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Theme:
Earthen Mother

"The mirror reflects more than my hands can feel.
Lines, edges, shadings, a weariness under the eyes, an awkward stance.
Yet, not reflected is a certain vibrancy --
a compassion and wisdom and wonder so many people rely on.
Only you, my beaded art doll,
capture the fullness of me as I age in place .
You embody changes I want to make, so I aptly name you…"

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Sponsors:
Land of Odds
Be Dazzled Beads
The Center for Beadwork & Jewelry Arts
The Open Window Gallery

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Click on
each artist's name
to see their gallery of doll images and read their story.

After reviewing the work of each artist,
Evaluate and Score
[Voting ends 1/15/10]
their beaded art dolls, in terms of

1. INSIGHT:
The Bead Artist’s inner awareness and powers of
self-expression through sculptural beadwork

2. TECHNIQUE(S):
Creativity of the artist in using various
beading stitches, as well as creating the doll's form.

3. VISUAL APPEAL:
The overall visual appeal of the doll.

4. QUALITY OF WRITTEN STORY:
How well the written short story enhances
an appreciation of the Beaded Art Doll.

[Please be patient -
These artist pages are graphics intensive
and will load slowly]

About the contest...
This year's (2009) contest rules are found here.

Share your reactions, opinions and thoughts
about our Beaded Art Doll entries,
or about the Contest as a whole, on our blog.

Ralonda Patterson
Decatur, Texas
“Willow”

"You were not always as you appear this day. You were fearful and lonely. You turned to learning for a safe haven, a place for you to be acknowledged in a positive light. Then sprang the hunger to be taught, a desire that was placed within the seed from which you sprang. Your roots began to thrive in the fertile soil that had been plowed by your ancestors’ faith. They grew deeper and had tapped into the eternal spring of the Spirit and from it came an understanding….

Now with such poise, you stand in the garden while showers of blessing rain down. You are forgiven and redeemed, a most beloved creation of the Heavenly Father. He gives you rest from your enemies and an eternity in the most beautiful garden of all.”

[Story continues...
with more images, details
and voting form ]

Cathy Helmers
Dayton, Ohio
“Aikatrine”

"You embody changes I want to make, so I aptly name you Aikatrine, meaning each of the two….

Life-giver, life-taker.
powerful, fragile
serene, chaotic
forgiving, harsh
Compassionate, rageful

…But Aikatrine has no time for self-reflection.
She is busy with self-regeneration."

[Story continues...
with more images, details
and voting form ]

Dot Lewallen
Westerville, Ohio
“Rachel’s Dream”
Runner-Up

"I close my eyes and am transported to a dream world. My fingers tingle with a sound permeating the forest as my ears hear the sharp crackling of the pine leaves I step upon. My nose is being teased with a plethora of smells dancing and embracing with a promise of more if I would follow deeper into the woods….Mother Earth takes time to heal one small flower…

Then I am awake lying in my own bed….I touch the place where the dream woman had kissed me, and can still feel the moisture from her breath. I know this woman. I’ve seen her before….The woman was Rachel Carson the author of Silent Sprint, and I had followed her into her dream….

We should all take the mirror we see ourselves in, wipe away the fog, and view our beautiful World with a childlike thrill….”

[Story continues...
with more images, details
and voting form ]

Joan M. Cromley
Sedro Woolley, Washington
“Yamka Wuti Kachina (Flowering Woman Spirit)”

"As I sit here and prepare you for your future, you represent not just me, but also my mother, my daughter, all the women of the past, present and future….As the sacred Bead Keeper for the women of our village, my job is to perform the ceremonies and rituals in creating our precious beaded treasures. …

Just as my mother made my kachina for my puberty rite, so I am making you for my daughter. When she comes of age and goes through the Beadway Blessing, you will remind her of all the things she has within her, and all the things she can call on as a woman…."

[Story continues...
with more images, details
and voting form ]

Vera Fox-Bond
LaVergne, Tennessee
“Ta Dah”
Vera's doll is for sale through
The Open Window Gallery
$2500.00
615-292-0610

"I shall tell my story through TA DAH or TA for short. TA had been to the beauty shop for a new perm and the latest gossip. Her curls turned out to be a bit much and she stepped on bubble gum on her way to the car. What a day! Upon arriving home, TA looked in the bathroom mirror at her new do and the mirror changed her life and mine forever….

…Don’t discard the older things of this world as they contain their own kind of beauty, wisdom and peacefulness…."

[Story continues...
with more images, details
and voting form ]

Kathy Ford
Deep Gap, North Carolina
“Jolyma”
Winner

"As a child you spoke to me from mud as I sat at the far end of the garden patting earthen cakes between my palms. And how luminous that mud like the color of your skin could be. Chocolate, gold and olive green the fertile soil in which you breathe. Life survives and thrives in your rich ground….

…In this guise she embodies life as celebration. My life as celebration. "

[Story continues...
with more images, details
and voting form ]

On-LINE RESULTS (count 25%)
Voting Ends 1/15/10

SCORE 1 Excited

SCORE 2 Pleased

SCORE 3 Neutral

SCORE 4 Displeased

SCORE 5 Definitely No Way

Please vote/evaluate only once for each beaded art doll.
The on-line votes will be tallied and used to adjust
the original votes of the Panel of Judges at CBJA,
in the selection of a winner. The public's votes will
weigh towards 25% of the final tally in selecting
the Winner and Runner-Up.
These final tallies will be posted on 1/15/10.