I grew up in New York City’s Soho district during the artist heyday of the 1980’s. I walked to school each morning passing by many galleries - Paula Cooper, Mary Boone, Leo Castelli, just to name a few.   I observed the innovative materials that were being used and the creative and timely subject matter, which greatly influenced my work.  

 

Watercolor has been my medium for the past 10 years. I accepted a job as a jewelry apprentice and was reintroduced to the world of beading that had previously been only a childhood craft of mine.  After the apprenticeship ended and the shop closed, I inherited thousands of seed beads and thought, now what? 
 

Barak Obama was running for president and I was concerned that he would be defeated in the election. I volunteered my creative ideas and talents to help spread the good word of change. I became aware of the Manifest Hope competition calling for inspirational art in support of Obama.  I was intrigued and excited.  I looked at my piles of beads, and thought, I am going to bead an Obama portrait.  
 

I was one of the 31 finalists, chosen from over 1,000 pieces of art submitted to the Manifest Hope Gallery Contest sponsored by MoveOn.org members and other grassroots artists.  After becoming one of the winners of this competition http://pol.moveon.org/mh/gallery/, I was inspired to create a series of beaded portraits.  
 

My beaded portraits take time, patience and thought.  They create for me an almost hypnotic feeling when I am working on a piece. I can concentrate on only one portrait at a time.  I only create portraits of people that I truly admire since I spend an extraordinary amount of time with each piece of art.  I see these pieces as recognition of the important accomplishments of each person I select.  I have chosen my subjects because of their admirable public and personal traits. Through this intricate and intimate beading process, I am honoring each chosen person. 
 

The artistic process is indescribable, from the meditative quality, to extreme order and rigid process, and the utter elation on the long road toward completion.