Artist's Statement
Carole Kane
As an art teacher in a suburban public school district, I have a broad background in all areas of the visual arts. My primary focus has been two and three dimensional design. While I teach all areas of art to my students, my personal interest has been in the area of fine crafts. I have designed and marketed original, hand painted, needlepoint canvases and unique handwoven baskets. For the past eight years my first love has been designing and creating beaded jewelry. I find myself drawn in by the color and texture of the beads. Often, I will create a design and then make several variations of the original to see how changes in color will affect the original design.
In addition to Fine Craft and Art Shows in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas, my pieces are currently for sale at several upscale boutiques and art galleries. Among them are 3rd Ward Jewelry, the Milwaukee Art Museum Gift Shop and web site, the Anderson Art Center, and the Racine Art Museum Gift Shop. Many of my pieces are custom made for individual clients.
Do you have special outfit or article of clothing that make you feel good whenever you wear it? Perhaps because it is your most recent acquisition? Maybe it is made of a color that looks great with your coloring? Perhaps it just feels good because it is so comfortable to wear.
Our goal is to create jewelry that makes a person feel special when it is worn. Whether it is a brooch, necklace, bracelet, or earrings you can expect that you will be noticed and admired.
Each piece of jewelry is one-of-a-kind, and individually constructed with the finest of materials. You can be assured that you a wearing an original work of art when you wear a piece of jewelry from Beadwork by Design.
Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is that of my mother showing everyone who crossed her path the little birds in their nest that I had made of modeling clay. I must have been about 6 years old, and she decided then and there that I was a budding artist. From that point on she made sure that I had whatever I needed to develop my art skills. Her encouragement and support is what led to my decision to pursue art as a career.
Rather than attend my local high school, I had the good fortune to be accepted to the High School of Art and Design in New York City . Located in the heart of Manhattan , it was an excellent experience and awakened an awareness of fashion and style that I continue to utilize.
While accepted to attend the Fashion Institute of Design, I chose to take the more traditional route and attained Bachelor's and Master's of Arts degrees from Queens College of the City University of New York. With a major in art, I specialized in 2- and 3- dimensional design. It was here that I learned, in great detail, the elements and principles of design. Perhaps the greatest influence on me were the color classes. I may not have appreciated it at the time, but those exercises in color theory have proven invaluable to me throughout my career.
Upon graduation, I became an art teacher. I was now able share my knowledge and appreciation of good design with generations of students. In addition to teaching others, I have always had a creative outlet of my own. Artists must create and express themselves, or we whither.
Throughout the years I have combined this creative need with function. Whatever my medium of choice, each product is strongly influenced by my background in design.
This has all culminated in my jewelry business. Working with unlimited varieties of beads, gemstones, pearls, crystals, glass, and metals, I create works of art to wear. Each piece is one-of-a-kind, and is imbued with my personal sense of design. With color and texture at the forefront, I manipulate and combine the beads in my own creative manner.
I am pleased and proud to have my daughter Lori as my associate. Having lived with me for 30 years, she couldn't help but be influenced by my love of art. We have traveled the art show circuit together. Together we rejoice in the good times, and endure the challenging ones. I like to think that not only are we mother and daughter, but we are also best friends. I consider myself blessed to have such a talented daughter who shares my love of beads, and the passion to create.
When you wear a piece of our jewelry, you can be assured that you are wearing a work of art that was created with love.