ARTS & EDUCATION
Bold & Bedazzling Jewelry from The Beaded Dragon
written by SHERIL BENNETT TURNER
I
first met local jewelry makers Bill Bramblett and John Dragoun at last year’s Fall Gallery Walk in Greer, where they showcased their unique necklaces, bracelets, and earrings at Café Mundo. It seems the two friends, who at one time worked together, discovered over lunch that they had a mutual interest in stones. “John collected mineral specimens at that point,” Bill says, “where as I have always loved things that sparkle and shine and collected primarily faceted stones. We saw that there was a gem and mineral show in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, so we got together and went to that.” There they became intrigued with the idea of taking their hobbies to the next level, eventually leading them to unite to create their company, The Beaded Dragon, specializing in semi and precious gemstone jewelry. Although both are hands-on in the jewelry making process, Bill and John have distinctly different styles. John has a penchant for red and blue and gravitates towards a more southwestern- and Egyptian-influenced style. “With my “The Queen of Egypt” piece,” says John, “I wanted to get that Egyptian look using red coral and dark blue Lapis Lazuli. I also do a lot of patriotic pieces in red, white, and blue like “Spirit of America,” which uses white Akoya pearls, red coral, and blue Lapis Lazuli. It’s perfect to wear with denim.” Bill, on the other hand, approaches his work in a different way. “I tend to go look at what women are currently wearing, the trends in jewelry from television to walking down the street or in the mall. I ask myself is that the trend for the season? The current style? I also go for the color—the more vibrant color, the more I like it. By mixing colors, I can change the look around.” Although the guys have different tastes in beading, they tend to bounce ideas off of each other. “We look at each other’s jewelry,” says Bill, “and we get inspiration from each other.” Self-taught, they also share their knowledge with each other. “When I don’t know how to do something, I ask John. One of the first things I learned from him was how to make clasps that would hold.” John agrees. “Bill showed me how to make earrings.”
& photographed by JOHN FOWLER
Mostly, they admit, the high quality of their work stems from trial and error and the pursuit of an artistic vision. “You’ll know in your mind what you want to do,” Bill says. “You can see the piece so clearly. But when you sit down and try to implement it, sometimes you just can’t do it. There are some pieces, literally, that I have taken apart five or six times before they’ve looked the way I wanted them to look. Sometimes I have to get really creative. Take this pendant here done in cherry quartz. I was trying to make the pendant drop off the end of the necklace. I had to find the right pieces GreerNow FEBRUARY 2009
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and the right way to put it together to make it look like I wanted it to.” Most of the jewelry from The Beaded Dragon retails from $10.00 to $200.00. “We try to keep the prices down by doing our jewelry in plated-gold and plated-silver,” says John. “Gold filled becomes expensive.” “It is cost prohibitive, and in this economy most people are not going to pay those prices for costume jewelry,” admits Bill. “But, that’s not to say we can’t do pieces with other materials if commissioned. A lot of our things are commissioned for weddings or special events. We can make whatever a person wants. Like if someone said, ‘I love the cherry quartz but I want it in gold.’ No problem.” Each piece they fashion, Bill says, is also one-of-a-kind. “We
like to think of our jewelry as posh, because we don’t just throw it together, we put some time and thought into each piece. Unless specifically requested, such as matching pieces for a bridal party, no two pieces of ours are ever alike. Everything is original, everything is handmade, and we do not duplicate.” John and Bill participate in local art and jewelry shows around the area and have a permanent display of their current pieces at Lyle Antiques in Taylors. This Valentine’s Day, if you’re looking for the perfect gift for that perfect someone in your life, a distinctive design from The Beaded Dragon is sure to please. For more information on The Beaded Dragon, please visit their website at www.TheBeadedDragon.vpweb.com, or give them a call at (864) 430-9532 or (864) 905-2282. Lyle Antiques is located at 3326 Wade Hampton Blvd in Taylors, SC. Their hours are 10 am to 6 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.
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