Artcetera: A brief encounter, and a new 'bead lady' is born

Moments after being in touch with Lydia Chojnacki, who introduced herself as "a kind of bead lady," close to 6 months ago, I have focused on learning as much as I could about beads -- their history, their size, shapes, origins and their possibilities.

I looked forward to adding a dimension to my understanding with the medium by actually meeting up with Chojnacki and the five other women -- Carol Geraghty, Caroline Alderman, Linda Raih, Maxine Oliver and Nancy Apy -- whose work is now fully installed in the Art League of Hilton Head Gallery.

Each woman knew the work of the others, appreciated, and respected their processes, and anxiously filled in any descriptions the artist might not have shared, as she described her work. Each was also pleased to talk about her own work.

Artistic work is a total life focus for each. Though a couple of women are employed outside the home and others are involved in important volunteer work, their bead work is not something they do to fill in their leisure hours nor a fleeting hobby based on buying a bag of random beads at a local art fair and stringing them up on a thread or a wire.

These women are fully committed to their artistic careers and equally committed to each member of the group.

One said that beading and the associated processes can be a kind of solitary activity, but that the beauty and blessings of the group is that they have an opportunity to be together, to talk about each other's work and to encourage one another. Who better to understand their need for support during a particular challenge or to celebrate a success?

I made the mistake of the uninitiated by asking one of the women how long it took her to create a very elegant evening bag. The color was what first caught my attention. It was a kind of aubergine crossed with royal purple.

She was too gracious and did not roll her eyes, nor did the others. They all helped me understand that whatever the project, it wasn't about their personal investment of time, money, difficulty, or even, apparent impossibility. It was about achieving exactly what each had imagined in her mind's eye.

Each has committed to be at the gallery on different days, doing demonstrations, offering close up looks, naming the metals, the precious and semi-precious stones, the kinds of beads, their sizes, their shapes, even the country of origin.

It just doesn't get any better.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: "For the Love of Beads: Jewelry and Beyond," featuring the bead artistry of six members of the Art League of Hilton Head,

WHERE: 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

DETAILS: www. ArtLeagueHHI.org843 681 5060

Artist, musician, teacher and writer Nancy K. Wellard focuses on portraying and promoting the cultural arts, first in Los Angeles and, for close to 30 years, in the Lowcountry. Email her at nancykwellard@gmail.com.

This story was originally published December 10, 2015 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Artcetera: A brief encounter, and a new 'bead lady' is born."