Elena Golovchenko - the author of Love Necklace
Third Place Winner in Finished Jewelry category and
Best Use of Materials Award Winner

1. Do you think of beading as of creativity, if so, how do you feel about that?

Like many women, I love crafting. Once I have sewed my clothes and already reached a certain level, knitted, made herbariums of dried leaves and flowers and created pictures from them. I haven't heard about beads for a long time and I'm sorry... I think that beading can be safely attributed as the creative work. And why not? For example, I just like to come up with an interesting shape of jewelry and work on its design.

2. Do you create your beadworks spontaneously or by preconceived designs?

I draw sketches almost always, but not always the end result matches the sketch. There may some new thoughts and details come. It so happens that the result reminds only a hint of an original sketch.

3. Do you have a desire to learn new techniques and try new materials to work with?

Only the knowledge of many techniques allows us to be more mobile in implementing our ideas. I'm still afraid to even come close to frivolite with beads, this work seems very complicated to me. I love new materials - they give new opportunities to try your skills! Recently, there are so many beautiful beads and other materials have appeared, that dazzle!

4. What do you think about copyright issues in beadedwork?

This is a complex issue, and it was discussed many times on different online resources. I think that I have not matured yet to the point when my work is repeated by other artists. And then, for me, beading is a hobby. When beadwork pursues commercial purpose, other laws come into force.

5. Do your loved ones like your passion?

Probably, yes, even though my husband constantly criticizes me and complains that I have spent lots of time on beadwork. The word "beads" in our family is a household name. But deep down he's glad my success. My son always support, praise and offers options for further development, and I'm very grateful to him and always ready for new challenges.

6. Do you watch new jewelry trends?

This is my another favorite hobby: watch fashion shows of contemporary designers. International experience is invaluable in creating jewelry.

7. Do you have a need to communicate with people from the "bead world"?

Of course! When we are together, a kind of zone of high gravity is being formed, new ideas are born, there is an exchange of experiences. Well, we live in times of the Internet, where you can easily communicate with the same enthusiastic people from all over the world.

8. Are you willing to take part in exhibitions and competitions?

Any contest is another step towards mastery, self-knowledge and new discoveries. I love Fashion Colorworks and have taken part in it three times. Now I'm waiting for new triads. It is very interesting to work on the color task and combine seemingly incongruous.

9. Which categories of the Fashion Colorworks do you most like to take part?

It's Seed Bead Jewelry category. I've never entered accessories category and would love to give it a try.

10. What are your plans?

I would like to many things: to visit the exhibitions not only in Ukraine and in Russia, but also in other countries, to surprise even myself by an interesting work, to buy lots and lots of beads and gemstones... Finally, to take part in the Bead Dreams, I've never tried many, many things!

My gallery on MyLovelyBeads.com

About author:

Elena Golovchenko, Lugansk, Ukraine
Email address:	pani-p@ukr.net