SPOTLIGHT ON ... DESIGNER
December 2006
Our featured designer for this month is Anne Madison.
My vocation for creating rosaries and prayer beads grew directly from
my passion for the beads themselves. I'm always inspired by the fact
that the word "bead" comes directly from the old English word for
"prayer." The rosary's structure, with its specific numbers and sizes
of beads arranged in a prescribed pattern, is a framework, like a haiku
or a sonnet. Within that structure I can use any beads I choose to
evoke a mood, to illustrate a Scripture verse or hymn, or to
contemplate a truth. Although there are specific gemstones (most
notably onyx, amethyst, lapis, amber, and coral) associated with
rosaries, I have developed my own symbolism. For example, the earthy
hues of moukaite jasper are symbolic for me of the bread and wine of
Communion. Fancy jasper evokes the beauty and diversity of the world
and its people. Jade, with its strength and enduring beauty, symbolizes
the Eternal. I also enjoy using seeds, nuts, and other durable natural
materials as well as materials that are regarded as sacred or
historic--olive wood from Bethlehem, sacred bodhi wood from India,
Hebron beads from Israel, Kiffa beads from Mauretania, and of course
trade beads from all over the world. Vintage and antique beads often
find their way into my work.
Beads have been my abiding interest for well over twenty years. During
most of that time, I earned my living as a computer systems engineer
and consultant, specializing in networks. I was away from home for much
of that time, traveling each week to a job site in some distant
location. Working with beads gave me the chance to emerge from the
space inside my head and to work with something both concrete and
beautiful, and I developed a collection that included gemstones,
antique and vintage beads, and my special favorites--trade beads. I
began making rosaries in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001.
On that day, I broke my own rosary, and it occurred to me that I could
use beads that I had on hand to create a new one for myself. A work
layoff during that time provided me with the time and space to begin
cultivating a new business and a new life. The Web has provided the
perfect venue for showcasing my work, but I can also be found at local
shows.
A long standing client once wrote about my work: "Everything is
handmade and to order: there's no sense of a factory at work, just a
skilled and devout craftsman... I will deal with her again in a
heartbeat." Although those words were written several years ago, I
still try each day to bring that thoughtful, unhurried approach to my
worktable.
It did not take me long to discover that rosary makers have adopted
Soft Flex as an excellent alternative to the traditional
chain-and-wire-loop rosary constructed with eye pins. What happened to
my rosary on 9/11 happens all too often; a wire loop works loose and
suddenly the rosary is in pieces. By stringing the beads on Soft Flex,
and adding an appropriate number of small beads to separate the larger
ones, a very effective and durable rosary can be constructed. A further
advantage is that a bead worker with minimal skills and only a few
tools can create prayer beads that are a uniquely personal expression
of faith. Although I am an Episcopalian, I derive great satisfaction
from creating prayer beads for all Christian faiths, including
traditional Catholic rosaries, Anglican beads, Orthodox chotkis, and
the Lutheran "Wreath of Christ." I have recently stepped outside my own
spiritual path to create a set of Juzu, Buddhist prayer beads, for my
brother. Prayer beads are truly universal.
Captions for rosary designs shown above
Design 1: This Anglican rosary is called "A Hunter of Peace." The
smaller beads are kyanite. The larger beads are Canadian nephrite jade
capped with sterling silver. The sterling silver cross was recast from
an antique original by Equatoria.
Design 2: This traditional Catholic rosary is called "Cor Jesu,"
or "Heart of Jesus." The small beads are Akoya saltwater pearls from
Japan. The large beads are vintage Czech glass capped with sterling
silver and tiny rose freshwater pearls. The sterling silver crucifix
will be familiar to many Catholics as the much-loved "pardon crucifix,"
while the lovely center medal was recast in silver from an antique
original by Catholic Rosary Parts.
Design 3: This Anglican rosary is called, simply, "Mary of
Nazareth." The large beads are of particular interest; they are Kiffa
beads from Mauretania. These beads are made only by women, for women.
The process involves grinding the various colors of glass by hand and
hand-decorating the core of each bead. The beads go through a
succession of firings over a charcoal fire. This is an excellent
example of a rosary that could only have been made using SotFlex, as
the holes of the beads are far too small to accommodate metal wire. The
smaller beads are Burmese jade in a soft, sunny yellow.
Design 4: This piece, using peach aventurine and denim lapis, is
a prayer chaplet, or small rosary, dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Ordinarily a crucifix or a medal depicting the Virgin would be
suspended from the chaplet. Because roses form such an integral part of
the miracle at Guadalupe, I have chosen instead use a magnificent Hill
Tribes sterling rose, dipped in gold.
Anne Madison, Atelier-Beads
www.atelier-beads.com
anne@atelier-beads.com
