Artist Biography: Before becoming a jeweler, I studied fine arts at Santa Fe College. Throughout the years my oil painting has remained a driving force in my creative life. Now I paint Spirit Beings, Apparitions, and Angelic figures that appear in landscapes with a Visionary flair.
Back in the 80’s a dear friend shared her love of those tiny little glass beads called seed beads and literally taught me everything she knew about Native American style bead weaving. This craft became a career and for several years I practiced the art of bead weaving, traveled the state selling seed bead jewelry and painted faces at art festivals for a meager living.
As with many arts and crafts sharing with others is an important part of the process so in order to feed this passion in a practical way, (like paying the bills), another friend and I opened a bead store. Since 1991, Gifts of Avalon, has been providing Gainesville and beyond with a multitude of beads, jewelry making supplies and a place to learn jewelry design techniques.
By teaching others at my shop over the past twenty years, I have had to become fairly versatile in a wide variety of jewelry construction styles. From seed bead weaving and pearl knotting to Viking Knitting with wire, I have done a little bit of everything. Traditional wire wrapping techniques, sculpting with wire beads and gems, forging metal and Precious Metal Clay/Art Clay are my specialties.
Artist Statement: Luckily for me I love the creative process no matter what the techniques. The ideas just keep coming and the possibilities are endless.
Email: tasavalon@gmail.com
Back in the 80’s a dear friend shared her love of those tiny little glass beads called seed beads and literally taught me everything she knew about Native American style bead weaving. This craft became a career and for several years I practiced the art of bead weaving, traveled the state selling seed bead jewelry and painted faces at art festivals for a meager living.
As with many arts and crafts sharing with others is an important part of the process so in order to feed this passion in a practical way, (like paying the bills), another friend and I opened a bead store. Since 1991, Gifts of Avalon, has been providing Gainesville and beyond with a multitude of beads, jewelry making supplies and a place to learn jewelry design techniques.
By teaching others at my shop over the past twenty years, I have had to become fairly versatile in a wide variety of jewelry construction styles. From seed bead weaving and pearl knotting to Viking Knitting with wire, I have done a little bit of everything. Traditional wire wrapping techniques, sculpting with wire beads and gems, forging metal and Precious Metal Clay/Art Clay are my specialties.
Artist Statement: Luckily for me I love the creative process no matter what the techniques. The ideas just keep coming and the possibilities are endless.
Email: tasavalon@gmail.com
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