Beads of Clay Spotlight Designer of the Week!

Introducing.......................................

Linda Landig

of

LindaLandigJewelry

EVERYBODY WAVE TO LINDA!!!!

Name:  Linda Landig

Business Name:   Linda Landig Jewelry

Etsy Shop:   http://www.etsy.com/shop/LindaLandigJewelry

ArtFire Shop:   http://www.LindaLandig.com

Website:   http://www.lindalandig.wix.com/jewelry

Blog:  http://www.LindasBeadBlog.com

FaceBook Business Page:  https://www.facebook.com/lindalandigjewelry

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LindaLandig

Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/lindalandig/

Flickr:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindalandig/

Created by Linda using a Pendant from Yolanda's Clay

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1. How often do you use artist beads in your work? Who was your first artist bead crush? 

(The artist that inspired you to start using or collecting art beads). 

What is your comfortable price point range for buying an artist bead or bead set? 

What is the most expensive bead you have ever bought?

My first art bead love was lampwork.  I even took a lampwork class from Serena Smith (find her on Etsy) and made lots of wonky, lopsided beads! 

About 6 years ago a man asked me to make a necklace for his girlfriend.  Her favorite colors were yellow and purple.  Do you realize how hard it is to find yellow (not gold-colored) beads?  I couldn’t find anything worthwhile in lampwork, so I went to the BOC blog and started clicking on all the links.  Yolanda’s Clay Studio had a yellow and purple pendant that I liked.  I got it and she was my first art bead crush.  But to say that someone is your first art bead crush is a bit like saying you have a little spot of hives— it soon spreads everywhere.  That’s not to say that ceramic art beads are like hives!  But I will say that I’m always “itching for more”! I have many, many art bead crushes now.

The most expensive art bead I ever bought was a gorgeous, floral lampworked focal bead by Serena Smith.  It was $50.  I buy a lot of lampwork from Radiant Mind now, but Serena’s bead was my biggest splurge.

Earrings by Linda using beads From Marti Conrad

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2. Where is your favorite place to buy art beads? (Do you shop online? In person at bead shows? Bead shops? Large Online Suppliers? etc). And do you use a lot of the beads you buy or just hoard them (and can we see a photo of your art bead stash - we love seeing bead stash pics!)?

I buy most of my art beads online now.  I use a lot of my treasures, but I hoard a lot too.  A few years ago my husband gave me an antique Hamilton printers cabinet for storing my art beads, gemstones and seed beads.  I have one drawer for lampwork, one drawer for ceramics, a drawer for metalwork etc.  I have to admit that the first two drawers are overflowing.  It needs some serious reorganizing.  I could curtail my purchases until my inventory thins a bit, but what fun would that be?

Created by Linda using Raku beads from Duane Collins and 

Fan beads from Golem Studio

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3. What inspires you to create the style of work you make? Do you come up with a design first, then find beads to fit into that design idea? Or do you find a bead or artist object (pendant, button, cabochon, etc) and then create a design around it?

Color and texture are very important to me.  These two elements greatly influence the art beads I choose.  In turn the art beads inspire my designs.  Sometimes I have a picture in my head of where I want to go with a piece, but more often, I set the art bead(s) out on my work table and pull out all the beads I have that might possibly go with it.  It’s kind of like a tactile form of brainstorming!  Then I sort through this giant pile and narrow it down to the special beads that really sing out to me.  I usually design at night and I always stop short of adding the clasp.  Sometimes the morning brings new insights and revisions.  Its lots easier to rearrange a strung design before the clasp is attached!

I am also strongly influenced by the lovely bead artists and jewelry designers that I have come to know online and in person.  I read their blogs, see their designs in magazines and chat with them online.  It’s hard to overestimate the influence they have had upon me as a person and as a designer.

Linda Created this for a Beads of Clay Designers Challenge.

She used a Pendant & beads by Shaterra Clay Studio, Beads by Marsha Neal Studio, Yolanda’s Clay, Golem Studios, and chain & bead caps from Vintaj.

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4. What are your favorite bead-related resources? Magazines, Books, Pinterest Boards, Blogs, Websites, FaceBook, Classes, etc. Do you look outside of the "bead industry" for inspiration? What are your favorite resources there?

I mentioned blogs and magazines above.  My favorite blogs would include, Lorelei’s Blog http://lorelei1141.blogspot.com/ , Beads of Clay http://www.blog.beadsofclay.org/  and  Art Bead Scene  http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/

My favorite jewelry magazine is Stringing. 

I am also inspired by the colors in textiles and by flowers.

Created by Linda using a Pendant by Shaterra Clay Studio

5. What is your favorite color palette to design with? Do you prefer a particular style of bead, button, pendant, etc? What is your bead downfall? You know - the one you just have to have no matter what?

I especially love the colors of autumn and those are my favorite colors to wear.  Deeply saturated colors and unusual but harmonious color combos appeal to me.  I have a few pastels in my shops, but I am not usually drawn to pastels.

Lately my favorite beads are rustic and earthy, with rich textures.  But - and here’s the contradiction – I recently bought some pastel lilac and yellow beads from Marti's Buttons and Beads, because of the unusual color combination and their really unique shapes.

*note TO Linda*  if you ever want to sell this....CALL ME!!!!  

6. What part of the world do you live in? Do you find that you are inspired by things around you every day or do you daydream about living somewhere else? What is your creative space like? Where and when do you find you create your best work (do you watch TV, listen to music, audio books, etc when you create)? What are your favorites?

I live in the Pacific Northwest corner of the United States.  This is a gorgeous part of the earth and I truly love it here, although I don’t know if it directly influences my work.  I think that eventually my husband and I will live here part of the year (to be near my father, our 2 adult children and our grandson) and live part of the year in Mexico or somewhere in Central America.  Exactly how that will work out remains to be seen.

My studio is a spare bedroom in our house.  I dream of it being a peaceful, well organized, creative retreat, but in reality, it is messy and chaotic.  I am a night owl and you can usually find me creating in the wee hours of the night.

7. Do you have any furry friends or family that you are around a lot and they inspire (or distract you) from your work? You are welcome to add photos of them or tell a brief funny story about them and your jewelry designer life and how they intermingle.

Our rescue dog, Chochi, is my studio helper.  He lies at my feet, sniffs the beads I inevitably drop on the floor and begs for food and affection.  My husband is my biggest supporter.  He often steps into my beady sanctuary to see what I am up to and to offer his appreciation of my efforts.

Thank you Linda, for letting us

 into your Creative World!

Please show Linda some love by visiting her stores!

Etsy Shop:   http://www.etsy.com/shop/LindaLandigJewelry

ArtFire Shop:   http://www.LindaLandig.com

Website:   http://www.lindalandig.wix.com/jewelry