18 Hands Gallery presents Contemporary Beadwork II now through July 31, 2010, at 18 Hands Gallery, 249-B West 19th Street in the Houston Heights.

The first Contemporary Beadwork show featured the work of primarily local seed bead artists, this year it was opened up on a National basis and juried by Ms. Jeannette Cook. Ms Cook is a nationally recognized author, seed bead artist and instructor. Ms. Cook teaches throughout the country and has traveled abroad to teach. Her goal is to enlighten, educate and inspire people to create beauty and express them through beadwork.

"Beadwork has now entered the realm of fine art and fine wearable art. I hope to be one of the artists that help create a new attitude, appreciation and respect for this versatile medium. There is an amazing cross section of work submitted for this event, from the wearable pieces to the sculptural pieces, each piece has an amazing quality to them,” states Ms. Cook. Ms. Cook upon judging the work submitted for the show has added a number of Honorable Mentions as well the Best of Show. Bead artists submitted work from all over the country as well as the Greater Houston area.

Artists from the greater Houston area that will be represented include the work of Colette Chapman, Bev Choy, Beth Dewey, Kay Hand, Marcia Stevens Landry, Callie Mitchell, Ann Stockton Meyer, Sandy Pardo, and Penny Round. Artists that also will be represented from other states include; Ana Garcia, Chula Vista, Ca., Holly Lewis, Boulder, Co., Jennifer Hastings, Littleton, Co., Jo Ann Patterson-Lavely, Littleton, Co., Vanessa Walilko, Evanston, Ill., Diana Grygo, Quincy, Ma. Nancy Brooks, Roswell, NM, Juanita Finger, Roswell, NM, Ellena Anderson, Palermo, ND and Karen Cohen, Milford, Pa.

All the artists have submitted an amazing range of work, from the unexpected use of bugle beads, extraordinary bead embroidery, sculptural pieces, to pyramids that open up to show a wonderful world within. Each artist has a story to tell using beadwork to communicate it. Whether it is a neckpiece, a sculpture or a painting in beads. The use of techniques and color is beautiful.