Monday, May 21, 2012

2012 Battle of the Beadsmith

And so it begins - The 2012 Battle of the Beadsmith!   You say, "What in the world is a Beadsmith Battle?!"


This is the first (and hopefully annual) beadweaving battle for beaders from around the world.  The battle was the brainstorm of mastermind Steven Weiss of the Beadsmith/ Helby company.  They distribute beads and beading supplies to bead stores all over the globe.  What better way to inspire the love of beads than getting 80 beaders from around the world to create some beading masterpieces? 

If you are on facebook, you can read more about this contest and get to know the participants as well as see some fabulous beadwork HERE.
While the name implies a fierce fight to the finish, it is really a celebration of beads and beaders everywhere.  The 80 participants from twenty-two different countries have been paired up with another beader (names were drawn out of a hat by the Weiss kids).  All participants will secretly create a beading masterpiece (gulp!!) and send pictures to the Beadsmith in early July.  The judges (all participants, plus an extra panel of judges) will choose between the two matched participants.  So in the first round, 40 beaders will be eliminated.  The remaining 40 beaders will then be matched in pairs and voting will eliminate 20 of these.  And so on until only the champion remains standing.  What a proud moment that will be for the last beader standing!! 

The participants who will battle it out are (by country)
Australia:
 Patrick Duggan
 Melissa Ingram
 Joanne Browne
 Neva Brown
 Lauren Macgregor
 Maryanne Villalba
 Karyn Healey-White
 Noel Wyres
Belgium:
 Laurence Dethier
Belgrade/Serbia:
 Ella Des
Canada:
 Jacquie Champion
Czech Republic:
 Lea Palickova
 Katka Vaclavikova
 Marta Koudelova
 Denisa Kangas
 Iva Jar
Dominican Republic:
 Edgar Lopez Disenos
France:
 Anneta Valious
 Mouna Marini
Georgia:
 Tamuna Lezhava

Germany:
 Elke Leonhardt Rath
 Olga Haserodt

Hungary:
 Annie Hatvani
 Eva Dobos
 Orsolya Füzesi
 Ibolya Ingesné Barkóczi
 Éva Csizmadia Lajosné
 Katalin Budainé Nagy

Ireland:
 Anastasia O'sarantseva

Israel:
 Ann Braginsky
 Miriam Cielo Shimon
Italy:
 Eliana Maniero

Japan:
 Guzialia Reed

Mexico:
 Sigifredo Contreras

Netherlands:
 Sandra Dokter van Esveld
Russia:
 Irina Chikineva
 Nella Moskvichjova
 Julia Turova
 Alla Maslennikova
 Olga Shumilova
 Ekaterina Kalinina
 Marina Nosova
Sweden:
 Olga Petterson
 Misan Tejre
 Nausikaa Dahllof
 Anna Lindell
Singapore:
 Helena Tang

Ukraine:
 Alla Vizir
 Katherine Gezey
 Anna Bystryk
United Kingdom:
 Heather Kingsley Heath
 Jill Thomas
 Lynn Davy

USA:
 Linda Roberts (me) :)
 Sharayah Sheldon
 Nancy Dale
 Cynthia Newcomer Daniel
 Marsha Wiest Hines
 Carol Dean Sharpe
 Christina Neit
 Sue Horine
 Alexandra Sydorenko
 Betty Stephan
 Callie Mitchell
 Christian Rodriguez
 Kinga Nichols
 Mikki Ferrugiaro
 Amy Katz
 Kassie Inman
 Dini Alves
 Jennifer Chasalow VanBenschoten
 Rosita Pisarchick
 Roxan O'brien
 Christine Boyer Maj
 Kathy King
 Susan Brackett
 Hannah Rosner
 Terri Richards
 ARachel Nelson Smith
 Ulyana Rakcheyeva Seryankina
I am fully prepared to do my best and also to be eliminated in the first round. lol 

Stay tuned for future posts about the judges and the piece I will be making.