Chris Prussing

By Chris Prussing

By Chris Prussing

By Chris Prussing

by Chris Prussing Create beaded beads with cross-needle

by CHRIS PRUSSING [READ MORE]

Chris Prussing
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I have been corresponding with Chris about the lapidary silicosis issue for a couple of months now.Space permitting, we will be publishing some of the information she gave us in a future "Feedback" department of BeadStyle.

Chris contacted me with this information personally, and I gave her permission to post it on the forum.It's obviously up to you whether or not you want to donate (or if you're even comfortable doing so), but this is important information that fellow beaders should have access to.You don't have to join protests or make monetary donations, but Chris has the right to make this information known - there is really no need to harass her about it.

Anyways, I can't personally confirm the PayPal account, but I do know that she has been passionately advocating for the silicosis victims for several months now.Do with the information what you will.
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Chris Prussing owned a bead store in Juneau for many years.She is also a founding member of the bead society in her area.She published a book not long ago through through Interweave Press on right angle weave.She's authored many bead magazine articles and has taught at Bead and Button, among other national bead shows.She has sold her patterns and tutorials at bead-patterns.com for quite some time, including an entire series of Saraguro neckpieces.

After seeing Saraguro beadwork on the web, Chris purchased several from the archaeologist who regularly visits there and writes about the Saraguro.She reverse engineered the patterns, but unlike some who might have been content to be the sole profiteer, Chris shares the wealth, sending half of what she makes on the pattern sales to the beadworkers' cooperatives down in Ecuador.She travelled down there with a group of beadworkers a couple or three years ago and took lessons from some of the women, and her donations along with other beaders' donations have helped them build their own building to house their cooperative, and buy beads wholesale.Her articles and patterns have also helped bring recognition to this unique form of beadwork.

Chris is also a very competent bead historian.

I don't know how long you've been online or doing beadwork, but Chris has been around since, dare I say, long before Bead and Button had a website. ;-)

I'm only saying these things because I seriously doubt Chris Prussing ever would.Her handle is "beadiste" just about everywhere.Sorry you haven't met her before.

I'm thinking you have also missed the long-time ethical discussions about the dilemma of buying beads and supplies from countries that exploit their workers, in this case, in China, to the point of exposing workers to unsafe conditions that lead to disease and death.While at the Tucson shows this year, Chris witnessed Fire Mountain Gems, among other buyers, purchasing wholesale from one of the major offenders.

I personally am one of these people who always gets stuck on what I can do to help -- the Chinese workers seem so far away.But Chris, always one to practice what she preaches, launched a letter writing campaign to help these people, and has obviously had some recent success in finding a way to help.

I might also mention, again, cause I know Chris wouldn't say so, but a few years ago one of my favorite beaded pieces was stolen from an exhibition, and the gallery refused to take responsibility for the theft.Lots of online beaders offered their support, but Chris actually sent me $200 cash to use if I hired a lawyer.

You don't gotta trust her, but instead of instigating conflict right off the bat, you might consider allowing yourself to become informed, say, by reading the articles, or asking questions about how Chris might have gotten involved in the Chinese workers' cause.It's an interesting story, at the very least.
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Now I understand that Chris has been talking with Lindsay, our ever patient mod, and i see that she does lovely things for the community.But, you gotta understand that people are wary of posts like this.And the inital post didn't say anything about who she was.
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Your heart is what fuels your fire on this issue, Chris, and for that I am grateful.

To those who may question the motive or intent ~

Please take a little time out of your busy schedule to look a little deeper into this issue.Chris has enough links leading to informative articles that there should be no doubt on anyone's part that the issue is not only severe, but sadly true on every level.
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Chris has already listed several names that she has compiled from many hours of research:
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Chris and I have discussed the need to know what I, as a direct buyer, can suggest to a cutting shop as better methods.What is the right mask to wear for dry buffing and grinding?For wet cutting and drilling?What is the right ventilation system?I sent a coupld of pictures to Chris.

Jun - Chris PrussingDesigner in the Spotlight, Bead-Patterns.com
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Chris Prussing
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Chris Prussing
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Chris Prussing has claimed her own niche on Bead-Patterns.com.She has excelled in offering the brightly colored, elaborate and so elegant Saraguro broad collar necklaces.These patterns stand out amongst the other offerings, and frankly I find impossible to resist.She also has some wonderful Right Angle Weave patterns.

Chris originally came from Montana.Having grown up with a backdrop of mountains, fir trees and lakes in small towns around the Columbia River, her eye for beauty grew keen.After high school, Chris spent 4 years as a fine arts major.While Chris did not earn her degree, she nonetheless earned a lot of knowledge and appreciation for the arts.

WorktrayChris moved to Alaska during the "pipeline era" and worked at a bureaucratic job for many years before deciding to change careers.A career change is never easy.Chris had to ask herself what she would be interested in doing.Her answer was beads.Since this decision was made back in the 1980's when beads and bead related information was hard to come by, this may have not been a gambler's sure bet.But nonetheless, she did what many of us would imagine to be fun: she opened a small bead store inside her spouse's electronics shop.It took her seven long years to generate enough income to quit her job, and she hasn't looked back.Chris credits her friend Flora, who operated "Sugarbug's Bead Shop" in the basement of her house, for inspiration and support.

When asked how she started designing.Chris says:
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Chris is especially proud of eking out a modest but self sufficient income from her love of beads.She is also proud of a book that she has in the works on Right Angle Weave (if you have Right Angle Weave projects you would like to see in her gallery section of the book, contact Chris!!).
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Chris Prussing