Beadwork Artist's Statement

With beads, wire and thread I aim to create models that don't just look like animals, they feel and move like them as well. Coming from a scientific background biological accuracy is very important to me, and as bead animals are very tactile creations I feel their joints, weighting and skeletal structure are as important as their appearance when breathing life into them. 

Dorid Nudibranchs

Nudibranchs are a group of marine sea slugs, the name meaning naked gill that refers to the feathery structure towards the rear of the mantle. They have a very distinctive appearance, and there are a large number of species with distinct and colourful patterns, which I felt could be replicated well in beadwork form. Their soft, flexible bodies too were a great fit for the medium, and I am very satisfied with the way they "stand" on their long foot and slot around surfaces they rest on. These are all species from the tropical genera of Chromodoris and Hypselodoris.