Always listen to your teachers!

Its been quite a year. Be it family, economy , or sports, regardless, beads- our passion and all that they bring us- remain intact. We at www.yorkbeads.com have downsized our space but are passion remains, and our sense of creativity and exploration are enhanced. This journey has stemmed from a deep history we have had in the bead industry, but has been challenged by, something we all have in common, the internet and this thing called social networking.

We all learned our social habits differently. Influence from parents, siblings, friends are very common. I am sure many of us have been influenced by probably the most under appreciated people in our lives, our teachers. Since I graduated, they are probably the last people I wanted to see or think about. Why? No more homework, no more deadlines and no more expectations!! That was just me.

Then I entered the working world: The bead business. Sounds pretty cool. Laid- back, all types of interesting people. Its beads -they are fun. Nonetheless, beads are big business, manufactured by sizable factories with its output used by jewelers and crafters all over the world. Add the internet and social network and you have a fairly intricate supply chain for a very eclectic set of individuals: manufactures, retailers, artists, crafters consumers and oh! teachers.


I have alway done business with bead teachers but am astounded by how closely so the last five or six years. I am going to Tucson shortly where i meet many. I am gonna have the pleasure of hosting them, more specifically Laura McCabe and Maggie Roschyk, March 22-24 at our shop. Both ladies, although Laura more prominently, have influenced bead fashion if not fashion, period. Maggie, following a teacher's instinct, a Mom's steady hand, and an artist's sense or exploration, is developing a new career. It's amazing how much that have inspired me, if not by instruction, but by their instincts and taste.

That being said, there are 2 ladies, teachers, who have probably inspired me more. This is in part by proximity( they work, create and teach in NYC ), in part by their love for Czech beads, and in part by being so close to their story and development. In short, one day several years ago Bert Freed ( The mom or chicken) and Dana Freed (The daughter or egg) came into my office and simply said we are gonna show you that bead crochet will change the way you will sell or purchase Czech beads and that it will become and integral part of your future business plan of catering to the public. We always catered to the public but we spent a majority of our time servicing the likes of Miriam Haskel, Liz Claiborne and Ralph Lauren to name a few. Now bead crochet may have had its ups and downs at York, but Dana and Bert have stayed the course. They have taught bead crochet continuously, have created jewelry through their company Chicken and the Egg designs, and have raised money for the charity The Freshman 15 (please google). Today they announced their book will be available on Amazon: Bead Crochet Jewelry: An Inspired Journey Through 27 Designs.


Congratulations Bert and Dana! ... and always listen to your teachers!!

Perry