Exhibiting Members of the Gallery of the Arts

Jonna Ellis Holston
Kernersville, NC

Bead Jewelry

I'm full time beader and teacher of beaded arts. I picked up my first bead Mag in 2004 and HAD to make one of the projects. Since then most other art forms and hobbies have been left in the closet. Aside from one 2 hour class, I'm self taught.

I'm extremely grateful to be able to do what I love.

I get my inspiration from potters, fiber artists, glass artists, painters, sculptors and DREAMS!

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Artist's Statement

We are people who love God and adorn our bodies. We have done so since before recorded time.

Just as there is one thread
And on it are woven breadthwise and lengthwise
Hundreds of thousands of beads
So is everything woven unto the lord.

- - - - - - -Nam Dev, 14th century


The very word "bead" is from an old Anglo-Saxon word that means Prayer. From the Catholic Rosary to the Mala beads of the Buddhists there is no doubt to the Spiritual nature of the bead.

People have used them for self adornment from time immemorial as ancient burial sites, dating back to 25,000 BCE, show us.

Cleopatra wore them, Geronimo wore them. Czarinas, Shamans and Zulu warriors wore beads.

To me they are spiritual, sensual, comical, beautiful and everything else that is wonderful and good.

Beads are a passion and beads are a bridge.

They allows you to use an African design with a Russian stitch, choose an Egyptian color scheme and end up with a piece that looks distinctly Native American. It's a cross-pollination that bridges gaps of time and culture---- and ancient knowledge nourishes present creativities.

Contact The Gallery of the Arts for more information about an artist or the artwork: 336-793-8000 or gallery@communityartscafe.com

All artwork, images and content used by permissions and © 2010 The Community Arts Cafe, a publication of Salem Music, LLC,
Winston-Salem, NC 336-793-8000