Hi there! My name is Michael Hervieux and I am the chief operating officer at Artbeads.com. I’ve been working in the jewelry industry one way or another for the last twenty or so years and as COO at Artbeads my role is to oversee administration and all operations and to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible.
My major in high school was art and so when I first saw these miniature canvases I was struck by the artistic talent that they represent. This one doubles as a reminder of the beautiful ocean shores that I love to visit whenever I can.
On a trip to Thailand, I had the opportunity to visit the Karen Hill Tribe peoples and was impressed by their passion and talent for creating beautiful yet traditionally inspired and even somewhat primitive looking pieces using only rudimentary tools and processes. The nautilus has long been a favorite shell of mine with its complex yet beautiful internal spirals.
This item, being over 2” long, is a great statement piece and reminds me of a brooch my mother wore frequently when I was a child (It had springs under each wing and frequently was mistaken as being real – much to my mother’s chagrin it was swatted more than once in an attempt to save her from it!)
On a trip to the Swarovski store in SoHo, New York I came across this item before it had been released to the general public. It was one of the first items that I had ever seen by Swarovski that combined a sandblasted part surrounded by polished facets. The organic shape to me was contradictory to what so many crystal items are known for and this contradiction is part of what makes this item special to me.
The Matisse painting shown on this pendant is identical to one that I had hanging in my apartment years ago. At the time it was one of my first “big” modern prints that I had ever purchased and so to see it miniaturized on this painting simply brings me back to that time.
This Bali piece is a wonder of meticulous detail. With each and every ball being soldered by hand using time-tested processes this (And nearly ever Bali piece) is a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of the people who produce them.
This item combines an ancient style pattern on natural wood with ultra-modern manufacturing processes yielding an interesting piece that is simply enjoyable to look at.
I had never spent too much time paying attention to glass until I moved to the Pacific Northwest where glass artists are prominently displayed. Now that I live here though I have garnered a new respect for the art form and this hand blown Murano bead is as much a piece of art as many other items that I love.
When I first saw this piece I was impressed by the realistic shape of the shell. Walking along the beach and shell gathering has been a hobby of mine for as long as I can remember and so this item connects me to that feeling when I can’t make it to the ocean.
