Find Your Creative Self in the Kaleidoscope of Beads & Color
“Beading and my spiritual path are intricately interwoven. It would be difficult for me to separate the two because they are so completely intertwined with one another. As I sit and weave with my beads, I allow the Creative Spirit to flow through me, and though my hands are doing the work, another force is actively participating in the process. This force is a transmission of Spirit that fills me with deep inner peace and joy as I bead. As a result, the practice of my art form has become a creative path to my sacred center.”
—from the Introduction
Believing that beading is a form of meditation through which we can access the Creative Spirit that is always present in us, master bead artist Rev. Wendy Ellsworth offers multiple ways to explore beading as a spiritual journey of self-discovery. Each of the seven chapters is rich with personal stories, exercises, and beading projects, and each project has a meditative experience to encourage a contemplative spirit and creative play. The project results are beautiful, meaningful symbols designed by a master bead artist for both novice and experienced beaders alike.
Original projects include:
• Geometric Mandala |
• Chakra Flower Sculpture |
“Combines the joy for and the appreciation of the spirit as a life force in beading…. Will serve the reader as more than a primer, it’s a roadmap for the curious and a balm for the initiate.”
—Joyce J. Scott, visual/performance artist and author, Fearless Beadwork
“A remarkably insightful and personal account of the intimate relationship between spirituality and creativity. Whether you do beading, pursue other artistic activities, or are interested in devotional practices, you will find this a powerful and engaging work.”
—Robert Wuthnow, author, Creative Spirituality: The Way of the Artist
“A spirit trek with beads…. This is no coffee-table book or straight-out instruction manual [but] a great read I’d recommend to anyone—especially beaders—who is hungry for a connection with the Divine.”
—Jean Campbell, beadwork artist and author, The Art of Beaded Beads
“A significant work that puts into words the spiritual awareness that comes from the art of beading. It is a guide to understanding where creativity comes from and how to get there.”
—Carol Wilcox Wells, artist and author, Creative Bead Weaving
“Includes fascinating information about the use of beads and sacred symbols in both ancient and modern religious belief systems. I highly recommend [it] to anyone who wants to develop an awareness and a deeper understanding of the spiritual/creative connection.”
—Nancy Eha, beading instructor and author, Off the Beadin’ Path
“Exquisite—in its message and in the projects chosen. Artists in every medium can benefit from Beading—The Creative Spirit.”
—Loretta Radeschi, basketmaker and author, The Business Guide Series for Artists and Craftspeople
Rev. Wendy Ellsworth is an internationally recognized professional bead artist, whose works are represented in the permanent collections at the Museum of Art and Design, New York, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. A frequent contributor to Beadwork and Bead & Button, she also teaches classes at leading craft centers, bead shops, major bead shows, and at gatherings of state bead societies nationwide. Ellsworth is also an ordained interfaith minister.
