Barb Davis, longtime member of the Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild and nationally recognized beader was a self-taught bead weaver who created unique pieces of art for more than 17 years. Barb's creations were unique, quirky, chic, and always beautifully done. She lost her courageous battle with cancer on November 29, 2001.

Before she did the imaginative beading, Barb did large and incredibly detailed pen and ink drawings. Her son's involvement with Boy Scouts led her into beading to adorn Native American costumes for historical reenactments. She earned her trade name "Bent Needle" Barb then because of her bent needle. Some of her early and most famous beadwork decorated animal skulls, and she often joked about her collection of skulls. Although she started with loom work, she expanded her skills into more than 15 different techniques.

Barb's most recent works were her "Stoneheads," small glow in the dark, polymer clay beads, inspired from recurrent dreams of "little bald heads." Following her diagnosis with breast cancer, and subsequent treatment, Barb believed her little stoneheads frightened away the cancer, and they did for a while. Following Native American traditions, the stoneheads were smudged or blessed with sweet grass and each bead comes with prayers for every person touched by them. During chemo treatments, Barb arrived at guild meetings with beaded headbands on her bald head and laughingly enjoyed the compliments on her matching earring and necklaces.

Barb served the Guild as Program chair for several years. One of her programs featured the Native American dance troupes with her son Josh. Her particular sense of humor often shined through in her beadwork. "I wanted to make people smile and make something beautiful," she said in November. 
- by Jeanette Isenhour

See the full size picture of this beautiful piece.

Reprinted from the 2003 "The Bead Goes On" calendar with permission from Dona Anderson of Beading Heart Designs
www.beadingheartdesigns.org

In January 2006, GLBG members started work on a project in memory of Barb Davis. Interested members completed a 2 inch by 2 inch square with one color line running through the entire quilt forming a design. Members of the Guild Program Committee assembled the quilt and presented it at the January 2007 meeting.

Great Lakes Beadworkers Guild Memorial Quilt