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