Teacher Profiles – Bridget Goodman

BridgetGoodman 

An avid arts and crafts person for several decades, Bridget stopped at a booth that had lots of beading kits at an International Quilt Show. Only one of those three purchased kits was ever completed because she found designing ‘on the fly’ to be her forte’. Intrigued by the beauty of these tiny beads, she started with a square stitch class at a nearby bead store and began to build her repertoire’ of basic stitches. Then she began to combine the stitches and/or explore ways to embellish them. For her, beads took over as the main medium used to play with color, texture, and design as well as offer an alternative for display. You can only put so many floral designs in a home and only so many things can be covered in mosaics, etc.…but there are 365 days every year to wear one-of-a-kind jewelry or adorn others by gifting!

Bridget comments, “Whether sitting by a ‘couch potato’ in the evening or whiling away hours in a hotel room during business travel, the rhythmic stitching of beads together into endless combinations of color and texture keep the hands and mind busy.” Or, she often says, “On first glance, you often think that beadwork is tedious or difficult, but it has unwound many a kink formed from work or commuting stress. I’ve often worked a 10 hour day along with another 2 hours on the road before coming home…then I pick up my beads and find I’m halfway through another bracelet by bedtime and totally relaxed.”

Now, Bridget gets to work from home traveling via internet while providing technical writing or instructional design to many Fortune 500 companies. She has taught several classes at her ‘alma mater’ bead store. Through a move to the Fort Worth area and connecting with us here at The Artful Bead, Bridget desires to continue teaching others. Her experience over the last decade is derived from the many skills she has learned through wonderfully inspired instructors, through the many books, magazines or websites she studies, and the thousands of hours and hundreds of projects completed.

Come and let her share with YOU!

Teacher Profiles – Pamela Ennis

Pamela Ennis
Pamela Ennis recently moved to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area from Salt Lake City, Utah. On a whim, she purchased an inexpensive jig, a pair of pliers and a spool of craft wire.

Since then she has discovered the value of quality tools, high grade metals and fine beads and gemstones. She has been creating wire designs for four years and has recently devoted her focus in traditional and original chain maille designs.

Teacher Profiles – Elizabeth Harkins

Elizabeth has been doing some sort of craft since she was a little girl.  She made her own doll clothes, embroidery and weaving.  She didn’t do any crafts for several years in order to pursue boys, but once that phase ended she once again got into crafts.

She designed quilt patterns for 20 years that were sold worldwide. One of her quilts is on the cover of a college text book on Women’s Studies.  She taught quilting for many years around the Dallas area.

Elizabeth finally opened her own quilt shop.  Since her hobby of quilting became a business, she needed another hobby.  So she started learning beading about 12 years ago. Elizabeth still dabbles in other crafts such as weaving, knitting and spinning, but her main love is beading. Elizabeth belongs to several Dallas area craft organizations.

She and her husband Rick are happy empty nesters living in Dallas along with their German Shepard Sophie.

Elizabeth

Teacher Profiles – Valarie Leland

Valarie Leland has been beading for at least 7 years.  She currently teaches Jewelry Making Techniques, but has taught the Fringe Thing bracelet and the Dancing Leaves lariat in the past.  She lives in Carrollton Texas with her husband, sons, and too many cats.

In a recent bid to appear more like other people, Valarie has adopted the new Artful Bead web site, updating the “What’s New” and class calendar regularly.  While she greatly enjoys it, it doesn’t seem to have helped much with the whole “looking normal” plan.  She has too many beads and cats for that to work.