Larry Brown
Meet the Designer-Artist
Where do you live?
Brooklyn, New York
What inspires you as a designer-artist?
I am inspired by the beauty, color, symmetry, texture and shapes found in nature. I am also deeply inspired by the style and techniques found in the art of every culture. I enjoy how these elements come together in my own work and in the works of artists of varied backgrounds.
What medium do you work with mostly?
I think it is because I see beauty and am inspired by so many things in life that I create using multimedia. I use beads sewn and woven, fiber, rope, leather, pen and ink (to make abstract drawings), paint and my camera.
Why did you become enchanted with this style of jewelry-making?
Thirty-two years ago, I had a dream that came to me three times telling me to do beads. The third time the dream came, I listened, made my first loom and have been doing bead work ever since. Jewelry, in fact all wearable art, is important to me. Early in my career, I saw the positive impact that wearing something beautiful had on the wearer's spirit and mood. It is my intent to make well-crafted and unique jewelry or wearable art that makes the one wearing it feel beautifully adorned.
Where and how do you sell your jewelry?
I have sold my art in many venues (my studio, galleries, stores, fairs, etc.), donated art to worthy causes and given many workshops on beading, string art and photography. During these workshops my goal was to support young and adult artists to create their own designs.
What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?
What inspired this design?
Kente cloth originates in Ghana, Africa. It was initially only hand woven and worn mostly by royalty. I admire the craftsmanship of the weaver and have been inspired by the complexity of these beautiful designs. Using my bead loom, I incorporated symbols found in African culture and patterns of my own creation. My Beaded Shawl has also been worn as a pastoral stole.
How did it come together?
Kente cloth is a complicated woven fabric revered in Ghana, Africa. Kente cloth appealed to both my love of weaving and bead work. I learned to weave cloth as a boy in an afterschool program. Applying the principles of weaving to beading, I built a loom and, using beads, incorporated elements intrinsic to West African culture and from my imagination into this design. While many of my designs are mapped out with detail before starting, others simply develop organically. This Kente Shawl was a combination of remembering, planning and just letting things happen.