At Artbeads we believe in providing only the best quality products for jewelry and craft designs. Even if our selection is not as vast as others, it’s only because we want to keep our collection special. We feel that it’s important to listen to your community in order to learn what real designers want. Clay River Designs shares this idea with us—that designers are the best source for other designers. Fred and Debbie Becker started up Clay River Designs after visiting local shops who suggested they make beads for jewelry.
When Fred was finishing up his Master’s in Art and Debbie was working at a hospital, they had the chance to move out of the country and start a business. They discovered clay and found it to be a great source for their creativity. Their adventures in bead making began during the macramé craze in the 1970s and then evolved into making smaller beads for jewelry. Through trial and error, the couple found the perfect blend of material, style and efficiency. Debbie explains, “We worked in several different clay bodies before we settled into porcelain. This clay allows for a high degree of detail to show off our designs.”
A lot of what inspires Clay River Designs can be found in nature. From the physical imagery to the raw, organic feel, nature is very apparent in their creations. Many of their pendants feature leaf shapes and cultural designs, and the Beckers like to provide a vibrant glaze to accent each piece that mimics natural looks. Taking their love for natural perfection even further, Debbie and Fred take pride in their pendants. “We felt we could offer small pieces of art in each pendant we designed.” Debbie especially likes their horse-themed components because they reflect her love of horses.
What the Beckers would like people know about Clay River Designs is that they truly take pride what they do: “We really enjoy working every day in our business, and hope this [joy] shows up clearly in our work.” From their choices in color to their fluid, natural shapes, this passion for art is clear. You can explore more from Clay River Designs to add your favorites to your collection today.
-Marissa
Beautiful work and so detailed. I love your work!
Reading about this couple gives me new in the search for my identity. Now I Create my jewelry and sell small amounts here & there, but I really want to start a business!