Beaded
Glass Art
Madelyn Ricks
This May 2023 Exhibit
features new & vintage creations
The 6 photos below lead to Ricks’ Galleries
Masterly glass bead creations of
Kimonos, Sculptures & flat artwork
Weaving Glass Beads
Ricks’ Weaving of Glass Beads
Weaving Glass Beads – the art of interlocking beads together with thread – is ancient and universal.
Ricks’ designs are a mixture of many different cultures and times.
The technique is peyote stitch named by the US Native Americans.
A very strong multi filament nylon thread is used.
The cylindrical seed beads are high quality glass manufactured in Japan using novel techniques.
Many of the beads are plated with precious metals such as 24 K gold, rhodium, and palladium.
Also used, are silver-lined colored beads to create a sparkle,
making the finished piece look like small dots of colored light.
There are very few artists who work with beads this small (about 300 per square inch) or create pieces with such intricate patterns and colors.
Ricks can make the weave loose, giving the Kimonos a sensual feel.
For her sculptures, the weave tends to be tight and Ricks may use underlying metal or plastic for support (like in Mardi Gras Teapot)
Ricks is one of 36 Artists featured in a 300 pages, 2008 Art Book, Masters: Beadweaving
Published by Lark Books and curated by Carol Wilcox Wells.
The Masters Book Series showcases some of the most notable artists in a particular field.
The chosen Artists combine conceptual, aesthetic, technical excellence and innovation.
Eight pages of the book are devoted to Ricks’ work (pp 176 – 183)
Eleven of her choice pieces are featured, a combination of Kimonos, Sculptures and Jewelry
A photo of the Mardi Gras Teapot is on page 182
Weaving Glass Beads
Ricks’ Weaving of Glass Beads
Weaving Glass Beads – the art of interlocking beads together with thread – is ancient and universal.
Ricks’ designs are a mixture of many different cultures and times. The technique is peyote stitch named by the US Native Americans. A very strong multi filament nylon thread is used.
The Japanese cylinder seed beads are high quality glass manufactured in Japan using novel techniques.
Many of the beads are plated with precious metals such as 24 K gold, rhodium, and palladium.
Also used, are silver-lined colored beads to create a sparkle, making the finished piece look like small dots of colored light.
There are very few artists who work with beads this small (about 300 per square inch) or create pieces with such intricate patterns and colors.
Ricks can make the weave loose, giving the Kimonos a sensual feel. For her sculptures, the weave tends to be tight and Ricks may use underlying metal or plastic for support (like in Mardi Gras Teapot)
Ricks is one of 36 Artists featured in a 300 pages, 2008 Art Book, Masters: Beadweaving
Published by Lark Books and curated by Carol Wilcox Wells. The Masters Book Series showcases some of the most notable artists in a particular field. The chosen Artists combine conceptual, aesthetic, technical excellence and innovation.
Eight pages of the book are devoted to Ricks’ work (pp 176 – 183)’. Eleven of her choice pieces are featured, a combination of Kimonos, Sculptures and Jewelry. A photo of the Mardi Gras Teapot is on page 182