Polyhedral Beading

May 04 Sat

Workshop

3:00pm - 6:00pm @ The IFF

Beaded buckyballs by Kathryn Harris. Photo courtesy the artist.

Join us for a workshop to learn how to bead polyhedral structures. Conducted by master beader Kathryn Harris from the Fiber Studies program at San Diego State University, this one-off workshop will provide an introduction to the art of making platonic solids and other polyhedral forms from beads. We will start by making pyramids and cubes and then progress to more complex shapes, such as spheres, hoops and barrels. These small sculptures can function well as jewelry, hung on chords as pendants or arrayed into necklaces and bracelets. Equally they can be enjoyed for their mathematical beauty and the workshop will entail a discussion of the geometry behind the famous “Platonic solids”. Experienced beaders and novices alike are welcome. No prior experience is necessary.

Suggested Door Donation: $15. All materials will be supplied.

Please RSVP to anna@theiff.org

You are welcome to bring your own beads. Beading tools will be supplied; but please bring your own needle-nosed pliers and wire-cutters if you have them.

Beaded cubes by Kathryn Harris. Photo courtesy the artist.

The sculptural fiber work of Kathryn Harris has been exhibited nationally and internationally. It has been documented in publications such as The Art of Beadwork by Valerie Hector and two books by Arline Fisch, Crocheted Wire Jewelry and Textile Techniques in Metal. Kathryn teaches classes in Fiber Construction and Surface Design and heads the Fiber Studies program in the Department of Art, Design and Art History at San Diego State University.

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Beaded polyhedra by Kathryn Harris. Photo courtesy the artist.

EVENT REPORT:

Beading platonic solids turned out to be an extremely satisfying, if technically challenging experience. Once we got the hang of wire threading, participants quickly turned out miniature models of tetrahedrons, cubes and octahedrons. Some tackled the challenging icosahedron and a few people mastered the dodecahedron. Harris wore an elegant red bugle bead pendant designed in the proportions of a “perfect cut” diamond, whose geometry is carefully calibrated to maximize the stone’s property of complete internal reflection. Harris explained that it is her substitute for the real thing: “I love diamonds,” she said, “and this is a way to avoid the blood diamond trade.”

Polyhedral beading workshop at the IFF, May 2013.

Kathryn Harris wearing her “perfect cut diamond” necklace at the IFF.

Perfect cur diamond pendant made from bugle beads and wire by Kathryn Harris.