Gallery Page

Pictures of Beadwork and Jewelry by Robin Atkins

In addition to seeing the pictures, you can read a few words about each of the pieces in this Gallery - what each means to me, what my inspiration was, as well as the title, dimensions, and the year it was made.

Improvisational Bead Embroidery

Most of my bead embroidery work is done improvisationally - that is, without a plan. Sometimes I know that I want to make a little purse, or framed piece, doll, or whatever. But at other times, I simply begin sewing beads I love onto fabric, and see where it takes me. If you're interested in learning to free yourself from patterns and fretting about your designs, you may want to take a look at my book, One Bead at a Time, or take my workshop on Improvisational Bead Embroidery .

Blessings - 5" wide by 4 1/2" high by 1" deep, 2004 I've been making hand-bound books for 15 years or so, and recently began to add bead embroidery inset into the covers or pages. For this book, Blessings, I decided to bead the entire back and front covers. I did the bead embroidery first, then glued it to the cover board with PVA cement, just as one would do with paper. I painted the signature covers, and rubber stamped images and text on the inside pages. I teach how to make hand-bound journals in a four-day workshop called Beads, Books and Paint!

Click here to enlarge.

Click here to enlarge.

Doll 2 - 4 1/2" high by 3 3/4" high, 2004 This doll is the second in a series of six dolls, that together tell the story of my life, decade by decade. It is a work in progress, because as I age, I'll be making one for the next decade. Pictures of the other dolls in the series, and techniques used to make them are included in Heart to Hands Bead Embroidery, published 2010.

Quilt Dolly - 4 1/2" wide by 8" high, 2004 A good friend in Europe sent me some cut ends from cotton fabrics she had pieced together for a border on one of her quilts. They seemed to be just the ticket for a "spirit doll" celebrating the beauty and joy of quilting. I first sewed the strips together to make wider strips, and then cut the doll from these larger pieces. Quilt Dolly is embellished with little flower beads, beaded quilting stitches, and vintage flower sequins in her hair. She is two-sided; the other side has a suggestion of a face and is made with entirely different pieced fabrics. I teach how to make and embellish "spirit dolls" in a one-day workshop, and published a book, Spirit Dolls in 2005.

Click here to enlarge.

Click here to enlarge.

Rosie, The Uncaged Hen - 7 1/2" wide by 6 1/2" high, 2003 Rosie is a 3-dimensional sculpture with a domed base (7 inches diameter). Since childhood, chickens have had a special appeal for me. Every time I see this one, she reminds me to be free of critical boundaries, to play (as I did in childhood) with the things I love, and to chuckle frequently. Exciting news! Rosie is a "cover girl!" She has been chosen from over 2,400 entries as the cover piece for 500 Beaded Objects, an awesome and inspirational book, published in 2004 by Lark Books, available at most bookstores and on-line book sellers. I am indeed honored and pleased to have this recognition for my work. You can read about and see more pictures of Rosie in my book How I Made Rosie, The Uncaged Hen, or order a copy of this image as a fine art print.

Moss & Wildflowers - 6 1/2" wide by 6" high, 2002 Revealing the beauty and joy of springtime on the island where I live, my bead embroidery celebrates the sweet little wildflowers and vari-colored mosses that carpet our rocky slopes for a few precious months each year. Matted and framed, this piece is embellished with little flower beads, couched down fringes, and vintage flower and square sequins. Although it began as a totally improvisational piece, it soon began to look like home. And so, home it is! A fine art print of Moss & Wildflowers is available for purchase.

Click here to enlarge.

Click here to enlarge.

Mountains & Streams - 6 1/2" wide by 6" high, 2006 This piece was commissioned by someone who saw (and wanted to buy) Moss & Wildflowers (see above). Since my bead embroidery is improvisational and no two pieces are the same (or even similar), we agreed that I would tuck the word "landscape" in the back of my mind as I worked and see what would happen. Very soon, it began to look like mountains. So be it! These are my beloved Cascade and Olympic Mountains - majectic and glacier covered, with streams forming rivers as they rush into the fertile valleys below the peaks. A fine art print of Mountains & Streams is available for purchase.

Menopause - 5" diameter, 1997 Menopause is a 3-dimensional domed sculpture. It's one of my "healing pieces," made while mood swings, hot flashes, and night sweats were a regular part of my life. I feared that I was becoming unattractive and unfeminine. Tucking this thought in the back of my mind, I began to work on this piece. During the many meditative hours it took to make, I found a path through menopausal life changes, and came out on the other side a refreshed and happier person. For more about Menopause and the process of using your art to resolve life issues, you might want to take a look at my book, One Bead at a Time.

Click here to enlarge.

Woven Treasure Necklaces

You will find a small inventory of my necklaces, bracelets and earrings for sale on this site - see beaded jewelry. However, none of the necklaces pictured below is for sale at this time. If you are interested to learn the techniques used to make necklaces similar to these, take a look at my book, Beaded Treasures - Finger Woven Bracelets, Necklaces, Tassels & Straps. I also teach this finger weaving method. See workshops.

Mostly Red - 20 inches long, 1994 Showcasing assorted trade beads from Africa, this necklace uses fringe style finger weaving techniques to build a "ruff" of layers, which sit comfortably on the upper chest when worn. I've collected trade beads for a long time and am pleased with the way this necklace features many of the treasures from my collection. The trade beads are accented with ethnic-looking sterling silver charms and a few modern lampwork beads. Click here to enlarge.

Collector Necklace - 23 inches long, 1996 I traveled to Europe many times during the 1990's, and on one trip found a small woman-owned factory that made beautiful pressed glass beads. This necklace features exactly 400 of these beads, every one different! Most are vintage, made during the 1940s and 1050s. Click here to enlarge.

Critters! - 22 inches long, 1998 Can you imagine how long it took me to collect all these critters? This necklace features over 100 animal beads, buttons and charms made of every imaginable material, including metals, stones, porcelain, polymer clay, raffia, bone, horn, shell, and glass. Since the colors are fairly neutral, it looks good with any color clothing. I feel great being surrounded by a veritable zoo of animals! Click here to enlarge.

Please note: some of the above pictures may be ordered as fine art photographic prints. If you're interested in purchasing one of these archival prints, suitable for framing, please click on the link in the picture description. If there is no link for a specific picture, that means I don't offer it for purchase on my website. However, you may contact me about the possibility of a special order for any of the pictures in this Gallery.

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