My
love and fascination for buttons began as a
child standing next to my grandmother,
fingering the buttons stored in the drawer of
her treadle sewing machine. This
passion for buttons continued to grow and for
over 30 years, I have been
collecting buttons to embellish my
crazy quilts. It was only three years ago
that I happened upon a very special
collection of buttons created during the
Victorian Era, tiny pieces of art made
with much care and imagination. I became
inspired by the jewelry-like appearance of
these buttons to create a line of jewelry
featuring these marvelous miniatures.
French
enamels, Bohemian glass, and Japanese painted
ceramic, are just a few of the buttons that I
use in my work. These buttons date from the
1850s to the early 1900s and were made
throughout the world. Other
hand-crafted buttons from this era include
carved mother of pearl, celluloid, porcelain,
stamped brass and other metals.
I weave
these wonderful buttons into wearable art by
the use of beads and wire, which allows me to
preserve the integrity of the button by not
removing the shank. Many glass beads are
being made today in Czechoslovakia using
antique bead presses, so they reflect the
same style used during Victorian times.
I also use pearl, gemstone, gold, silver and
brass beads to enhance the beauty of each
button.
Collectors
have been tucking away these button
treasures for years. I now travel all over
the country "treasure hunting", always
seeking more exquisite antique buttons to use
in my jewelry. The button search has become
an adventure, an adventure that culminates in
the creation of unique, wearable art pieces.
Currently,
my work may be seen at HorseFeathers
located on the grounds of the Little
River Inn at Little River and at the
MacCallum House Suites Gallery in downtown
Mendocino.
