Floral Bead Art Welcomes Spring

Floral Bead Art Welcomes Spring

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff Reporter

Butterflies amid the budding greenery serenade the coming of spring, along with the pastel-colored, floral motifs that begin to appear on women’s attire.

Prepare for the new season with some timely bead accessories ― a delicate jade butterfly brooch perched upon your chest, or a bold bead pendant shouting flower power.

Kim In-sook has set the trend in Korea for big jewelry made of antique beads and precious stones that make daring statements. Her works are popular among celebrities and the local foreign community and can also be found at the upscale gift shop of the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul. In 2007 she held a joint exhibition with Lisa Vershbow, jewelry designer and wife of the former American ambassador to Korea.

The 71-year-old is displaying her latest works in her seventh annual exhibition, ``Bead Garden,’’ through Friday at the Hallasan Room of the Seoul Club, near Mt. Nam.

``I worked with wires while watching the Vancouver Winter Olympics on television, and my hands are a mess. But even the scars bring back fond memories,’’ she said.

``Preparing for the April exhibition is always marked by a combination of joy and fear,’’ she said. ``I took the tough economy into account and tried in my own small way to be helpful to clients. It would be my greatest pleasure if many people will welcome spring at Bead Garden.’’

Fans may be surprised to learn that Kim is not a professionally trained designer. A former criminology professor at Kookmin University, she started the craft less than 10 years ago at the age of 65.

She turned her hobby into a ``second life’’ ― collecting beautiful beads at flea markets while traveling abroad and playing with them in order to relieve the stress of dealing with tormented prisoners and patients in class.

The exhibition hall is located in Jangchung-dong, northern Seoul. It’s a 15-minute walk from exit 6 of Dongguk University Station on subway line 3. Call (02) 2238-7666.