✓ Sept 9 Hills Garlic Festival
The Hills Garlic Festival is held each year on the Sunday following Labour Day. The 26th Annual Festival will take place on September 9, 2018.
Lori Steel is a glass artist living and working in Victoria, BC. When she is not at her torch, she is travelling the world sharing her jewelry with art lovers everywhere.
The Hills Garlic Festival is held each year on the Sunday following Labour Day. The 26th Annual Festival will take place on September 9, 2018.
Generations of locals and visitors have attended and enjoyed a Market where they come face to face with fine BC and Canadian artisans and their work.
One of the joys of the holiday season is the opportunity to say thank you and wish you all the best in the coming year. After a year that was jam packed with live events across the country, I can honestly say it was such a blessing to meet so many wonderful people in person as I did this year. As I count my blessings this Christmas, you are among them.
A tenth century Arab king once said that the Vikings would “go to any length to get hold of coloured beads”. Let’s look at some incredible bead work from the Viking Era to see how their taste in wearable glass beads is not far off from our own.
Last week I wrote about Palaeolithic beads, how they were made, and what they were used for. This week I am completing this topic with a look at the largest site for finding beads from this time period, which is Poverty Point in the lower Mississippi Valley.
Glass beads, like the ones that I make at Dragonfly Organics, represent a relatively new process of bead making (especially when compared to ancient beads like the ones above). In their time they were considered attractive and precious objects, just like our contemporary jewelry, but they were made from softer materials. Let’s have a look at how they used to do it.
Understanding of the process of glass bead making and bead working will give you insight and respect into the cultural influences and the global spread of bead production. Traditionally, the most common techniques in bead making are winding and drawing. Learn all about it right here.
Glass beads tell a story relating to diverse cultures and societies. More than the expression of a desire for ornamentation, beads have historically served a functional purpose as well. Read Part 1 about why glass beads have such cultural significance, then check back next week to learn about how they are made.
Waist beads have a long history in Africa and are worn for various reasons and purposes. Typically worn under the clothes as a private adornment, they can represent womanhood, sexuality, femininity, fertility, healing, spirituality and more.
I would like to introduce you to my process, while you watch this video of me working the summer market at Bastion Square, in Victoria BC! Special thanks to Wladyslaw Labuda and Art Market Art & Craft Sale for their fantastic work.