Meet The 2009 Bead Challenge Judges

Carol Babineau - Metal Clay Artist – Art Clay Master Instructor

Prior to metal clay, Carol's interests centered on various art forms such as drawing, painting and quilt making. Art has been a moving factor all her life. Art Clay Studio, llc, became a reality in 2005 and has been successful ever since.  Carol presents metal clay classes and workshops in Nashua, NH in a large airy studio in the Picker Building, one of the historic fabric mill buildings in Nashua’s millyard. Her classes are sought after and fresh.

Carol has written numerous articles on metal clay projects, and has published a book, “Metal Clay Beyond the Basics,” through Kalmbach Publishing.

Her work is also featured in these other Artist publications:

Crafts Report Insight: Metal Clay, January 2008

Cover Photo, Art Clay Society Quarterly, Spring 2008

Awards:

2008 Presidential Grand Prize/Third Place/Honorable Mention, North American Design Competition

2007 Honorable Mention, North American Design Competition

2006 (2) Special Achievement Awards from Japan, North American Design Competition

Memberships and Juried Groups:

I am an award winning member of the Art Clay Society, an Aida Certified Art Clay Master Instructor, Juried member of the Dunstable Artisans, a State Juried Member of The League of NH Craftsmen, a member of the Enamel Guild, Northeast, and PMC Certified Levels I & II.

Kathleen Dustin - Polymer Clay Artist

Kathleen has been working with polymer clay since the early 1980s and had to develop many of her own techniques because it was a material with no history as a fine art or fine craft medium.  She is a juried member and juror of the League of NH Craftsmen, the oldest professional craft organization in the U.S.  She has also been a juror for numerous national shows.

Kathleen is originally from western Michigan.  She majored in mathematics at Hope College and spent her junior year abroad in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1972.  There she was introduced to a colored polymer clay product from Germany.  She earned her MFA in ceramics and sculpture from Arizona State University in 1979 and has been a professional artist ever since.

Current living in NH, Kathleen has lived in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Washington, DC, Houston, and has traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean and Russia.

Kathleen's work is represented in the permanent collections of the Racine Art Museum (Wisconsin) and the Wenham Museum in Massachusetts.  Her work has been featured in Polymercafe magazine as well as a number of other publications including American Style, Ornament, and a number of books published by Lark Publications.  She was interviewed on NHPR's "The Front
Poch" in 2005.

Deb Fairchild - Beadweaver 

Deb Fairchild is known throughout the NH beading community as a small bead artist and teacher.  She is well-versed in off-loom and loom weaving techniques as well as related media such as chain maille and polymer clay. 

Each of Deb’s distinctive ‘scarves’ features creative expression of a freeform variation of one or more beadweaving techniques, such as right angle weave, bead netting, or brick stitch.  Each piece is a one-of-a-kind study in color, rhythm, movement, and form.   

Deb is also committed to helping others develop a strong understanding of beadweaving technique and design.  Deb teaches primarily at Bead Bush Studio in Deerfield, NH.  Over the past two years, she has developed an extensive curriculum to encourage new and experienced beaders to probe their creativity and develop their own artistic expression. 

Joy Raskin - Metalsmith, Jeweler & Wireweaver

Joy Raskin has been a silversmith since 1984, and has exhibited throughout the United States, Ireland and New Zealand, showcasing both her jewelry and flatware designs. Joy is a native of New Hampshire, having attended public schools in Manchester and Concord. She was accepted as a member of the League of NH Craftsmen while still in high school. She received her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, and her MFA from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. Joy is an instructor at Metalwerx in Waltham, MA, at Snow Farm in Williamsburg, MA, and at Brookfield Craft Center in Brookfield, CT. Joy also teaches workshops on jewelry making, metalsmithing, wire wireweaving, and various metal techniques at craft programs throughout New England.

"I strive to make designs that are unusual, timeless, and substantial in feeling or weight. I often use precious or semi-precious stones and gold to add color and variety to sterling silver, which is my metal of choice. I use wire weaving to give a unique texture and pattern that allows the metal to show its essence. I am a purist when it comes to metal, and like to allow the natural color of metal to show."

"I endeavor to reinvent new flatware forms and design utensils for specific uses that are not addressed by conventional utensils. Flatware should not only be useful, but should also be a pleasure to use, and even play with. Humor is the predominant element that defines my flatware. I want each piece to make its own statement." Joy has received many awards for her work. She was commissioned by the NH State Council on the Arts to create the Cultural Access Award for the Governor’s Awards in the Arts in 2001. Her work is included in many collections, including the White House and Smithsonian Institution.

Joy's work may be purchased in galleries throughout New England, including the League of NH Craftsmen Galleries, Cordwainer Gallery, Boston Society of Arts & Crafts, Guilford Art Center, Millbrook Gallery, and Cambridge Artist Cooperative, among others.

Susan Sheehan - Glass Beadmaker

Susan Sheehan had been creating all her life.   The day she realized she was destined for greatness was when she had to redo her sewing project the “right way”, according to the pattern. Her short lived seamstress career led to jewelry projects and knit sweaters.  As an adult she learned to cut hair head by head, she sold hats designed at the needle and custom jewelry. Marriage and children didn’t slow her down, she took up photography.  But the ultimate passion has been her glass. 

Finding a medium that continues to challenge and perplex, she strives to create beads that are beautiful and keep jewelry designers excited. Her style is often described as dreamy, soft and serene.  Finding pleasure in the simple properties of glass she frequently showcases a quality.  Sometimes it is the play of light, sometimes it is a combination of colors and sometimes she shows the bold strength of a single glass.

While glass beads are her current occupation, Susan still finds time to dabble in polymer clay, jewelry design, watercolor painting, knitting and writing.  Susan lives in Exeter, NH with her husband and two children.  You can see her work at susansheehan.etsy.com.
 

Alli Nishimura - Stringing

Alli Nishimura has had a passion for beading since she was a young girl.  She learned some of her skills from her mother and soon learned how to read patterns on her own.  Over time, Alli’s creativity and attention to detail has allowed her to expand and perfect her beading skills.  Alli teaches beading classes at The Bead Store & More, and helps other learn new beading techniques.

Dr. Laura Potvin - Earrings

Laura started making and designing beaded jewelry in the early 1990's after taking a beading class with a friend.
This quickly became a passion, and she enjoyed making jewelry for friends and family.  Laura has been making and selling rosaries since 2002.  For the past 2 years Laura has taught classes covering a wide variety of beaded and jewelry techniques-rosaries, necklaces, wired beads and wire clasps at La Mia Felicita in Plaistow.  Laura has participated in juried shows throughout the year.