Bobbie Rafferty

"I create intricately beaded jewelry by weaving, stitching and stringing thousands of tiny seed beads, one at a time, into complex but extraordinarily wearable pieces featuring gemstones, art glass, and other natural materials. I create future heirlooms—whether bold or reserved, exuberant or understated—for special occasions and everyday enjoyment."

She is enchanted by color, pattern, and texture, using diverse techniques and materials. Whether inspiration comes from a single bead, a color palette, or a "what if" experiment, Bobbie revels in the meditative process of creation and the joy of working through design challenges to create work that make the wearer feel like their best, most beautiful and confident self.

Bobbie primarily uses beadweaving, combining ancient and modern techniques to weave thousands of individual tiny glass seed beads using a needle and thread into complex, wearable jewelry. She also uses bead embroidery, stringing and metal fabrication. Most pieces are designed as they are created, growing organically from the interrelationships of the materials, one bead at a time.

Bobbie fell into jewelry making by chance, and is primarily self-taught, which has allowed her to discover her own creative voice through experimentation. Southern by birth and Midwestern by residence, Bobbie has participated in numerous juried art shows over twenty years. She has been featured in prestigious galleries and museum shops, and has been a juried member of several artists' guilds.