BeadXilla: a.k.a Myra Erickson
Original, One of a Kind, Jewelry Designer.
Welcome to my beaded world! I came to beaded jewelry with an art degree and blocked up, stifled creativity. Spending years feeling I was not able to express what I saw in my mind's eye, a friend taught me her version of freeform necklace making. I could create again!
After taking a basic class in using crimp beads and being introduced to the tools of the trade, my work stopped breaking (Yeah!) and I started to find an audience. Starting out, I'd saturate my mind by looking at the fantastic array of beading magazines available, then practice new techniques until I was their master - and not the other way around. Six years later, by combining a multitude of stitches and the colors of the rainbow in semiprecious stones, crystals and seeds its easy to find inspiration for new work.
It's all about the joy of play! - allowing little piles of colorful beads to sit on my bead board until something stirs and I see the patterns they will become.
I decided to set up a tent outside and invited 10 friends to come with their broken and unwanted jewelry -- I supplied the findings and seeds and taught both simple peyote stitch and wire wrapping to those who needed something fast and satisfying.
One winter while enjoying a booth at the Flying Monkey Saturday Artists Market, the idea struck to teach a class at the Lowe Mill, in Huntsville Alabama, for beginning peyote stitch bracelets. It ended up needing 2 classes! Never underestimate the time needed to make mistakes and to take them apart so something more wonderful can be built. Telling students to stop, take a breath and believe in their own creativity has become the foundation for everyone I teach. Sometimes all would-be artists need is the encouragement to try without worry of "failing"! If you have spent the afternoon beading and having fun, you have "won"!
Staying open to displaying in new places - a BeadXilla show was held in a law firm conference room. I've taught classes in advanced techniques at "The Bead
Biz" a fantastic store where everything a beader could ever dream of needing was readily available to buy! A special friend and customer generously opened her home so others lacking holiday funds could make something pretty to give away. Chatting and munching, the 20 or so of us made earrings and necklaces until the bells jingled! What a great creative opportunity!
BeadXilla is an "X"-illerating combination of semiprecious stones, crystals and woven seed bead pieces. Catch the monster creativity of this one of a kind, handmade, intuitive, luscious and lovely Wearable Art!
Just beware of the bead envy that's bound to stir the senses when you wear BeadXilla. Intuition, as well as seasonal color sense, inform the work.
Semi-precious birthstones also play a major role in design development. BeadXilla makes a great gift for mother's day, holidays or anytime a friendship needs to be celebrated. Ideas often come in sets so you can always add to a collection started.
An informed customer is a happy one and its a promise to always include a detailed description of the components of each piece. Jewelry is a feel good thing. Come back often to be "X"-ilerated!
"Never limit your Muse! Wear something great today and allow Art to happen in your life!"
"Thanks for stopping by!!"
Upcoming Shows (will be posted soon!)
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