Bead Mosaic Jewelry Brooch Design by Polymer Clay Artist Naama Zamir
Embedded Glass Beads and Mosaic Techniques Lead to a Stunning Piece of Polymer Clay Jewelry:
Today I wanted to show you all this incredible piece of jewelry from Israeli artist Naama Zamir! This beautiful handmade brooch design was made by combining tiny strips of polymer clay, leaf canes, seed beads and a sparkling crystal. It comes from Zamir's jewellry collection that she affectionately calls the Sisyphean Line.
Not having a clue what Sisyphean meant, I had to do a bit of research which turned out to be fun. Turns out that Sisyphean means 'impossible task'… pointless or meaningless. It comes from Greek mythology where Sisypheus was given the eternal task of rolling a stone up a hill in Hades, only to have it roll down the other side where he would have to begin the task all over again.
Although I can't even imagine applying the "pointless or meaningless" part of the Sisyphean definition to Naama's work, I do know that she must exercise a great deal of patience when she creates her wonderful jewelry pieces.
One of the things I really love about her mosaic jewelry brooch design is the colors. The way the purple stone radiates circles of deep purple, orange and green. It has a rich old world feel to it… like the colors of an ancient Egyptian masterpiece.
And the shape… so organic and earthy. Like a stone shard that had been buried for centuries, finally to have been uncovered and polished to its original glory!
Naama thinks the Sisyphean reference has run its course and is asking for ideas to help her come up with a new name. One that pops into my head each time I look at her line is, 'Earth Mother Mosaics'. Not sure why, just does. Do you guys have any ideas to share with Naama?
Naama Zamir is a polymer clay artist from Israel. She is the founder of the Israeli Polymer Clay Guild and has published a small instructional polymer clay book in Hebrew. Naama sells her beautiful bead mosaic jewelry brooch designs as well as many other pieces of polymer clay art on Etsy. She is a close friend and colleague of Iris Mishly who I wrote about in a previous post.
Filed Under: 07: Cane Work, 12: Inspiration, 14: Feature Guests by Comment. 
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Comments on Bead Mosaic Jewelry Brooch Design by Polymer Clay Artist Naama Zamir
2:43 am
Cindy, you must stop showing us all theese beautiful works,my faveroutes are getting rather full & I will never get round to starting my own learning.[I am waiting for my new goodies to arrive, I ordered the basic brights set & the magazine].
3:00 am
Hi Cindy,
Naama Zamir's brooch is beautiful. I like her "Love Letters" on Etsy as well. Thank you for sharing her work with us. It is so interesting to see more ways of designing with polymer clay.
Sincerely, Cindy Erickson
3:02 am
PS…I wonder how she gets her seed beads to stay put on the brooch??? Does she glue them down after baking, or just embed them in the clay before baking…I wonder…
1:17 pm
Naama does fabulous work! Cindy….all that eye candy…kinda like opening daily prezzies from you, thank you!
3:49 pm
@Andrea: :-) Hopefully your stuff arrives soon. Don't worry… when it does you'll want to get playing with it right away… and once you start playing… you're learning!!
@Cindy: Hopefully Naama pops in and lets us know!
@Tina: Thank you!! Naama does do Fabulous work… I love it!
Cindy's previous post..Blue Flower Earrings Jewelry Project
10:54 am
Well, if Naama doesn't pop in I can offer some advice on how I do inlays…
To get randomly laid seedbeads to stick, cover your raw clay sheet with some sobo glue. Let dry until tacky and then apply your seedbeads. Let dry.
For a pattern of seedbeads, like a 'row' of beads, again cover sheet with sobo. String beads onto some fine beading wire and curve them onto your clay sheet and hide ends of wire by lightly pressing into clay and cover with flattened clay balls. Then roll some polymer clay snakes or trim a thin slice from a sheet of clay that has been rolled to #3 and dab around the edges of the beads to give them a bit of a wall to hold them in place. For individually places stones I take a small ball of clay, press the stone (even pointed ones) in until it clay form a lipped wall over the edge of the stone. Usa bit of TLS or other liquid clay to adhere to project and bake. Questions?
1:22 pm
Thank you so much Cindy for this nice post. Looks like the Sisyphean line is going to occupy my time quit a bit in the following months ? and I am very happy with it. I just read about the healing characteristics of doing this kind of work and it makes me feel a bit less crazy about enjoying it so much LOL
1:24 pm
I use TLS before baking in order to make the beads stick
1:57 pm
yay, Naama. Love your new work. Awesome!
I've found that using TLS to stick beads, TLS is much like regular clay after curing and that glass does not like sticking to polymer clay and tend to pop off eventually. Glass needs some sort of edge to hold it down unless the whole bead is coated. For rhinestones this wouldn't work though.
3:03 pm
I agree with you but since the final stage in the pieces are a coat of Resin I don't have to worry about the glass beads from popping out
3:39 pm
Tina and Naama, Thank you so much for your incredibly valuable information!!
It is wonderful for all the readers to be able to come here and learn, not only from me, but from other experts like you as well! It was what I was hoping for with this blog!
Cindy Lietz's last blog post..Polymer Clay Projects – Large Beads From Mokume Gane Covered Wood
3:49 pm
gladly :-)
7:06 pm
me too :)
7:30 pm
About names, totally forgot, kinda do like the word "Sisyphean", but Naama is such an accomplished artist, perhaps she's right that these brooches shouldn't be called 'impossible task'(although they would be for many of us!)
Anything I say her may not do these brooches justice, but I like word play….how about "Neo-flora"…? Neo means 'new' or 'young'. "new flower".
Then again Naama means beautiful and why not name them after yourself "Naama Flowers".
1:04 pm
Wow!!! I am learning so much!!! Thank you, Naama!!! Thank you, Tina!!! And thank you, Cindy!!!
I bought some TLS, but have been too afraid to use it…I guess I will just have to get over that fear and start experimenting! Thanks so much, Ladies.
Cindy Erickson
9:16 am
@Naama: :-)
@Tina: That is a very pretty name! Very thoughtful!
@Cindy E.: On behalf of everyone… You're welcome!
3:39 pm
Cindy, I just want to say that I think it is so cool that through you, we get to meet and talk to successful artists who we might otherwise have never had any contact with. I appreciate you and what you do for us in so many ways! Just wanted to let you know.
Cindy E.
5:35 pm
Thank you CIndy E. :-)
11:18 pm
I like the idea of using Naama's name since it means beautiful. How about Naama Colors? -Lani
3:36 pm
That's a neat idea Lani. Maybe it could be the Hebrew name for colors and Naama's name?
Have you come up with a new name yet Naama for your cool technique?
7:52 pm
Naama, what a fabulous idea and site. And thanks Tina, for spelling out the technique step by step.
Used to be a rabid seed beader, and loved to do Native American style loom work. This wonderful technique will allow me to create plaques of "loomed" seed beeds again, all in the Northeastern style Woodland flower style I so love.
9:36 pm
nope… gave up on my copuwriting career… lol
9:37 pm
can't wait to see what you come up with. send some pictures :-)
1:48 am
@Tina: Your comment was left a long time ago, but I wanted to thank you anyway for the directions on how to add seed beads to polymer. It's nice to see names like yours and Naama's around this blog! Lots of talent here at Cindy's site!
Cindy, this is some beautiful work you've displayed here. It's lovely that you show other artist's work, as well. So many ways to inspire us! And teach us, of course. Your tutorials and projects are wonderful, your teaching – outstanding. Thanks so much for all you do!