Eva Maria Keiser:
The Fashion Colorworks Beading Contest hosted by Zoya Gutina of My Lovely Beads is a wonderful venue for creative artistic expression with emphasis on use of color. About 100 entrants participated in the spirit of design, color, and original works. Congratulations to Zoya Gutina's contest and the very talented entrants!

Anneta Valious:
When I was invited to be a member of the Fashion Colorworks Jury, then agreed without hesitation, it was honor for me. At the same time, I was very worried whether I could manage this task, if I have any right to judge craftworks of other masters? This question is still open... But my worries were in vain. Evaluation system based on five criteria on a scale from 1 to 10 is very thought out and easy to use. Furthermore, the overall rating is based on the assessment of all jury members, and all this virtually eliminates the negative effects of subjective opinions and preferences.

Therefore, getting a little calmer, I began to consider the submissions and was impressed by diversity of ideas, forms, and techniques! In the Beaded Jewelry category I was very pleased to see the work done at a very high level not only in bead embroidery, but also in beadweaving. It is worth noting gorgeous soutache items. It's very nice to see this type of bead embroidery develops and finds new fans. I was particularly impressed by beadworks in Beaded Objects And Accessories category, by their skillful combination of different techniques and original ideas. Some of beadworks are simply breathtaking!

Patrick Duggan:
Back in October 2013 Zoya Gutina asked me to be a juror in the 2014 Fashion Colorworks Beading Contest saying, "I'm sure your precise vision and rich experience will help make the contest interesting." I was flattered and surprised Zoya saw my beading in such a light. To me, I am just a guy who likes to play with shiny things. I agreed to being a juror, not really knowing what to expect. I have recently participated in the judging and again had doubts as to my ability to be sitting and rating some pretty amazing designs. Believe me, I was feeling totally unqualified for this task.

As a juror we had to rate on a scale of 1 to 10 such questions like: Color Combination, Composition, Originality, Use of Techniques, Use of Materials and of course Overall Impression. That was a great help as well as a lot of questions to ask and answer on each design.

I am predominantly a bead weaver, I am not one for soutache nor embroidery designs and didn't feel qualified to be rating those entries. However after sitting and thinking about why I was asked I realized I do have an aesthetic and I do know what appeals to me and what doesn't. I certainly am able to appreciate the beauty of soutache work as well as embroidery work and the hours involved in these designs. I guess that is why Zoya asked me and what she wanted me to bring to being a juror.

So I found my voice as a juror and began rating the submitted designs and we had some truly wonderful pieces. When the final ten were announced I was very pleased to see these finalists were also my favorites. Some validation of my judging skills was nice to see. So if ever you doubt your abilities as a juror - or viewer - remember you still do appreciate beauty and design.

Marsha Wiest-Hines about her favorite beadworks:

Beaded Jewelry

In the Beaded Jewelry category, my favorite in the Radiant Orchid colorway was a lovely floral freeform wreath necklace, with a vast array of flower and leaf shapes. The Summer Necklace components were organized like a beautiful bouquet, keeping each hue cleanly visible, in harmonious relationships, and accented perfectly with spare use of the Sand hue. Many petals showed ombre color shifts, creating depth, and inviting the eye into the flowers.

Mirror Danu Necklace, in the Placid Blue group, showed fantastically delicate details, especially in the re-embroidered yoke. The Freesia made a perfect accent in the beaded beads and connections to the maze-like focal piece. Subtle value use throughout the work provided highlights and shadows to make the piece feel organic and alive. It is rich, luscious, and a little mysterious.

Lullaby Necklace was my favorite in the section, and a beautiful interpretation of the mood of the Dazzling Blue colorway. All the shapes in this piece were soothing and comforting, relating gently to each other. I felt wrapped in the lines, like the sweet face cab. Perfectly placed star accents twinkled, and gently gradating pearls lead my eye to the delicate fringe, long enough to have a soothing pendulum sway with a wearer's movement. The work had sympathetic negative spaces, beautifully placed component connections, and technical perfection as well, thanks to clean, flat edges and neat, concise embroidery. I wanted to climb in to this piece, listen to the song, and be rocked to sleep.

Finished Jewelry

In the Finished Jewelry category I was blown away by the soutache work in Aurora Necklace. Symmetry is difficult to accomplish, and the shapes, both positive and negative, in this work are astonishingly precise. Not only are the shapes perfect, they are beautiful, and the subtle texture stitched in Sand between the Orchid layers gives a laced-together look I loved. The added dimension of the top layer with its elegant pearly accents and round shapes is a terrific foil for the points in the under layer, and the clasp ties the layers neatly together. Extraordinary work.

The Song of Siren Set featured loads of texture in the weaving, with great color blending that avoided muddiness with careful placement that added depth to the structures. The repetition of shapes with subtle differences was beautifully done, and the addition of the fringy bits and larger beads at both ends of the work holds the different pieces together, and creates a lovely whole.

I have to honor another work in the Placid Blue colorway in this category as well. Careless Fisherman Ankh-Morpork Set has expertly selected details and great story-telling. The metal trinkets in the embroidery and throughout the work are used with great sensitivity to scale and proportion, and I liked the use of the chain as yoke and drape, adding to the picture without over powering the delicate embroidery. I think in a parure, each piece should stand on its own and combine effortlessly, and I especially like the bracelet/earrings combination.

Beaded Objects and Accessories

Flight of Fancy Handbag is a great example of color control in the face of lush texture; in my opinion, a challenge of the highest degree. I loved the divisions of hue, the related components used differently in each color context, and the rich dimensional beadwoven components. I also loved the variety of different materials, stitches, and skills presented.

The Yellow Submarine Set was a delight! The whimsy of the beaded rivets and cabochon portholes, in conjunction with the realistic ocean detritus and undersea life imagery was well-balanced, and the disparate elements sang together perfectly. The ocean bit looked like cake decoration, and the artist used a varied and rich selection of tips for her bead "pastry bag", creating textures that made me laugh out loud. The inclusion of a key chain in the set was inspired!

The delicate work in the Twilight Flowers Set had for me the quality of a colorized black and white film. The color in the flowers and doily-like cabochon edges sprang visually ahead of the steely grays, demanding attention. It would be a feminine and elegant addition to a little black (or Paloma!) dress.