Opening this gorgeous hunk of a book is like walking into a high-end jewelry gallery. There are 500 full-color photographs of beaded jewelry--necklaces, rings, bracelets, pins and earrings--created by 275 artists with beads, wire, filament, and fiber. Some of the artists are well-known to beaders, like Carol Wilcox Wells and Diane Fitzgerald, and some not-so-well-known, with their work published for the first time. This makes for a heady blend of inspiration, ideas, and expression. Editor Hemachandra selected the 500 beaded objects from submissions by 360 artists from 30 countries. To his credit, no single style-bead weaving, bead embroidery, bead stringing-gets short shrift. The photography is of high professional standards, no Instagram shots by amateurs posted to Facebook, and is also instructively illustrative of the beadwork, offering closeup shots that will help the aspiring bead worker reproduce some of the techniques.” --Publishers Weekly
“Author and juror Ray Hemachandra has undertaken the monumental task of putting together a collection of beadwork from bead artists all over the world and turned it into a tribute to the craft of fine beadwork, written in the voices of those whom it is actually meant to recognize. As a source of inspiration, this is one book that you'll find yourself coming back to, over and over again. The colors, shapes, textures, materials, and techniques used in the beaded jewelry will have you looking at your own beaded jewelry design ideas in an entirely new way. It is a book in which you can easily lose yourself, only to come back with a fresh perspective on the age-old techniques of beading and beadweaving.” --Beading Daily
“Do you love jewelry? Beautiful beads? Are you like a kid in a candy store at the sight of colorful, wearable art? Yes? Well, have I got the book for you! Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry takes you on an inspiring visual journey. This breathtaking gallery book from Lark Jewelry & Beading celebrates beaded jewelry with a dazzling kaleidoscope of eye candy from innovative artists all over the world. It is simply delicious!” --Rook No. 17 blog
“A beautiful and vast array of beaded jewelry. All of it is good. All of it is inspirational and amazing. I recommend it 100% to anybody who loves beads, even if you don't choose to make beaded jewelry. There's so much about art, about color, about design, and about the beads themselves to be gained from study of these 500 pieces.” --Robin Atkins, Beadlust
“Classic to modern, organic to geometric, the pieces in this art book truly showcase what is possible within the medium of beading. Filled with many different styles and techniques, no matter what your beading area of interest you are sure to find plenty of favorites.” --Craft Gossip
“Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry introduces the wonderfully talented artisans that take these tiny spherical forms and create magic. The finished pieces are glorious. Beadweaving, bead embroidery, and bead stringing are some of the methods embraced to produce these amazing body and hand adornments.” --Society for Midwest Metalsmiths
"This book is like window shopping for the artistic mind, whether you plan to simply enjoy the beauty on each and every page or if you are looking for ideas to kick-start your next project. This is not a how-to book; it is a handheld museum of fabulous master beadwork, so take your time to peruse each piece slowly and enjoy the detailed intricacies woven together from the smallest pieces. A truly gorgeous book!" --Scorpio Moon Jewelry
