Linked by Friendship and by Art

For the Blog Book Tour for Cindy Wimmer's first book - “The Missing Link” I decided to revert to what I do best, be it polymer or writing-- tell stories.

When Cindy accorded me the great honor of writing the Forward to her new book, I had the happy task of re-visiting our friendship and how we first became aware of each other's work. To celebrate the publishing of her book, I'm going to show you some photos of my favorite Cindy pieces.

Many of you may not know that I started my work in jewelry with bead stringing. I loved jewelry but had a pretty tight budget-- as a single woman with a mortgage--so I decided to make my own pieces. I found beads to string at the local Ben Franklin store and then started adding chain, wire and found objects. Eventually, I couldn't find the beads I wanted so I started making them with polymer clay.

About that time I decided that polymer beads could be greatly enhanced by more coherent design and wire skills so I was determined to learn more about what made a great necklace. Chain and wire seemed important to the final look so I started buying the “Step by Step Wire” and “Easy Wire” magazines to find more instruction and ideas.


I kept seeing the same contributor turn up in each issue-- “Cindy Wimmer”-- and noticed all the pages I tore out of my magazines to keep and study were her designs. Finally, one day I left a comment on her blog and won one of Cindy's pendants, “Joy”. At the time I was at a difficult place in my life and this little pendant kept me going with its hopeful message. I bought a pair of Cindy's earrings to go with it and they are still my go-to everyday earrings, just copper wire twisted into one of Cindy's simple, iconic designs.

"Joy" pendant and earrings by Cindy Wimmer

 

So we began corresponding about life, jewelry and everything else and in August 2009 we did our first collaboration for a contest called “Summer's Colors” on Susan Lenart Kazmer's blog. Cindy stamped the names of each of the colors onto a unique metal pendant and I did my polymer color thing with the focal bead. I still love this piece.

"Midnight in Mumbai" - Wimmer and Damm collaboration

When I first started making polymer beads, I started noticing that few well-known wire artists used them. One actually told me that people liked beads that were “more natural”, like gemstones or lampwork. Cindy had no hesitations at all about using my polymer beads in her projects that were featured in national magazines and popular books. In fact, she championed them with editors. I was thrilled that her wire could so enhance the beads I was making and show other jewelry stringers that polymer was a design force whose time had come.

Bead Trends collaboration

 

 

Cindy's tutorial in "Wire Style II" - "Fallen to Earth"

My version of Cindy's piece from "Wire Style II"

 

I kept seeing Cindy's work and design style evolve over the next couple of years and was not surprised at all when she told me her book proposal had been accepted by Interweave Press. Cindy's wirestyle always surprises me with its classic yet bold curvatures. I see tribal echoes in them, which I appreciate more than coy filigree and dainty curlicues. Yet it's adaptable to pearls and antique elements as well. I don't know how she does it but you will appreciate her thoughtful and thorough approach when you set your pliers to the wire and start to form her designs.

I chose the bold look of the Sliding Rings link to pair with my rugged polymer “Molten” beads. I could see some mid-century shapes complementing this link as well, something in the style of Matisse perhaps.

 "Molten" necklace - using Sliding Rings links

 

The thing is, Cindy's links make you think. Of new designs. Of pairings you never would have imagined. Of fabulous chains. Of possibilities. And for me, that's the best kind of book.

 

Leave a comment including your e-mail address on this post to be entered into a drawing to receive a copy of “The Missing Link”. Then go to Cindy's blog www.sweetbeadstudio.com for more chances to win giveaways and to find links to all the other posts about “The Missing Link” by the other contributors. I will randomly draw a number at the end of the day on the 20^th from the comments below and pass the winner along to Cindy. She'll announce the winners on October 21^st and the winners will receive their books shipped directly to you from the publisher.