Betty Cox Meet the Designer-Artist

Where do you live?

Recently relocated to Delaware, Ohio

What medium do you work with mostly?

I work with seed beads mostly. I use bead embroidery mostly with lots of focals and Czech, Toho and Miyuki beads mostly. The basis for my work is stiff felt so I can stitch in my bead work.

Why did you become enchanted with this style of jewelry-making?

I became influenced by other bead artists through their publications and the versatility and the availability for expression and uniqueness.

Where and how do you sell your jewelry?

I have sold through Facebook, Etsy and shows. A lot of teaching, exhibiting nationally and internationally.

What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?

Allie's Feast

What inspired this design?

Allie's Feast was a piece that took many weeks and probably an intense 6 months of beading. She is a beaded alligator skull that I had purchased from Florida. The skull was shipped to me. I wanted to be the first one to bead this skull.

How did it come together?

Did I plan her? Yes and No. I planned the colors and tried to make her as realistic as possible. I used Apoxie clay for the eyelids.

Into the Flame was a planned piece to an extent. The face created by artist Bev Choy inspired me. Her orange and red hair made me think of fire. This piece includes a few polymer clay moths surrounding her face. Moths are attracted to light and this piece depicts the fires in California that I had experienced while living there. This piece is beaded in a freeform beading style, back stitching. There was planning involved but the beading was freeform!