introduction
PM's Beaded Works
"Timeless Treasures"
Specializing in Beaded Tapestries
Hello and welcome to my site! Let me introduce myself – I am Paul Medeiros and I am a beaded tapestry artist. My tapestries are truly unique, one-of-a-kind “Timeless Treasures.” I also now have seed beads, more than 270 colors, for sale along with seed bead boxes. The beads are in tubes and range in price from $1.00 - $9.00 per tube.
All tapestries in this website are for sale as indicated; prices may be negotiable; and, I do accept payment plans. If interested in purchasing a completed tapestry or obtaining a commission piece, please contact me. Please click on the photos for additional information pertaining to each tapestry.
My tapestries are loom-weaved, single pieces, in sizes 10 ought and 11 ought seed beads. I use mostly Czech seed beads but have also used French and Japanese. The looms are handmade by me to fit the size of the tapestry. With my last two tapestries, “Mount Ranier” and the “New Mexico Organ Mountains,” I began using Japanese Delica beads – my primary beads now.
I have been working with seed beads for over 35 years after being shown how to do them by a friend using a small wooden loom. It started initially as a hobby. Once I started working with the beads, I was curious about doing something larger and with more detail. I began experimenting with slightly larger looms and more detailed pictures bringing me to where I am today. My specialty is beaded tapestries.
I began doing my tapestries on a full-time basis in March 1993 after my pieces were viewed by a renowned beadworks artist of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her encouragement and enthusiasm convinced me to pursue my art venture more seriously. My beadworks have been viewed by Ms. Alice Scherer, Director of the Center for the Study of Beadwork in Oregon. Artists, gallery owners and museum curators who have seen my works have told me that the works I do are related to those of the 15th and 16th century European beadworks. My piece, “The Large Cross,” was listed in the advertisement and price listing for the ‘Beads on Target’ national juried bead show. My slides have been used by Ms. Kathlyn Moss of Roseheart Beadwork in Oregon (co-author of "The New Beadwork"), Ms. Carol Perrenoud of Universal Synergetics, Inc. in Oregon, and Mr. David Chatt of Washington during their presentations and travels.
The following additional information is provided concerning these pieces. All of my tapestries are pieces created using cross-stitch patterns (either as a pattern itself or created from a photograph). Once the cross stitch pattern is created, the next steps are building the loom (if I do not already have one for the size of the particular tapestry), stringing the loom, "mapping" the pattern for my use, individually selecting the beads, and, finally, weaving the tapestry. As you can see, by using seed beads instead of thread, the basic picture also changes (usually by adding to the picture) to accommodate the different shapes/sizes of seed beads. If I did not alter the basic picture, the result would be distorted (i.e., face too thin/fat, too tall/short, too long, etc.). The changes I do make simply enhance the finished product. “The Large Cross” and the “Metallic Cross” are my own original designs.
“Mount Ranier,” a commissioned piece, was accepted for publication in the Beadwork Magazine, August/September 2008 edition, in the W.O.R.D. section. The article included a photo and a small write-up. The “New Mexico Organ Mountains” was also accepted for publication in the Beadwork Magazine, June/July 2013 edition, as the “featured artist.”
As you can see, these tapestries are labor intensive and very time consuming. I select each and every bead for size and shape to ensure the tapestries are as uniform as possible for framing and matting on completion. Once the tapestry is completed, it is removed from the loom and framed and matted, which requires mounting to place the tapestry on the frame. All my tapestries have museum quality glass, framing and matting.