Popular Bead Artists

Betsy Youngquist Surreal Bead Encrusted Figurines

Betsy Youngquist’s bead-encrusted figurines stand at the curious intersection of surrealism, mythology, and intricately detailed craftsmanship, creating a body of work that is both fantastical and deeply human. Based in Rockford, Illinois, Youngquist has developed a singular artistic voice through her mastery of mosaic and beadwork, transforming discarded objects, antique dolls, and sculpted forms into …

Baroque Pearls Meet Seed Beads in Designs by Tia Dalma

Tia Dalma, a Trinidadian-born bead artist whose work fuses Caribbean mysticism with European ornamentation, has gained acclaim for her masterful pairing of baroque pearls with intricate seed beadwork. Her designs, which feel at once decadent and grounded, ritualistic and regal, reflect a unique sensibility shaped by the layered histories of the Caribbean. Drawing inspiration from …

Textiles to Pixels Bead Pixel Art by Sabine Lippert

Sabine Lippert, a renowned German bead artist and author, has long been admired for her architectural approach to jewelry design, especially in the realm of structural beadweaving. Yet one of the most conceptually fascinating and visually innovative threads in her expansive body of work is her bead pixel art—a technique that bridges the tactile heritage …

The Dreamcatcher Mandalas of Bead Weaver Carol Cypher

Carol Cypher, a widely respected bead artist, author, and educator, has captivated the international beading community with her intricate and mesmerizing dreamcatcher mandalas—circular beaded works that blend the spiritual geometry of mandalas with the cultural symbolism of Native American dreamcatchers. These pieces exist at the intersection of protective talisman, meditative artwork, and technical marvel. Known …

The Botanical Dioramas of Beader Margaret Zinser

Margaret Zinser, an artist whose precision and imagination have placed her among the most innovative contemporary beaders in the United States, is celebrated for her meticulously constructed botanical dioramas. These intimate, jewel-like tableaux are much more than decorative arrangements—they are sculptural ecosystems, immersive in their detail and scientific in their accuracy, yet tinged with fantasy …

Baule Brass and Bead Masks by Koffi Mensah

Koffi Mensah, a master sculptor and bead artist of Ivorian heritage, has gained international acclaim for his transformative approach to traditional Baule mask-making. Drawing from the rich aesthetic and spiritual lineage of the Baule people of Côte d’Ivoire, Mensah’s signature creations—the brass and bead masks—reinvigorate one of West Africa’s most iconic art forms. His works …

Glass Loom Weaving with Beads by Carol Milne

Carol Milne, an internationally acclaimed sculptor and glass artist based in Seattle, has pioneered a unique method that merges the structured world of textile weaving with the fragile elegance of glass, further enhanced by the addition of meticulously integrated beads. Her work in glass loom weaving with beads is an extraordinary technical and conceptual breakthrough, …

Nigerian Royal Regalia Beads by Prince Toyin Ogunlade

Prince Toyin Ogunlade has become one of the most important contemporary figures in the preservation and advancement of Nigerian royal beadwork traditions, particularly those associated with the Yoruba and Benin royal courts. As both an artist and cultural custodian, Ogunlade’s bead artistry does more than embellish—it embodies dynastic memory, spiritual authority, and the continuity of …

The Gothic Romance of Bead Artist Sarah Shriver

Sarah Shriver, a revered figure in the world of polymer and bead artistry, is perhaps best known for her hypnotically complex canework and millefiori techniques. But an equally compelling and distinct facet of her work is its deeply Gothic romantic aesthetic—an atmosphere of shadowy elegance, rich ornamentation, and historical nostalgia distilled through miniature forms. Shriver’s …

The Beaded Origami of Cindy Holsclaw

Cindy Holsclaw has carved a unique and celebrated space within the world of bead artistry by pioneering an entirely original hybrid of mathematical structure and handwoven beauty: beaded origami. This technique, which she developed through years of experimentation and formal scientific training, reimagines the ephemeral art of paper folding in the permanence and precision of …