“Art is as Art Wears”

         Have you ever wondered just how they make those perfectly rounded and smooth glass beads?  Well, the best ones are made by hand, and I had the opportunity to experience it (almost) first hand.  I watched fascinated as the “bead artist” in front of me took a metal stick and brought it to blue flame over a Minor bench burner (looks like a more sophisticated version of the old Bunsen burners we all loved so much in chemistry class).  She then dug into a glass vase full of long stems of colored glass and put a big drip on the heated stick which is first coated with bead release so the bead can be taken off the stick, that’s what makes the hole.  She expertly wound the molten liquid around the stick as it was melting; how it doesn’t fall off I don’t know.  After the bead was just as she wanted it (a lovely pale turquoise) she then took a clear stick out of the jug and melted a clear coat around the hot bead “it adds depth to the color” she murmured softly, never taking her eyes off of the creation in question. 
         At this point I’m beyond fascinated and deluding myself into thinking I could actually do that and what a cool career that would be etc. etc.  Finally she chose a thick black stem from the magical jug and proceeded to put a row of raised dots around the newborn bead.  “You can write on them and decorate them however you like” she commented.  Voila!  Unbelievably this whole process only took about five minutes. That’s because it was being done by the expert – Liz Celento, owner of Artistic Jewels.  “Keep turning it” she said, “it’s all about gravity and controlling the temperature, keep it on there and wrap it around.  It took me a year to get good enough to sell them.”  
         A majority of glass beads are made in China and they tend to break easily, “you really don’t even know what you’re looking at when you buy glass beads” Liz said.  Personally I think they look like candy, good thing they weren’t loose in a decorative bowl, I probably would’ve broken a tooth.  Liz started making jewelry in 2001 out of her house and her friends went nuts, “It became quite the feeding frenzy” she remarked.  As a result Artistic Jewels has been open for about two years now.
         Artistic Jewels builds pieces that are versatile, can be layered, worn in long or short versions and easily mixed and matched to complement any outfit.  Some particularly gorgeous pieces can go from necklace to belt in a moment; you don’t come across that too often.  Artistic Jewels carries mostly sterling silver and a tiny bit of14k gold.   Liz’s creations are decorated with Swarovski crystals, natural gemstones and (my personal favorite) uniquely appealing Venetian glass.  Slides and Charms seem to stay popular, as they can be added or removed on a whim, and Artistic Jewels has lots of accompanying velvet and leather cords to get you started on your own collection.  Today’s hot trends are shades of black and blue together, green stones and browns have stayed in the limelight.  Currently hand made and asymmetrical pieces are huge and Artistic Jewels has mixed metals and architectural jewelry which Liz describes as “more structured and urban.”  They’ve also gotten into Team Bracelets – hockey charms, soccer balls etc.  Liz says she adores doing one of-a-kind pieces so bring in your favorite vintage jewelry for a facelift.  When I was enjoying the art museum like atmosphere there was an eye catching collection of Antique watch faces from the 1850’s that had been made into necklaces and accompanying pieces.  
         Artistic Jewels design center is upstairs in the open upper loft overlooking the store.  They were working on drop necklaces for a bridal party – a gorgeous deep burgundy with a pale amber drop crystal.  The pieces can be intricate or simple; they’ll put together a sample, and once it’s approved it’s just a matter of how many you want and which exact shade you prefer.  Artistic Jewels does two shows a year, and at Christmas she sells her special collections.  Liz turned down QVC because she doesn’t want to mass produce. “I would much rather make ten different necklaces than one thousand of the same, I’m going to keep doing what I do.  People love to come in and add on to what they already have.”  Liz attends all the trade shows to keep on top of what’s going on. 
         Artistic Jewels will be participating in West Chester’s Old Fashioned Christmas held December 4^th to the 7^th.  You can find coupons on the website along with the latest pieces, so be sure to come in and peruse the rest of the collection.  Liz’s unique jewelry is displayed museum-style on the walls in glass cases.  If you find a bead you really love she will make one to match it.  If say, you have a piece that you would like better if it were something else, Artistic Jewels can turn it into something you will treasure.  Forgive me Mr. Celento but I just have to share this story – Liz decided to come up with the whole wish list thing after telling her (adoring) husband that she wanted a necklace for Christmas.  After a moment of silence came his perplexed reply:  “but you already have one.”  That story having been shared – keep in mind that Men’s night is a great destination for Christmas shopping – just have the little lady fill out her wish list and give you guys a fighting chance of getting what they  really want.  Yep, must be Christmas.