on the more info link next to each instructor to find their contact information, website, and materials lists.

ONLINE Workshop Registration has closed. Please plan to register for any workshops onsite at the Greater Philadelphia Expo center starting on Wednesday, August 19th. Thank you!


Marcia Balonis [More Info]
Believe it or not, I am a retired financial manager. I guess I've gone from counting "beans" to "beads". Well they call accountants bean counters don't they?
When I am not in my garden, or on my bicycle, I color my world inside with beautiful beads.Jewelry design is my passion. I have created many forms of jewelry, sold, taught, and published numerous articles in magazines and booklets. My primary goal is to share my passion with others by teaching and selling items. Bead weaving of all kinds allows me to create a wide range of jewelry. I work with all kinds of beads in the process. In addition, I sometimes wander to other art forms. But mostly is it jewelry that captures my busy hands.
 
Tracy Bell [More Info]
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Tracy Bell traveled and taught with Viking/Husqvarna Sewing Machine Company for 14 years and wrote four self-published book on computerized machine embroidery. During her sewing career, Viking published many of Tracy's sewing projects. Today Tracy successfully shows and sells her handcrafted jewelry designs at shows around the US. She has participated in many Bead of Courage Projects and was published in this year's Easy Wire magazine. Tracy teaches at The Kalamazoo Institute of Art and designs for Now That's a JIg.
 
Ed and Martha Biggar [More Info]
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Between the two, Ed and Martha Biggar have over 40 years glass experience and over 20 years with metal clay. They exhibit and teach nationally and at home, and believe good teachers can make the difference for any student. They live in southwest Virginia with their herd of horses, mules, and donkeys.
 
Michelle Brennan [More Info]
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Michelle Brennan is a chainmaille artist and the designer for HyperLynks Chainmaille Supplies near Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She has taught classes at various bead shows and stores and is always happiest with two pliers in her hands!
 
Francie Broadie [More Info]
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Francie Broadie has been beading and teaching beadwork in the Midwest for the last 16 years. She is well versed in bead weaving and glass fusing, having studied with multiple teachers over the last 16 years. Seed beads are Francie's favorite, but she will bead with anything. Her goal in life is to cram as much beady info into her brain as possible. She holds a bachelor's degree from Kenyon College, and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Indianapolis. In her spare time she knits, sews, paints, and dabbles in photography.
 
Marti Brown [More Info]
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Marti Brown was always interested in the arts. As a child, some of her fondest memories included art camp, painting in her basement, art classes in summer school, and involvement in choral music. Marti became a professional artist and craftsman after completing her BFA in jewelry making. She has been designing jewelry for over 30 years and loves creating jewelry and teaching. Marti has worked in a variety of traditional and contemporary jewelry metals and processes. She currently works in niobium, a colorful metal, and of course beads.
 
0Jen Cushman [More Info]
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Jen Cushman is a natural storyteller who found mixed media art a decade ago and never looked back. She’s the author of Making Metal Jewelry; How to Stamp, Forge, Fold and Form Metal Jewelry Designs (North Light 2013) and Explore. Create, Resinate: Mixed Media Techniques Using ICE Resin. Jen writes a business advice column for Artists and Makers magazine and a column for Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine called “The Mixed Media Metalsmith”. An enthusiastic and supportive instructor, Jen teaches more than techniques. She encourages others to explore their authentic, creative process to create art that is real and personally meaningful. Jen is Vice President/partner of Susan Lenart Kazmer ICE Resin.
 
Diane Dennis [More Info]
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Diane Dennis is a seed-bead jewelry artist creating elegant works of wearable art. Diane has been featured in Fire Mountain Gems and Beads catalog as a contest winner and advertising, and has been published in Beadwork and Bead & Button Magazines. Diane's piece Star Light, Star Bright appears in Showcase 500 Art Necklaces. Diane has been beading since 1999 and has been teaching beadwork since 2003 and currently teaches beading in the Northern Virginia area, at Beadfest, Bead and Button, quilt shows and for Bead Societies.
 
Helen Driggs [More Info]
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Helen Driggs is Senior Editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine, has created 6 instructional DVDs, written "The Jewelry Maker's Field Guide: Tools and Essential Techniques" and is an experienced metalsmith/teacher. A BFA graduate of Moore College of Art, she is a member of PSG and CoMA and a certified PMC instructor. Blog: www.materialsmithing.wordpress.com; Twitter: @fabricationista
 
Staci Egan [More Info]
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Staci is the designer of Contempo Jewelry started in 1999. Staci loves things that are naturally beautiful like fresh picked strawberries or sweet scented pink peonies. Nature's imperfect gifts are very special to her and because of this she loves to work with freshwater pearls and semi-precious stones. Working with natural and organic material is special as each piece may have some extra lines, blemishes and even inclusions. These simple imperfections give the work character and make each piece unique.
 
Ren Farnsworth [More Info]
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Ren Farnsworth is filling the world with color and making others and herself happy! Having spent many years designing clothes and costumes, she found the transition from fabric pieces to glass pieces a fitting one and now designs and creates a variety of glass art. Ren keeps herself busy with her glass work, she is either making lamp work beads, making jewelry with them and other beautiful beads, learning and teaching new techniques or buzzing around town weaving a wonderful web of artist friends and collaborators.
 
Kaska Firor [More Info]
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Kaska began designing and making wire jewelry in 2001. Originally a traditional wire-wrapping artist, in recent years she shifted her focus to working with wire techniques borrowed from basket-weaving and textile arts, including weaving, looping, stitching, coiling and others. Kaska displays and sells her jewelry at art shows in the Midwest where she has won numerous awards. Her work has been published in Art Jewelry and Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazines. Her first book, Weaving Freeform Wire Jewelry, was released in November 2013. Kaska teaches locally at her studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, William Holland School of Lapidary Arts and at national shows including Bead Fest and Bead and Button. She believes that well designed projects together with fun and supportive class environment are a key to successful learning.
 
Kim Fox [More Info]
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For several years Kim created jewelry while she sold computers and technology in call centers. She took classes in casting at Phoenix Community College and silversmithing at the Mining and Mineral Museum in Phoenix, AZ. (No longer in existence) and in 2003 Kim decided to leave her lengthy career in computers and technology to go back to school to become a jewelry designer. She sold her house, and moved to Carlsbad where She attended the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and graduated from their Jewelry Design Curriculum and became a Gemologist. From there Kim went to San Francisco to learn more traditional silversmithing techniques, graduated from Revere's Jewelry Technician Intensive, and attended a number of their master symposiums to learn specific skills from masters at their trade. Kim has won two international design awards, was a finalist with another piece, was second place and finalist at the South Sea Pearl Consortium in Hong Kong, and was first in Lady's Jewelry for the Bench Jewelers Design Contest in Denver. Kim currently design clasps, findings, components that solve problems in designing jewelry. She has been involved in training and teaching for over 40 years and loves seeing the light of creativity in my student's eyes.
 
Sulie Girardi [More Info]
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Sulie Girardi was born in Chicago, but has lived in Vienna, Austria for the last 25 years. She owns and operates Vienna Impressions, Austria's largest source for rubber stamping and other crafting supplies. Several years ago she discovered Metal Clay, and never looked back. She has attained the Silver Metal Clay Diploma from the Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery, as well as the Art Clay 1 and 2 certifications. Her work has been published in several publications in Europe and the US. Sulie teaches frequent classes in various techniques, both in her own studio and as a guest instructor.
 
Bronwen Heilman [More Info]
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Bronwen Heilman is a full-time studio artist and flame-work glass instructor whose work has been exhibited and received awards in numerous juried exhibitions. She is a recipient of the International Glass Bead Society Presidents Award, first place in soft marble competition, among others. Her work is published in 1000 Glass Beads, 500 Beaded Objects, Contemporary Lampworking,  Glass Bead Masters and many others.   She is the Director and Instructor of the flame-working studio at Sonoran Glass School in Tucson, AZ.
 
Elizabeth Hopkins [More Info]
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A lampworker for 15 years, Elizabeth shows her work in galleries, boutiques and juried Arts and Craft shows.  In June of 2012 she opened her own state-of-the-art lampworking studio in Millstone Township, New Jersey where she offers classes and torch time.  Please visit www.elizabethhopkinsdesigns.com for more information on classes, studio time and her show schedule.
 
Melissa Kay-Steves [More Info]
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Melissa Kay-Steves has been making jewelry for more than 25 years. Her creations are deeply influenced by nature and the beauty of Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. She is a level II certified PMC and Art Clay Silver artist and instructor, teaching jewelry and metal work in the afterschool program for Queen Anne's County School Department in Stevensville, Maryland. She is a member of Kent Island Federation of Arts and the Director of its Children’s Summer Art Program, an A.R.T East member and has won awards for her work locally and nationally.
 
Erin Keck [More Info]
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Erin Keck is a Steampunk style assemblage artist residing in Mechanicsburg, PA. Erin is nationally recognized for her Steampunk Clocks created from original laser cut gears. Her creations have been featured in the books 1,000 Steampunk Creations, Art Without Waste, Just Steampunk Magazine, as well as Jewelry Affaire Magazine. Erin travels throughout the United States teaching and sharing her talent of assemblage art with classes in Mixed Media Jewelry and Steampunk Clocks.
 
Beth Kraft [More Info]
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Beth teaches at several national bead shows in addition to teaching bead-weaving and wire-work in Rochester, Minnesota. Beth's designs have been in several national publications and she has presented on Beads, Baubles, and Jewels and Bead.tv. Beth was a Saul Bell Design Award finalist and a BeadStar finalist.
 
Sara LaGrand [More Info]
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Sara Sally LaGrand has had the great fortune to study with many gifted teachers both in Italy and the US. She has been melting glass since 1996. In that time she has won numerous awards and has the great privilege to teach workshops all over the US and Europe. She earned a BA in Glass Formation at Park University of Missouri with the collaboration of the award winning public glass artist, Dierk Van Keppel. She has studied with Italian glass masters Lucio Bubbaco and Vitorrio Costantini. She continues to study and grow, pushing the limits of the glass and combining it with unconventional materials for an eclectic look at nature, life and pop culture
 
Alison Lee [More Info]
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Alison Lee is the creative founder of craftcast.com, a company dedicated to providing exceptional online crafting education available worldwide. Her education included studying goldsmithing at the renown Kulicke-Stark Academy in NYC as well as producing a line of organically inspired jewelry sold through numerous galleries. Alison was a featured artist on HGTV’s That’s Clever and taught jewelry classes in NYC. Alison teaches jewelry making classes in her own studio in Nyack, NY.
 
Susan Lenart Kazmer [More Info]
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Susan’s work is built from a unique combination of art school, metalsmithing, extensive cultural research, creating and repairing ethnographic adornment, and a strong fashion back round. Her work on Expressive Adornment is a unique voice in the industry. She builds talismans, prayer boxes and amulets for the fashion, museum, gallery and commercial world for over 20 years. Susan’s early handmade collection began at Henry Bendell, Banana Republic, Nordstrom, Ann Taylor and more, where she began building a handmade and a commercial line of jewelry. Susan’s work participated in numerous museum exhibits including Smithsonian and Art Institute of New York. Author of her second book, Resin Alchemy, an Amazon 2013 best seller list, includes a pioneering ten year body of work combining metal and resin. She also creates a successful commercial line of components called, Industrial Chic. Susan’s innovative new work can be seen in March 2014 issue of U.S. ELLE as she reenters the fashion world and on the runway in New York.
 
Sara Lukkonen [More Info]
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Sara has always been doing one kind of craft or another. About 39 years ago she discovered torch fire enameling. Sara had done some kiln work but did not like how long it took. Tried out the torching technique and has been working with enamels that way ever since. In 1999 she was wearing some of her beads in a bead store and they wanted to know where she got the beads. That is when C-Koop Beads was established. She has been teaching enameling for about 8 years. Sara has taught at national shows, bead stores and in her studio.
 
Linda Lurcott [More Info]
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Linda Lurcott enjoys the fluidity and flow of metal that transform into organic shapes often seen in the natural world. She has enjoyed working with metals, especially sterling silver for 15 years and has taught classes for the last 5 years. One of Linda's most rewarding studio discovery is: "Uniquely pieces can evolve with the artist's curiosity, patience and a bit of playfulness within the creative process". Linda is grateful for her society and guild memberships, which have offered gallery shows and exhibitions, along with several learning opportunities from many of masters in the jewelry industry. She believes jewelry is "in her blood." Her her great grandparents passed down a love of jewelry, along with a few tools of the trade from their NYC jewelry store, which they opened soon after their arrival from the British Isles. Linda resides in SE Pennsylvania where she enjoys sharing her love of craft with her students.
 
Stephanie Maddalena [More Info]
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Stephanie has been lampworking since 1994 after falling in love with the process in a workshop with Kate Fowle-Meleney. She teaches extensively in NY, NJ and CT.
 
Thomas Mann [More Info]
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"We're immersed in an age of ever-expanding information and technology and it's sometimes hard to remember that we're human. Techno-Romantic jewelry objects are everyday talismans that talk about our connection to and separation from that technology." -Thomas Mann Thomas Mann describes himself as an artist working in the medium of jewelry and sculpture. He works with a variety of metals, thinking of them as painters think of their palettes - Each metal having its own color and luster. He is inspired by parts from machines, electronic instruments, costume jewelry, and nature. His recurring but always changing parts give Mann's work its storytelling quality and theatricality. He calls this design vocabulary, which combines industrial aesthetics and materials with evocative themes and romantic imagery, "Techno-Romantic". Thomas developed Techno-Romantic after years of experimenting with the idea of incorporating 20th-century collage and assemblage techniques into jewelry making - Attempting to humanize technology and provide raw material and inspiration for our imaginations. Thomas Mann lives and works in New Orleans where he oversees a jewelry design and production studio, a sculpture studio, and a gallery with an adjoined teaching space.
 
Phyllis Martin-Rennie [More Info]
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Color, stitching , & metal arts are a big part of Phyllis' personal universe along with her family & dogs. The "Ah Haa" moment her students get is just like adding hot fudge on ice cream to Phyllis. Phyllis is aware that each person learns a little different than the next , and that is where her strong passion for teaching kicks in. She has taught from coast to coast for many years enjoying the "Sparkle & Shine" San Jose, Ca., in her store Sew Beadazzled is where she calls home.
 
Debora Mauser [More Info]
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Debora Mauser has been creating jewelry for more than 12 years. For the past six years Debora has been teaching at national venues such as Bead Fest, Bead and Button, local bead stores, William Holland School of Lapidary Arts, Wild Acres and Sawtooth School. Her passion is sharing techniques including wire, metal, enameling, forming and cold connections. Her work has been featured in Step by Step Wire and she is a certified instructor in the Painting with Fire immersion method of enameling. Debora's classes are fun and packed with information but maintain a low key approach to learning.
 
0Donna McClaren [More Info]
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Donna McClaren began working with jewelry design while living in Harrogate, UK and fell in love with lampwork beads during her time there.  She started making her own beads in 2006 because she could see how they would work in her designs, but had a difficult time trying to explain the look she wanted to British lampworkers.  Passionate about her work, she continued to ‘play’ with molten glass upon her return to the US in 2008.  A local artist currently living in Lititz, PA , her work has been seen at Renaissance, Celtic, and Steampunk events as well as craft/art shows throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.  Her work focuses on the shape of the bead and the joy of organic design to accent jewelry pieces.  Last year, she offered one Beginner’s Class – this year she is offering the Beginner’s Class, as well as two additional classes -   working with Twisties/Murrini and her version of the Tree of Life.
 
Louise Mehaffey [More Info]
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Louise Mehaffey has been working with glass since the early 70's. Long ago, she enrolled in a stained glass class, intending to replace an ugly plastic sidelight in her home. Because her family moved not long after the class was over, she never got to finish the project, but the experience was enough to hook her. She opened the Glass Place studio and has been working in glass ever since. She has taken many workshops and seminars to expand her knowledge into fusing, sandblasting and painting on glass, and in 1998 a class in lampworked glass beads started her on that path. Today she lampworks exclusively. With a degree in art education, she has taught art from the pre-school level through adult education, in public and private schools and in private lessons. Her art background has enabled her to develop a style that is as unique as her view of the world.Louise is a member of the Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen, and has served in several positions as a board member for many years. She is also a member of the Ohio Arts and Crafts Guild, the International Society of Glass Beadmakers, and has served as a board member for the Berks Arts Council.
 
Anne Mitchell [More Info]
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Anne started her creative career over 25 years ago as a professional lighting designer. Looking for another outlet for her artistic energies, Anne began teaching chain making and metal working approximately 14 years ago for just pure enjoyment. During those years, Anne found that the creative outlet provided by teaching as well as a consistent demand for her classes was too alluring to deny. Leaving lighting behind in 2003, Anne is now a full-time designer, teacher, and author.
 
Rebeca Mojica [More Info]
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Rebeca Mojica is an award-winning chainmaille artist and instructor who has created more than 500 unique chainmaille designs, including inventing more than 20 base weaves. She is the author of "Chained: Create Gorgeous Chain Mail Jewelry One Ring at a Time."By using colored rings and combining classic weaves in new ways, Rebeca erases preconceived notions of this ancient craft. She has spent more than 1,000 hours teaching students from around the world how to make beautiful chainmaille jewelry. She is the founder of Blue Buddha Boutique, one of the largest chainmaille suppliers in the world, shipping orders to all 50 states and nearly 40 countries Rebeca is a member of the Chicago Craft Mafia and a committee member of the Future Leaders Group of the Craft & Hobby Association.
 
Laurel Nathanson [More Info]
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Laurel is a mixed media artist and jeweler from Oakland California. Her crafty objects have been featured in American Craft Magazine, Lark Books 500 Necklaces, and 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse. She has a jewelry line called Sugarcoat which combines her roots as a metalsmith with her passion for surface design and illustration. When not creating, teaching, or writing how to articles for Jewelry Artist Magazine, Laurel is cuddling with her two Bichons, Bailey and Bonnie. And, she is always looking for an 80's night dance party.
 
Roxan O'Brien [More Info]
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Roxan is a self-taught bead artist who has a background in oil painting, silversmithing, enameling, chasing and repouseé with over 25 years of experience in the jewelry field. She studied jewelry design and metal work at Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, Pa. and Touchstone Center for Crafts in Farmington, Pa. She is the first bead embroider to reach juried status from the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen. As founder of the Central Pa. Bead and Jewelry Society a nonprofit organization, she has created a place where jewelry artist can find workshops and support for their craft. She sells her work in galleries and art and craft shows throughout the east coast. She teaches both beading and metal jewelry classes in the U.S.
 
Janet Palumbo and Reem Iversen [More Info]
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Janet Palumbo and Reem Iversen team-teach bead weaving at the Princeton Adult School in Princeton, NJ. Their designs have been featured in Beadwork magazine and Perlen Poesie.
 
Denise Peck [More Info]
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Denise is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine and author of several wire jewelry books including Wire Style, Handcrafted Wire Findings, and Wire + Metal. She has a bench jeweler's certificate from Studio Jeweler's, Ltd in Manhattan, and has been making and teaching jewelry making for 15 years.
 
Huib Petersen [More Info]
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Needlecrafts first caught Huib's attention when he was a child growing up in a small town in Holland. Encouraged by his mom, grandma and the local needlecraft store owner, Huib picked up crochet knitting, tatting, macramé, bobbin lace, needle lace and embroidery with ease. In 1995 Huib moved from Holland to San Francisco, and opened a small arts and crafts workshop and gallery on Nob Hill. Inspired by a chance encounter with 19th century Russian bead work, Huib discovered the beauty and challenges of designing with beads. Huib uses different sizes of beads and a variety of traditional beadwork stitches to create sculpted bugs, butterflies, birds, flowers and sea creatures in their environment. The result is a unique kind of wearable art that offers the intricacy of embroidery and lace, the depth of a theater set and the durability and brilliance of glass. Huib have been working full time as a bead artist and teacher since 1998, and he is still challenged and inspired by the possibilities of this medium.
 
Kieu Pham Gray [More Info]
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Kieu Pham Gray has been creating jewelry for over 15 years. She started from the need to look the part while working in retail management for Neiman Marcus. Since then she has sold to over 30 stores in 10 states and participated in numerous juried art shows. For eight years Kieu owned Bead Q! in the Cleveland area. Today, with her husband Andy, they run TheUrbanBeader.com, working to provide the industry with specialty goods. Kieu teaches a variety of classes throughout the Midwest and East Coast. Detailed instruction and personal attention has been her key to success.
 
Renee Prioleau [More Info]
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Renee Prioleau is an accomplished jewelry designer in the Washington DC area. Her work has been featured at Nordstrom and is currently sold at many local vintage shops in the metropolitan area. She is the program director of The Bead Studio Inc., a nonprofit organization devoted to the art and culture of beadwork. The organization provides community outreach and education programs for adults, youth, and individuals with special needs; and gives philanthropic support to bead related organizations.
 
Kate Richbourg [More Info]
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Simply put, Kate Richbourg loves jewelry. She loves to teach it. She loves to make it. She loves to wear it. Teaching and designing jewelry since 1992, she teaches at national shows, bead societies, and bead shops and is published in a variety of jewelry magazines and is the author of the popular blog
 
Maria Richmond [More Info]
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Artist Maria Richmond draws her inspiration from the possibilities she sees in ordinary objects and materials. While she plays with wire, she often envisions unique ways of combining traditional, repurposed and found objects into her creations. She regularly teaches in Western Pennsylvania, as well as other venues throughout the country. She teaches basic and intermediate techniques in a relaxed atmosphere. Her goal is to help her students find their own creative voice and the endless possibilities in the seemingly mundane.
 
Sue Ripsch [More Info]
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Sue is a chain maille artist, designer and author who teaches chain maille classes around the country. She has taught at many Bead Fest Shows and at Bead and Button shows. Sue is the author of two chain maille books and will publish a third in 2015. She has written clear and beautifully illustrated instructions for over 150 chain maille weaves. Sue likes to teach students from all levels of chain maille experience.
 
Leslie Rogalski [More Info]
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Leslie Rogalski is known for her passion and enthusiasm as a bead and jewelry artist, designer, and teacher. Recognized from regular appearances on Jewelry Television and Beads, Baubles, and Jewels, she also blogs as Sleepless Beader and sells her original jewelry design kits at www.sleeplessbeader.com. The former editor in chief of Step by Step Beads and BeadingDaily.com, Leslie's projects and articles have been widely published in Bead & Button, BeadStyle, Beadwork, Step by Step Beads, Creative Jewelry, Lapidary Journal, Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Easy Wire, 101 Wire Earrings, and several books including the Lark 500 Beaded Jewelry Showcase, and Chain Style. Her best-selling DoodleBeads digital products teach the top seed-bead techniques in a unique drawing-before-your-eyes method she developed. Leslie is a member of the Beadalon design team, a former Swarovski Ambassador, and the author of "The Business of Beading," a regular column starting in 2014 in Bead & Button magazine, for whom she is also a contributing editor. Craftsy.com launched her first online class, Essential Seed Bead Techniques, in July 2014. Follow her as Sleepless Beader on Facebook, at www.sleeplessbeader.blogspot.com, and keep up with new designs and kits for sale, exhibitions, shows, and workshops at www.sleeplessbeader.com.
 
Richard Salley [More Info]
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Richard has been working in metal for over 40 years and teaches metalsmithing classes around the country covering a variety of topics.
 
Debra Saucier [More Info]
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Debra Saucier is a mixed-media artist who has been crafting since summers spent with her grandmother in Japan as a child. Debra was named one of the initial Create Your Style with Swarovski Elements Ambassadors early in 2009 and has taught at the Create Your Style Events in Tucson as well as other shows across the world. Debra and her husband operate a small bead store in New England. In 2011, Debra launched a new product called Crystal Clay two part epoxy clay. Her work has been featured in numerous magazines and books.
 
Cooky Schock [More Info]
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Cooky Schock is the retired owner of The Shepherdess in San Diego, CA. She has been teaching wire jewelry classes since 1999 and has taught at Bead Fest Philadelphia, the Best Bead Show Tucson, To Bead True Blue Tucson, Parson School of Design: Altos de Chavon Campus in the Dominican Republic and Art Unraveled in Phoenix AZ. Her focus for the last eight years has been on metalwork, primarily silversmithing, and most recently, has been exploring the use of metals of the less precious variety (such as copper and brass) and alternative materials including resins and acrylics. Cooky is a proud graduate of the School of Serendipitous Learning aka Life! Articles have been published in Altered Couture, Belle Armoire Jewelry, Expression Magazine, Designer Felt and Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry. She is currently working on a series of wall sculptures that include metals, beadwork and Navajo weaving.
 
Brenda Schweder [More Info]
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Brenda Schweder is an artist, author, teacher, creativity coach, and now, inventor of Now That’s a Jig! by Brenda Schweder. She’s written Steel Wire Jewelry (Lark Jewelry & Beading), and Junk to Jewelry and Vintage Redux (Kalmbach Publishing Company). Her designs and fashion jewelry forecasts have been published over 100 times in books and magazines and she is a proud CREATE YOUR STYLE with SWAROVSKI Elements Ambassador. Visit her web sites at www.BrendaSchweder.com and www.Now-That’s-a-Jig.com and catch her on Etsy, Facebook, and Pinterest.
 
Eva Sherman [More Info]
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Eva Sherman began beading as a way to spend time with her daughters but soon became hopelessly addicted. In 2005 she traded her architectural career for the opportunity to spend all her time among beads, and opened Grand River Bead Studio in Cleveland, Ohio. Eva now happily spends most days in the studio creating, writing and teaching, but has been known to take her show on the road. She has discovered an affinity for working with wire and metals, and prefers to design in an organic and unstructured style. Eva and coauthor Beth Martin published Organic Wire & Metal Jewelry in 2014 and are currently writing a second book titled Cool Copper Cuffs scheduled for release in 2015.
 
Deedee Skigen [More Info]
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College professor by day and jewelry artist by night, Deedee Skigen enjoys creating jewelry using non-traditional materials. Her love for metalsmithing, wood turning, and fiber arts led her to found Banyan Bay Studio. BBS serves as a vehicle for her to explore this mixture of art forms and to share her ideas with others.
 
Staci Smith [More Info]
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Staci Louise Smith creates her one of a kind beads and jewelry in many mediums, such as polymer and metal clay. She love to collect unique rock, seaglass and shells, and use them in her mixed media pieces.
 
Kim St. Jean [More Info]
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Kim st. Jean is an award winning instructor,author and jewelry designer. She has been teaching jeewelry classes for 14 years. Kim has been published in numerous magazines and books. She has appeared on several beading/craft television programs and has two books published. Mixeed Metal Mania released Feb. 2011, and Metal Magic,released June 2012. Kim's home base is in Myrtle Beahch, South Carolina, where she and her husband, Norm,own Studio St. Jean. She and Norm spend much of the year traveling across the country teaching classes at bead shows,jewelry schools, guilds, clubs, studio and stores
 
Ronda Stevens [More Info]
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Ronda has been teaching wire wrap design classes in the southeast for the past 10 years at bead shows and local bead stores. She specializes in traditional wire wrap design and loves to see her students succeed in her classes. She released her first book in October 2013 and is co-owner of the Great Bead Escape Retreat which is in its 5th year of introducing attendees to the world of Jewelry Art.
 
Gail Stouffer [More Info]
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Young and oblivious, Gail Stouffer earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Long Island University. Today, older and wiser, Gail is a lifelong-learner who recently completed her Masters of Art Education degree at Texas Tech University. Gail is an enthusiastic adjunct faculty member at The Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, where she teaches glass media as part of the sculpture department. She also teaches workshops in kiln formed glass at Texas Tech University, Junction Campus. At her studio, Roadhouse Arts, in the Texas Hill Country, Gail teaches kiln formed glass, metal clay, and printmaking/design. Instead of sleeping, she serves as the Director of Educational Content for KilnFrog.com, an online resource for kiln education, equipment, and supplies, serving the glass, metals, and clay communities. Always an adventurer, Gail has served as visiting instructor at The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, The Pittsburgh Glass Center, and The Phoenix Center for the Arts, The Las Vegas Glass Craft Expo, and The Fired Arts Academy at Jen-Ken.
 
Susan Thomas [More Info]
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In the past, Susan primarily worked with the weaving of aluminum jump rings and various sizes of rubber rings. After the publication of Link It!Colorful Chain Mail Jewelry With Rubber O-Rings, Susan has expanded into working with seed and Delica beads combined with jump rings. Most recently her work has resulted in exciting projects with the Byzantine weave using multiple sizes of jump rings.
 
Jackie Truty [More Info]
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Jackie has been working in Art Clay Silver for over 14years, and has been the President and owner of Art Clay World USA for over 12 years. She is a certified Master Instructor in Art Clay Silver, and is also a certified New Mokume Gane instructor. Jackie has taught Art Clay nationally and internationally and has published 2 books on silver clay through F&W publications.
 
Liisa Turunen [More Info]
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Liisa threaded her first beading needle back in 1994. Beading as a hobby she went on to become a massage therapist, esthetician, and got her nursing degree in Finland. But in 2006 beads wove her back in. Since then she has spent her time fully submerged in beads! She has been working professionally as a designer and teacher since 2006.
 
Jean Van Brederode [More Info]
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Art has always been a part of my life in one way or another and now is my main passion and driving force. I feel fortunate to have found an art form, enameling, and also making mixed-media jewelry, that brings excitement into my life each and every day. My work is always changing, always a surprise! Having been seduced, empowered, enriched, & invigorated by metals & glass, I happily dedicate myself to creating and teaching others the joys of enameling!
 
Francesca Watson [More Info]
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Francesca Watson is a singer, writer, and jewelry artist living, working in the Texas Hill Country outside San Antonio. Francesca loves to making things, especially if it involves hammers, torches, and rocks - which makes jewelry the perfect medium for her. Shiny things… sparkly things… things that involve metal and stones and glass and wire and heat. In May 2012, Francesca walked away from 25 years in administration and small business management to focus on living a more creative life. She is co-owner and managing partner of Roadhouse Arts Studios + Gallery in Bulverde, Texas, where she spends her days experimenting with new techniques and teaching metals, enamels and jewelry-making. Francesca is also an avid photographer with an emerging interest in mixed media.
 
Donna Weeks [More Info]
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Donna is a self-taught mixed media artist. She has been teaching for over 20 years at art centers, and her studio. Her crochet designs have been published in BeadStyle magazine and their Volume 8 book. Bracelet designs have also been published in BeadStyle and Bead Trends magazines, and in 52 Bracelets published by BeadStyle. Donna's favorite medium is wire which she incorporates into crocheted pieces, faux cloisonne, and polymer clay designs.
 
Jill Wiseman [More Info]
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Jill lives and works out of her home studio in Austin, Texas. When she discovered beading for the first time in 2001, a love affair was born. By 2005, Jill was working full-time as a beading instructor, and designing and selling kits and patterns in partnership with her mother, June Wiseman, as Tapestry Beads - now Jill Wiseman Designs. She was honored to be one of Beadwork Magazine's Designers of the Year for 2013, and is the author of Jill Wiseman's Beautiful Beaded Ropes published by Lark Crafts in the fall of 2012.
 

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