Shanna Steele

Living in an urban landscape, I am drawn to the juxtaposition of modern construction alongside historic preservation. My jewelry design attempts to fuse styles and color palettes of yesterday with the most modern beads, shapes, and techniques available today. Although largely inspired by nature and the world around me, I am also intrigued by the shapes beads take on when woven together; my medium is often my muse. When I first learned the art of beadwork, I utilized a single material or technique in my work – whether it was a peyote stitch constructed using traditional Japanese glass seed beads or Swarovski crystals used in a right angle weave design. This taught me new ways of looking at color and structure, but the result was often not as dynamic as I would like. As my skill level has evolved, I am now interested in creating works that incorporate multiple materials as well as several different stitches. The end result of most pieces is that they have a look of simple complexity that is intriguing and unique. Mostly self-taught, I now teach others in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Bead weaving is an art that many admire and I love teaching people about its history, evolution, and place in the modern world. I have also had my original works published close to two dozen times. I was honored to be named Designer of the Year by Beadwork magazine in 2018. I will continue contributing to magazines in the years to come and hope to one day write a book.