Jewelry Artists

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Lillian Wilson

Meet the Designer-Artist

Where do you live?
Hustonville, Kentucky

Describe your artistic style.
Traditional, hand-beaded Native American inspired.

What inspires you as a designer-artist?
Family, nature.

What materials do you most enjoy working with?
Seed beads, the smaller the better.

Shadow Brave Bag

Share Your Background

When and how did you begin making jewelry/beading?
Several years ago. My husband is a wood carver and we were at a Pow wow in Dover, Tennessee. I asked a gentleman beader that was there to teach me. He taught me a stitch, square stitch, I think. After, I bought books and taught myself many others through lots of trial and error. Since then I have made a lot of progress, sold many pieces at Pow wows across the south east. I love doing large pieces by hand, my largest to date had over 250,000 beads in it, and it is now in a dear friend's private collection.

Who introduced you to beading?
My husband, Gerald.

Do you have an artistic background?

How did you discover Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®?
Through a friend.

What other hobbies do you have?
My grandkids, pets, travel, and nature.

Beading Success

What role does jewelry-making play in your life?
I bead more than I do house work. I sometimes work on a single piece for weeks and can't seem to stop. There isn't enough time for me to bead all the designs I want to do. I find beading to be very calming, as I am disabled it is an activity than I can still enjoy. I don't consider beading a career because I enjoy doing it so much, although I have made money from beading.

We do alot of Pow wows, craft fairs, eBay, Facebook, and MySpace sales. This is the only beading contest I have ever entered.

Do you participate in any charity fundraisers?
Donate to any local fundraisers that ask me.

Any advice for aspiring jewelry-artists?
Don't stop trying new things!

