World Artisan Gems

Name: Patrizia Tager (Triz)

Website Link: http://www.triz.etsy.com

Where are you located? Israel

Chocolate Blossom Earrings

Tell us a bit about yourself:  I was born in Italy, from British and French parents, moved to London when I was 12.  After graduating with a BA Hons in Fashion Design, I moved to Israel where I reside today. I’m a single mother of a gorgeous 4 year old boy and equally gorgeous 12 year old black cross-Alsatian. 

When and why did you begin creating your jewelry/art? As a little child I remember making beaded loom-woven bracelets with our babysitter and remember loving it, but as time went by I forgot all about those beads.  Throughout secondary school and college I enrolled in any and every creative class I could find and even after receiving my degree in fashion design I went on to study photography.  I always knew I wanted to create, I just hadn’t found my medium yet.  About 3 years ago, when my son turned one, after a whole year at home looking after him, I placed him in daycare a few mornings a week and decided to try out a basic beading class at my local bead shop, as a treat and to satisfy my creative urges.  That was it! Four classes and I was hooked. There I (re)discovered my obsession with beads and beadwork.  I began buying every magazine and book I could find on the subject and taught myself as many techniques as I could find.  A year later I opened my shop on etsy.

Midsummer Nights Dream

What do you make? I create original, unique beaded wearable art and jewelry. 

What materials and methods do you use? I use high-quality glass beads (Japanese and Czech), Swarovski crystals, fresh-water pearls, semi-precious stones.  My favourite techniques are hand beadweaving, bead embroidery and bead crochet.  I usually incorporate more than one technique in each piece.

Dangly Sunset

Where do your design inspirations come from?  My inspirations come from everywhere.  I love looking at ancient artifacts, especially jewelry and mosaics, art, nature, architecture, fashion, colours, textures and of course the beads themselves.

What is your best working environment/where is your studio?  I work from home; I have appropriated part of my living room and dining room and turned it into my studio.

Where can your products be seen? Etsy, Blog, and Flickr 

Upcoming events: I will be teaching an advanced beading class focusing on design and colour next month.

Magazine articles or press: Some of my work was featured in the gallery section of a new instructional book “Flatwork” by Nicole Campanella (Beadwright)

Who are you a fan of? I’m a fan of so many bead artists, there is an extensive list of all my favourites on my blog, but my very favourite has to be Sherry Serafini.  Her work is simply stunning genius, and I can spend hours and hours drooling over it.

Price range:  Currently my prices range from $30 to $650.

Tell us  a little about one of your favorite creations: My favourite piece is usually the one I’m currently working on, as I put my heart and soul into every piece, the excitement of creating something new usually makes that piece my very favourite.  My latest pieces are my Black Panther series; neckpiece, bracelet and earrings – below is a picture of the neckpiece – all three pieces were bead embroidered around Labradorite cabochons, which are my new favourite semi-precious stones of the moment. The necklace was made with alternating bead embroidered cabochons and matte onyx discs.

Black Panther Necklace