Joanie Whitehead

Design Idea C75J Necklace

Beautiful Metallic Garden
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Jewelry-Making Contest 2012 featuring Metal
Bronze Medal Winner
Category: Necklace: Wirework, Metal Beads, Chains

Design Idea A8HZ Necklace

Silver Lei
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads 2009 Beading Contest
Finalist

Meet the Designer-Artist

Where do you live?
Dallas, TX

Describe your artistic style.
Elegant and colorful--especially jewel-tone designs

What inspires you as a designer-artist?
I am most inspired by my surroundings, the things I see in nature--a beautiful piece of art, a geographical design, etc.

What materials do you most enjoy working with?
Bead weaving and metal/wire-wrapping. Both pattern and freeform designs.

What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?
Beautiful Metallic Garden

What inspired this design?
I took a class to learn about coloring metal. Then I experimented with many different inks, dyes, and paints. Then I wanted make a necklace and this is it.

How did it come together?
I had a general idea, and I had many of the individual pieces. I had to try several ideas for the base until I decided on the twisted wire base.

Share Your Background

When and how did you begin making jewelry/beading?
I began beading about 1988 when I visited a little bead shop in San Diego. I began taking classes and have continued to bead since. My first beading experiences were with instructors.

Do you have an artistic background?
I have a B.S. in music and have taken many art courses.

How did you discover Fire Mountain Gems and BeadsĀ®?
From beading magazines such as Bead and Button Magazine.

Beading Success

What role does jewelry-making play in your life?
Beading is my passion and I find it very fulfilling. I try to bead every day because I am working to make it my full-time career.

If you used jewelry-making as a way to bring in income, how are you selling yourself and your jewelry?
I have a website--www.joaniesjewelry.com. I have a mini-catalog that I distribute and my friends sponsor trunk shows for me at their businesses. This is my first contest.

View all of Joanie's designs in the Gallery of Designs.