What is Your Definition of an Organic Bead?

This post has evolved from a post I was writing over on my bead blog that led me to a post on lampworketc about organic beads. I thought the best place to put it was here because it talks about my process of design. So here goes.

I’ve often called my work ‘organic’ but have started to call it ’structured organic’ because feedback I’ve gotten from some other beadmakers is that they don’t see my work as organic. I’m wondering if that is another debate that we add to the heap of ‘is copying ever ok?’ and ‘what is an artist?’

When I say organic, to me, it also has that nature component. Something about the bead makes me feel like it’s growing or living. It’s not only how it looks but it is also the process it takes to make it too. These beads, even though they are structured and even start out using a press tool, are organic to me. You can feel the life in them:

My process is organic in that I let the design grow. It’s not planned so much. But once I have the design I want, which can take weeks, I make more with variations on shape and color. At that point it is controlled and structured, but still organic, to me, because of it’s origin and the life it has taken on. You can feel it.

What do you call organic? What do you think about my beads? Do you see what I’m saying? Or is it all in my head?

Lori Greenberg blogs about beads and the business of beads from her studio in Cave Creek, Arizona. You can see more of her beads at her web site: www.lorigreenberg.com.