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Q: If you have a copy of `The New Beadwork' handy, humour me and turn to page 36. "These examples of DeLange's work display techniques popularized in her beaded-earring books." Photo: 1 pr somewhat floral-patterned diamond-shaped earrings, 1 pr angel earrings, 1 pr heart-shaped earrings. These are easily the ugliest things in the book, but I have no doubt that her pattern books are popular. I keep picking up bead pattern books, glancing at bead pattern URLs, and finding things like this.

A: You encouraged feedback, so here it goes: You say that most of the beadwork it isn't art. Maybe you don't have a clear idea of what art is. Webster's defines art as: art: 1) the ability of man to create things apart from nature. 2) the skillful adaptation and application of knowledge to some purpose. 3) a craft, or profession, or it's system of rules and established methods 4) one of the fine arts 5) the fine arts collectively 6) the power or quality of perceiving and transcribing the beautiful or aesthetic, as in painting or sculpture 7) the results of creative production 8) the liberal arts I feel that beading is covered under most of those definitions. Where are you seeing beadwork, and drawing these conclusions? It appears that you are in Canada, maybe it's the beadwork that's being done there, because in the US, the beadwork is just gorgeous. You picked on "The New Beadwork". I will agree with you that some of what is in the book, isn't in my personal taste, but to criticize someone else's expression of their soul isn't for me to do. Taste in art is VERY subjective. Almost none of it is appealing to EVERYONE. That doesn't make it crap, but just not in that person's taste. You say: "Who, exactly, is wearing two-inch angels on their ears? Especially very dull angels made with very dull beads?" First of all, the angels are 2-1/2 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. - look at a ruler - 3/4 inch isn't all that wide for an earring, and 2-1/2 inches isn't that long. As far as I know, size 14 beads and size 11 beads look alike in a photo. Art is in the eye of the beholder. I enjoy looking at impressionist paintings; I won't give you two cents for anything by "Joan Miro". I just don't like what he did. Beading is the same. I like some textures and colors, shapes and designs. Others I don't, but just because I don't like them, or because the are plain or useful doesn't exclude them from being art. If you don't like what you are seeing, don't look. If you don't like two-inch angels, don't wear them. If you don't like books teaching basics, don't buy them or read them. In fact, maybe you should get away from beading altogether. Then you can complain bitterly about whatever else your very high-brow gaze happens to chance upon.