The young and talented Megan Thomas is one of the contributing Artist for the FOE 13 Project and I would like to introduce her to you all. Enjoy.
What is your name and where are you from?
I’m Meg Thompson. I’m 21 years old from
Australia. My shop name is A Beaded World.
2.
How long have you been practicing your art?
I’ve loved beading nearly all my life, but
have only become serious about it in the last 6-7 years, when I first
discovered bead weaving and then later, in 2011, bead embroidery.
3.
Is beading the only form of art you do or
are there more?
I am slowly trying to
improve my skills in the polymer clay field, but I mainly use clay to make
beads or cabochons that I can’t buy. I’m still dabbling at the stage. I have
also tried my hand at cross stitch, and I do hope to be able to improve that
skill one day, but first and foremost beading is my favourite.
4.
When did you decide to work in this particular media?
I have been seriously beading for
the last 6-7 years. I opened my Etsy shop in March 2011.
5.
What made you decide to?
I fell in love with beadweaving, and then found myself hooked on bead
embroidery. A friend told me about Etsy, and recommended I open a shop there,
so that’s what I’ve done, and haven’t looked back since.
6.
How rewarding has it been so far?
Shop-wise, not very. I have only made 4
sales since my shop opened, and they’ve all been polymer clay cabs/beads.
Although, I have made a few private sales before. Actual Beading –wise, it has
been VERY rewarding. I found I finally have a true passion for something
(beading), in that I can get excited about it all the time and if I could, I
would bead all day every day until I die.
7.
What is your specialty? (What materials, stitches,
techniques etc) do you feel you have mastered so far?
I don’t think someone really truly masters anything (or very little),
as there is ALWAYS something more to learn and explore about any given topic or
technique. However, the techniques I have dedicated most of my time to are:
bead embroidery, bead weaving (peyote stitch, herringbone stitch, square
stitch, some netting, other general bead weaving), and I am well on my way to
“mastering” soutache.
8.
Are you primarily into beading when working in
this field or do you attempt mixed media (using beads and other materials like
leather, fabrics or sculptures etc?
Not
unless Soutache bead embroidery counts as “mixed media.” I mainly work with
beads in the traditional sense of beading.
9.
Is there any one person (artists, friends,
family etc) that has been a big source of inspiration for you specifically in
relation to this field?
There are
several people.
.
If yes, how? And Why?
I got into bead embroidery because I found an AMAZING artist on Etsy
(Kinga of crimsonfrog) who recommended a book by Sherri Serafini and Heidi
Kummli on bead embroidery. I bought the book and that’s how I learnt bead
embroidery. I have since purchased both authors’ own books, and both have
remained a big source in inspiration to me. Other people include several
friends I have made through joining a few beading groups via Etsy, including
the Etsy Bead Weavers Team, and Beaders United (of which I am a project leader
of). Quite a few of these teams members’ work I adore and admire, and they as
artists are a constant source of inspiration.
1.
What is your ultimate aspiration in this field?
I’d love to be able to perhaps write a book
one day, or at least have my work published in one. It’d be awesome to be able
to teach bead embroidery. I have dreams to expand my skills in beading to
creating works of art outside the traditional field of beading (usually seen as
jewellery making), ie, mask making (I have already made one), making bags (I
have made several), doll making, wall hangings, ornaments, etc, as well as
honing my skills in amazing jewellery making. I think, at least just once, I’d
like to make an outrageous piece of jewellery that no one would obviously be
able to wear, instead it would simply be a work of art just for the sake of it
(as I am normally a practical sort of person).
2.
Have you ever participated in any major projects
or contests before?
I have entered into
and won several beading competitions through Australian Beading Magazine and
Empire Beads. Also, in my former bead embroidery group (Etsy Bead Embroidery
Guild-EBEG) I was part of a group beading project this year (2013), in which 12
of us each made a square (some made 2), and each was sent to me, where I
finished off each square, joined each square together into a wall hanging, and
put together the whole wall hanging. I then sent it off the USA where another
team member took it to the Bead And Button show where it was auctioned off for
$200 and the money given to breast cancer.
3. How would you describe the experience,
generally?
The wall hanging was an
amazing thing to be a part of, especially being able to put it all together. It
gave me skills that I never had before, and it was great to see firsthand some
of the work by other bead artists.
4.
Have you ever received grants and awards before,
for your work in this media?
I have
received a few gift vouchers as prizes for wining a few beading competitions
through Australian Beading Magazine and Empire Beads.
5.
Do you think grants and awards are important in
this media?
No, but it does give a
person a public sense of achievement which is always nice. People always like
to have their work acknowledged and admired.
6.
Is this media your primary vocation, your second
job or simply a hobby?
It is a hobby,
albeit a big one. Although I do have an online shop, so I
suppose it is like a second job. I am currently studying Science at University.
7.
If you do sell your work, where can an
interested client find your work to buy? And if you don’t sell your work, will
you be interested in showing your creation anyway?
You
can find me at www.abeadedworld.etsy.com for direct sales, or I can be contacted at
beadazzled.by.megbeads@gmail.com . My blog can be found at www.abeadedworld.blogspot.com which I try to update when I can.
8.
Why did you agree to participate in the FOE 13
project? I wanted to be part of a
project that involved several artists, as this is something that I enjoy and
find rewarding. It forces you to think outside the square.
9.
Tell us more about yourself – anything at all
that you are comfortable sharing. We all want to know our favourite artists intimately as they would let us know them and you are no exception.
I am a science student at University. I am
majoring in Pathology (study of human disease), and I have dreams to be a
medical researcher one day. I am a Christian and I love God, and am I so
grateful that He gave me this gift of beading to enjoy and share. I am the
second oldest child of 4 children, and the shortest J
It has been a pleasure working with and knowing more about the delightful Megan Thomas. Come by soon and see the amazing works by this artist, and get to know how/where her inspirations for each creation comes about. You will love it!.
