Grand Mesa collar’s focal pieces are fused scrap glass from a local studio. Helen cut the scrap glass into shapes and then fused them in her kiln to round out the shape. Beading around these black, brown, and beige shapes was a cinch, and the piece eventually grew into someplace reminiscent of her travels to visit family in Colorado.
Earthbound was the very first large-scale piece that Helen had ever beaded. In her past, Helen had dyed fabric and sold it to quilters; those cabochons you see there feature some of her earthy hues, built on button forms and used as cabs. Metal pieces, a few gemstones, and assorted seed beads were stitched in place to create this, one of her favorite pieces. This work is shown photographed with Helen’s bead shop in the background.
Disco Nights was born out of a bevy of earrings Helen had amassed and used during the eighties when she spent many a night dancing until the wee hours of the morning. She refused to get her ears pierced and favored large clip earrings. This collection practically flew onto the foundation, begging to be beaded around in shades of steel, fuchsia, and purple. Outside of her comfort zone, Helen still finds occasions to wear this playful piece.
Bog Knees and Pine Trees was inspired by a trip to the cedar bogs of eastern North Carolina during one of Helen’s forestry classes at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Glass cabs by artist Hannah Rosner are featured.
Desert Museum was inspired by a trip many years ago to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona. The necklace was in response to a call to design with specific beads made by Toho, Preciosa, and other Czech manufacturers. Centerpiece is comprised of dried botanical finds from around Helen’s property, encased in resin and bezeled with Toho seed beads, embellished with Preciosa beads. This was a design challenge for 2025.
When Bison Roamed the Plains is inspired by the native tall grass prairies that Helen and her husband Charles are cultivating on their property in central Ohio. With native plants whose roots can tap into water tables up to a dozen feet or deeper, they stand the test of time and offer food and shelter to myriad animals and pollinators. This piece was a competition necklace created for the Battle of the BeadSmith’s annual challenge in 2025. It is one of Helen’s favorite pieces.
Raphaelite-style paintings can be a great source of inspiration for jewelry! Here we have modern-day necklaces inspired by Renaissance-era paintings.