Taken from from the web site of Lana May, beader extraordinaire.
Beaded jewelry is one of our most ancient art forms. Millennia ago, necklaces and bracelets reflected ritual and magic--they celebrated the hunt, or were used as charms to imbue their wearers with the mystical qualities of wondrous natural objects. They told a tale of life--of mankind's needs, fears, and hopes. And, of course, they reflected mankind's innate eye for beauty. The lovely beaded jewelry of Native Americans continues this tradition. But as civilization progressed, beadwork became more decorative. Precious metals and jewels replaced found objects. While beautiful in their own right, necklaces and bracelets began to reflect monetary worth at the sacrifice of their ancient roots.
The beads I use for my jewelry allow me to explore endless fantasies with unlimited combinations of colors, patterns, shapes, and textures-- just like nature itself. Beadwork is self-discovery. As you will see from the Galleries on this website, my work sometimes draws on my own heritage--a return to the lovely designs passed down from mother to daughter in my European family. Other pieces are purely abstract--an expression from my heart and mind of the things I see around me.