PLATTSBURGH — Bodacious and fabulous works by master-bead artists are featured in "Contemporary Bead Art," an exhibition at the North Country Cultural Center for the Arts through Nov. 29.
Pauline Kanar, who helped organize the show, stopped in again recently just to be with the art. That's something she didn't get to do at the opening reception.
"It's magical," said Kanar, one of the former owners of the Lily Pond, a bead and gift shop, in Plattsburgh. "I understand the response has been so positive. I couldn't be more pleased at all."
MULTIFACETED
On exhibit are more than 80 works by artists who include Jean Campbell, Kelly Angeley, Carolyn Baum, Laura McCabe, Sherry Serafini, Marcia Decoster, Jeanette Cook, Carol Berry, Mark Brower, Liz Smith, Carol Cypher, Jeanette Cook and Hannah Rosner.
It's pretty special," Kanar said. "The bead community was so generous. If it's something that happens again, it will be bigger and better. It's been well received."
The idea for the show was loomed between Kanar and Susan Daul, Cultural Center executive director.
"As I was closing the Lily Pond, we had fixtures and things for sale, and I offered them to the Sue at the Cultural Center," Kanar said. "We got to talking. I said something like, 'People have no idea what is going on in the world of beading. They really have no clue. It's so huge and multifaceted.' We kind of looked at each other. We said, 'Hmmm, maybe we can do a show—'"
SO YUMMY
Kanar solicited people she knew in the bead world. They put her in contact with others.
"Nothing bead-wise is happening in this part of the country. These people get together in Milwaukee and have a bead show that's 10 days long every June. I've only been once. It's just amazing. It's just so yummy. I wanted other people to see what it could be."
What it can be is as out there as "Time Travel Trilogy" by The Lone Beader (Diana Grygo).
"She has taken something and done something completely new with it," Kanar said. "She paints the canvasses and overlays embroidery over that. She's a young, interesting, energetic woman."
Though Kanar tried to recruit men, Huib Petersen is the lone exhibitor of that gender.
"One of the beaders, Suzanne Golden, who makes the colorful, big chunky bracelets, suggested I friend him on Facebook," Kanar said. "So, I did. I think it's cool there's a man. He does such beautiful, delicate work. It's just wonderful. Almost all these artists are on Face book or have blogs and websites. People can start to follow them. Everyone has links to things they like. You can get absolutely lost doing this."
DO NOT TOUCH
On point are the loom works "Opening" and "Embrace," by Laura Willits.
"Each bead is a little point of color," Kanar said. "When you get a different perspective, it looks different than when you're close to it."
"Do not touch" signs are posted throughout the gallery. Fingers itch to stroke the plumes of Diane M. Fitzgerald's peyote-stitched "Amazon Collar."
"She's spent a lot of time traveling to Africa, both teaching and studying," Kanar said. "She's brought back to this country techniques that North-American beaders were not familiar with. She's done a ton of research and written a bunch of books. Most of these women have been shown and published in gallery sections of other people's books. It's just amazing. Diane's been one of the people out in the forefront."
FABULOUS
Melissa Grakosky's "Matrimonial Headdress" is fairy-tale resplendent.
"Wasn't that fabulous—" Kanar said. "I heard one person say at the opening, 'How can you not touch this stuff— It's just too hard not to touch it.' It's kind of true."
The price on Petersen's "A Mermaid's Pleasure" inspires If-I-win-the-lottery purchase yearnings. But others are not for sale, such as Wendy Ellsworth's "Antiqua, Sea Form Series," Carol Perrenoud's "Chauntecler of Cockaigne" and Robin Atkins's "Marriage."
"A lot of it is very personal," Kanar said. "Robin was trying to decide to get married when she made this. She was in her mid 50s and had never been married. Her husband-to-be had never been married. She knew marriage would be a life-altering thing. She said it's just perfectly clear on one side of the bag is a his side and her side and the other side is an us. It's just so interesting. So she married. It was the right decision. That's as personal as it gets."
Beading is perceived as a women's realm.
"The men who came were also fascinated by it," Kanar said. "The men were really impressed with the diversity of the works. When people learn about something, they can learn to appreciate it and value it. A lot of it is very playful. It's celebratory. It makes you feel good. That's the point."
E-mail Robin Caudell at: rcaudell@pressrepublican.com
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