How it all began

I began creating my mixed media box frames in 2019 when I had some pre-loved jewellery and a few pieces of wire in front of me. I thought of a dragonfly and started threading various beads on to the wire until the first Beaded Beastie was born – I used an old Christmas card with a foil finish to cut out some wings and I was very pleased with myself!

You can see it in the photo below left. It has since become my logo emblem after applying a little digital magic (below right).

Beaded Beasties box frames began to appear. Using new and recycled materials – beads, buttons, card, cord, pebbles, raffia, shells and much else. My creations are inspired by real insects but aren’t intended to be anatomically or zoologically accurate.

I let beads suggest the kind of insect they would like to be: a large pearl piece was immediately a spider (below left) but just as suitable for the head and thorax of the Winter Emperor dragonfly (far right). A glass chandelier drop was naturally a black beetle (below centre).

The permutations are endless limited only by my imagination and the materials at hand.

The very first image, Night Flight, is just one artwork that is still available. If you visit the Beaded Beasties gallery you’ll see plenty of other designs, past and present. Each one is unique and cannot be repeated, so you really will be able to possess or can gift something special.

Derrick