I finished another bead yesterday and this one I decided to put on a ball chain and wear it to work. Lots of people gave compliments on the eclectic design and how colorful it is. I also had quite a few ask me for the meaning of the bead. Meaning? Hmm, I was stumped how to answer that. I just made it because it was fun to do, unique and added joy to my life. Do artists have to have meaning to what we make??
Simply Artistic Pleasures 
It means whatever the questioner wants it to mean, eh! 🙂
An excellent post!
I couldn’t agree more. Sometimes you just have to do things for the joy of the work.
No, we don’t have to have meaning but other’s do. I found when we had our Gallery, that little tags with a story or meaning helped things to sell. Hmmmm…Really nice bead!
Is this made from a sheet of felt wool ?
Hello Rita. Yes, all of the beads I make are created from sheets of felted wool. You can find felted wool on Etsy or Ebay. Thank you for the asking.
Great question! I have asked the same one for many years. Why is it that everything we create has to have a deeper meaning, and that we can’t just create because it makes our heart sing? May be this question has something to do with accountability? Perhaps it’s a sign of a society becoming less spontaneous? For me – I’ll just stick to a happy heart!
Carole
very cool…
I just came by after seeing a link on another blog. I got lucky and got to see your wonderful bead. The meaning – There’s more to life than buying everything made by someone else! I think people don’t know what to say after “I like your bead” and don’t feel that’s enough so then they add something like the meaning question.
That is as hard to answer as “what do you do with it?” when talking about an altered book.
I hope your husband is recovering nicely and you are less consumed with his care. It’s nice to see your art in the L K Ludwig book, too. Congrats.
What an intricate, pretty bead. It would be fun to come up with meanings behind your beads- just as creative as making it maybe.
Thank you for coming by to visit me, and for leaving your kind comment. 🙂
Hi, Marci! I think when someone asks about the meaning of an art piece, they like it and are interested in it and just want to know more about it. They want to have something to share when they tell someone else about it later. It could be something as simple as what you said … “I made it to express fun, uniqueness, and joy”. That is a little “sound bite” that they can pass along to someone else. Love the bright colors and fun fireworks-like design! 🙂
That is probably one of the hardest questions, right up there with ‘how do you think of these things?’
I think it’s just that art happens.
Mary
What a neat idea! I’m a beader but haven’t expanded into using other materials in my pieces … now you’ve got me thinking of other possibilities.
Sally
love it never thought about the meaning just it looked so touchy feely now to use up my odd beads.
I think the meaning is the joy you had in making it – that is certainly enough for me. It’s lovely!
i wouldn’t think there HAS to be ‘A’ meaning…
they probably were thinking of all these ‘meaning’ beads
the spirit beads and luck beads
the gotta have a gimmick to sell things…
selling them a dream seems to be the newest and bestest ‘fad’
i would just call this bead version…pretty
keep it simple
🙂
i saw your name on the layer love channel and i kept thinkng i know this name…
i follow your blog…lol
of course i would recognize your name
sometimes i sure have a moment…
Meaning? Well, of course… It is part of the mystique of the artist, isn’t it?
This piece celebrates spring, the renewal of life, fresh green leaves, flowers, seeds (seed beads…). That was not so difficult! 😉
Whatever the meaning, it is a cheerful piece, full of joy.