Colorful Bead and Fiber Art
Today I visited the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria, VA.
I had the rainy day pleasure of visiting several galleries, browsing the work, and speaking with several artists. There were two that really stood out in their use of bright color and unusual technique.
Zoya Gutina is a bead artist, making one-of-a-kind wearable sculptures. Three of her works are featured on the Torpedo Factory website. I got the opportunity to see the award-winning Poppy Field Necklace (below) in person, and the craftsmanship and attention to detail were fabulous!
When I asked how long it took to create the piece, her answer was, “months,” and she took the time to show me how each flower was individually crafted, how the base was constructed, and how all the pieces were sewn together. She also has some simpler pieces on display, and has an extensive website at www.mylovelybeads.com from which she sells her designs to customers all over the world.
Another artisan whose pieces blew me away is Ruth Gowell. She has two very different lines of work – woven fiber art and kiln-fused glass. It was the fiber art that completely captivated me, and unfortunately, the photos on the website do not do her work justice!
Ruth has been weaving for more than 35 years, and exploring warp face weave technique since 1978.
Before placing the warp threads on the loom, she hand-dyes them in color progressions of up to 20 shades. There are typically five layers of warp in each weaving – one being a metallic thread. The pieces I saw used clear plastic rods as part of the weft, and these rods were connected to the base mounting board via loops of seed beads in colors that matched the weaving. The result is a stunning, unique piece of wall art. Ruth’s website is at www.ruthgowell.com.
Both of these artisans brought a smile to my face and helped brighten a cold and drizzly day. If you’re lucky enough to visit the DC area, it’s definitely worth a trip to the Torpedo Factory, where you can check out Zoya and Ruth’s recent works, as well as those in the other 80 galleries onsite! 
Hi, dear Liz!
I haven’t expected you would write about me when we had a talk in my studio. Thanks a lot for your extremely kind words! I hope to see you in the studio again!
Thanks! Glad you found the post.
Your work is beautiful.