Saturday, June 20, 2020

SUMMER SOLSTICE

        I confess that I've been paying way too much attention to the garden and not enough time at the bead table. The yard is like an art project that's always changing. This longest day of the year has everything growing at an incredible rate and in need of constant watering. But when I do sit down to sew, I'm feeling very creative. My Alice in Wonderland piece is going well. With everything going on in the world right now, it seems appropriate. The unresolved nature of chaos, themes of capricious dictators, struggles with life and death. " Off with their heads!"
                                 



In any case, when I walk out my door and away from the bead table, I have my own little wonderland. Happy solstice!

Thursday, June 18, 2020

PREVIEW AND TEST RUN

Blogger has informed all of us that we will be having to use the new blogger. In the spirt of that, I've changed everything up and went with a more modern look and an updated address. kateboyan.blogspot.com

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MY PROCESS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MY PROCESS: Because we are all staying home and sheltering in place, I thought I would share a little bit of my process. My posts are usually far a few...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHEN I'M 64

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHEN I'M 64: “When I’m sixty four.” If anyone told me that on my 64th birthday we would be in the middle of a global pandemic, I probably wouldn’t have...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ANOTHER ORDER DONE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ANOTHER ORDER DONE:                      Just put this butterfly collar piece in the mail. Filling orders, feeling good.

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TEACHING AND THE BONDS WE MAKE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TEACHING AND THE BONDS WE MAKE: 2020. First blog of the new year. This year I'm teaching two classes. These are always so much fun and I'm excited for the opportun...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: OLD STUFF

Kate Boyan's Gallery: OLD STUFF: Looking through some boxes under the floor (our storage space) and came on this photo of my Oprah bag.  At one point in my long career I th...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHAT'S ON THE TABLE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHAT'S ON THE TABLE: I've almost finished this piece. "Elk Magic" It's been on the table since December 12. I marked it on the calendar just t...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MOTHER'S DAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MOTHER'S DAY: Spring is in the air. Mothers day comes at a wonderful time of year around here. All the birds have come back to have their babies, the moo...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPINESS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPINESS: There is so much I like about this bag. For one thing I love the way one bluebird is looking up and the other is looking down. So often I d...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GOING TO SANTA FE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GOING TO SANTA FE: Headed down south on the 13th. I'm so happy to be working on the final bag for the show, it's been a long haul. Excited and nervo...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SUCCESS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SUCCESS:  Okay, I guess I do feel a little different. The life of an artist is filled with uncertainty and always the insecure nagging that...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FEATHER EARRINGS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FEATHER EARRINGS: Grace modeling the earrings Whew, the Blue jay feather earring kits are finally done! I only do one kit a year, and these turned out...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HOT COLORS IN A COOL CLIMATE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HOT COLORS IN A COOL CLIMATE: I've been working on this order that I got in Santa Fe during the show. It's from a really wonderful lady from Florida named Farrah...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NEW YEARS DAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NEW YEARS DAY: @)!* That's 2018 with the caps lock on. I have a feeling it's going to be a good year. January first on a Monday seems right, got a...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: OPEN

Kate Boyan's Gallery: OPEN:   Robert got the tall ladder out and is washing the outside of the windows. The flies are crawling around on the newly dusted sills. A sur...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FIRST BATCH

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FIRST BATCH: These are the first three bags that are going to Santa Fe this year.

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SUMMER SOLSTICE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SUMMER SOLSTICE: The longest day of the year! It's raining pretty good today and foggy across the inlet, so I'm putting up a picture of yesterday. M...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE RAVENS ARE GOING TO SANTA FE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE RAVENS ARE GOING TO SANTA FE: These birds are headed south. The fabulous ravens are always one of my favorite subjects. My work will be at The Eldorado Hotel, Thursday A...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TINY BEADS TO GET THE DETAIL

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TINY BEADS TO GET THE DETAIL: So, I'm working on an order. Not my usual subject matter but I never say no to whatever the challenge is. I decided to go ahead and use...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: KITS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: KITS: Hello gang, This is the posting for all you intrepid beadworkers who have bought my kits. Thank you to everyone! If there is one thing I&...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NEW YEAR

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NEW YEAR: The Chief Bag is in the mail. Such a wonderful wrap-up to 2018. It always feels good to finish a challenging project, yes, faces are chal...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FRESH EYE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FRESH EYE: Happy New Year to all! I can't believe how quickly 2016 went by, it seems that what people always say about the older you get, the fast...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NINA'S ORIGINALS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NINA'S ORIGINALS: Robert said to me" Take a break, you've been working awfully long hours."  I do tend to put the nose to the grindstone whe...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: YOUR OPINION

Kate Boyan's Gallery: YOUR OPINION: Okay, I'm having a really hard time deciding on a background color for my octopus.  I love him so I want it to be right. It's drawn...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHAT KIND OF BEADS DO YOU WANT?

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHAT KIND OF BEADS DO YOU WANT?: All of the beaders in my neck of the woods know that last fall Gig's Beads and Things went out of business. She and her husband Robert ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LEARNING FROM TEACHING

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LEARNING FROM TEACHING: I was in Anchorage this weekend teaching a class at the Alaska Bead Company. It never ceases to amaze me how warm and fuzzy I feel after a ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GETTING THERE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GETTING THERE: Opening May First.

Kate Boyan's Gallery: AH, SUMMER

Kate Boyan's Gallery: AH, SUMMER: Simply enjoying life as things get green.    Having a great time with the family, getting the garden in, king fishing, morel mushroom ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BOX OF BEADWORK

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BOX OF BEADWORK: I've just sent the first box off to Santa Fe. If you are going to be there for Indian Market (August 18,19,20 ) Vivi will have my work ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LYNX IS DONE!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LYNX IS DONE!: YAY! THE LYNX IS DONE!! I really like this one. The purple mountain and water makes me happy even though the wave pattern in small bead...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HALLOWEEN UPDATE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HALLOWEEN UPDATE: Wow! It is the most beautiful halloween day I think I have ever seen around here. Almost balmy, so great for the kids to have green grass a...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: OLD PHOTOS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: OLD PHOTOS: Always beading...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: CLEAN SLATE/BEAD TABLE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: CLEAN SLATE/BEAD TABLE: I'm happy to report that the "Dressed Horses Bag" is in the mail. It seems like I was working on it forever, but really it wi...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY: So the weirdest thing just happen. I went to post my valentines post to facebook and blogger sent the link but put up some mystery beadwork...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NEW LEATHER

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NEW LEATHER: Wow, I'm so in love with this new leather. I hemmed and hawed when buying it because it's stiff, and I usually use a more pliable h...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MEET THE BEETLES!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MEET THE BEETLES!: I've really been obsessed with all the wonderful beetles there are out there. I love the look of them with their hard, shiny wings. The...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE BIG 60

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE BIG 60: Got up this morning feeling reflective, what do I want to do this year, something to mark the mile stone of turning sixty. Went for a walk ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GREAT VISIT!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GREAT VISIT!: Yesterday I put my long time friend and bead buddy on the plane back to Florida. We had the greatest visit, I hadn't seen Susan in 13 y...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SKY CURTAIN

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SKY CURTAIN: Took a little trip to Anchorage and on a perfectly sunny summer day we walked around downtown and enjoyed the ambience of the big city. We ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHICH PHOTO?

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHICH PHOTO?: Just getting a box together, I'm sending some stuff toVivi in Santa Fe. She will be receiving the group of insect cuffs I've been w...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FEELING LIKE CRAP

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FEELING LIKE CRAP: So, I've got the cough, sniffles, achy head, fever thing that has been going around. After lying around blowing my nose and feeling bad...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: AGAIN A BUSY BACKGROUND

Kate Boyan's Gallery: AGAIN A BUSY BACKGROUND: So I'm out in 20 degree weather trying to take pictures of the finished "Sanibel Birds" bag. It is sunny but NOT warm. I will...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WORKING ON A CLASS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WORKING ON A CLASS: So right now I'm making some prototypes for a class. Using the Elements of Inspiration cuffs we will be making these gorgeous little br...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FEATHER BAGS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FEATHER BAGS: The preparation for my next Santa Fe show has been begun in ernest. Tomorrow I'm sending some bags down to Vivi and she will be display...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S DAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S DAY: This morning when I was laying in bed, waiting to fully wake up, the radio was on. The news story was talking about May 8th being Internati...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SIX BRACELETS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SIX BRACELETS: Getting ready to put these 6 bracelets in the mail for Vivi. If you are in Santa fe you can see them in person at the La Fonda Hotel. There...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MULTI-TASKING

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MULTI-TASKING: Right now I've got quite a few projects going at once. The big brown leather bag that Robert made is for computers and iPads  and such...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BEAD RETREAT

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BEAD RETREAT: This weekend I attended Gig's bead retreat on the homer spit. It was beautiful on the beach and there were tons of seals, otters ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SUBTLE SHADES

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SUBTLE SHADES: It's spring, which means migration time around here. I love all the godwits, whimbrels, dunlins, and sandpipers. Watching and listening...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: 16 BUTTERFLIES

Kate Boyan's Gallery: 16 BUTTERFLIES: For all butterfly lovers everywhere.  HAPPY SUMMER SOLSTICE!                                                  A pretty good day to pu...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: COMING SOON

Kate Boyan's Gallery: COMING SOON: Working hard to be ready!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BAGS FOR THE SHOW

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BAGS FOR THE SHOW:                Finishing up some of the bags for the show…    Right down to the wire around here.

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SEPTEMBER

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SEPTEMBER: After the big push for the show it feels really good to be taking sometime in the yard, harvesting the garden, enjoying the leaves changing...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: DIZZY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: DIZZY:  You can't really plan the way your life is going to go. About two months ago I felt faint. Then it was constant dizziness. Long story...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINALLY DONE!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINALLY DONE!: I'm so glad to have finished this bag. These suitcase bags are so much work and then the last thing you do too finish it is a massive a...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BRACELETS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BRACELETS: Today I realized that it's time to dive in to another big project. I have really been enjoying working on some small items like stringi...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WINGED THINGS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WINGED THINGS: I'm working on that big butterfly suitcase bag. I think I'll do a little semi 3-D effect, that's why I beaded part of the back ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GALLERY PREP!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GALLERY PREP!: Spring has sprung and the motorhomes are showing up at the pull off. They take pictures of the inlet sunsets and snow capped volcanoes, the...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: OPEN

Kate Boyan's Gallery: OPEN: MAY FIRST! We are up and running. Had my first customers, first sale, and first bulbs coming up in the yard of 2014...  Working on finis...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPY TO BE DONE!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPY TO BE DONE!: I finished the bag today. It's been a long haul and especially hard to stay put at the bead table when the weather has been so gor...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MEMORIAL DAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MEMORIAL DAY: My current project on the bead table. The flags and eagle were not planned to coincide with Memorial Day but it feels appropriate. Workin...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SOLSTICE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SOLSTICE: It's a rainy sunday day so I thought I would catch up with some picture taking of things in the gallery. The first day of summer was ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TIME IS SHORT

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TIME IS SHORT: LESS THAN A MONTH AND I'LL BE IN JUNEAU! Annie Dennis and I will be getting together to  wow them with our work  at: http://www.annieka...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TIME IS SHORT

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TIME IS SHORT: LESS THAN A MONTH AND I'LL BE IN JUNEAU! Annie Dennis and I will be getting together to  wow them with our work  at: http://www.annieka...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHAT A TRIP

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHAT A TRIP: Sitting down this morning rehashing the trip in my mind. Leading up to the show was a little nerve wracking, but it turned out that the rad...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: 9/9

Kate Boyan's Gallery: 9/9: I'm sharing a sneak peek of the order I'm working on right now. Here's your bag in progress, Mag. Hope it's what you had in...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE: I'm super excited! My Dipnet wall pockets were chosen to be in the All Alaska Juried XXXV show at the Anchorage museum.  https://www.an...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINALLY IN THE MAIL!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINALLY IN THE MAIL!: I rarely cut it this close on orders but these darn leopards were just taking longer than I thought they would. All those little spots and ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: A CHRISTMAS TALE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: A CHRISTMAS TALE:             The year I was 15 I was living in Connecticut and not having a very good time. My family life was tense and unhappy and school...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TWO DONE DEALS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TWO DONE DEALS:  Thought I'd put up the bags now that they are completely finished.We attempted something different with these bags. On the back we&#...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LYNX

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LYNX: Just finished the lynx, whew, he turned out better than I thought he would when I was in the middle of it...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE COMPLETE PICTURE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE COMPLETE PICTURE: So here are the finished wall pockets. I hemmed and hawed on how to make them. Finally I ordered some salmon skins for the the back piec...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ANTSY FOR SPRING

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ANTSY FOR SPRING:   Working on some spring time pieces even though  the weather is not cooperating. I'm loving the simplicity of the loon piece. I ha...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SET UP

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SET UP: Busy setting up the gallery. We open May 9th!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: REST IN PEACE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: REST IN PEACE: Today I'm sewing with black beads on a" Day of the Dead" piece. My father passed away late last night,  he was 90 and I'm...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: PLEASE GIVE ME SOME OPINIONS!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: PLEASE GIVE ME SOME OPINIONS!: I need help making a decision.You see the sun, well I have it drawn in with orange rays radiating out. What do you think, is that to much...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SHOW IN SANTA FE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SHOW IN SANTA FE: Okay, it's down to the wire. Two weeks from today I get on the plane and head off to Santa Fe and then, hopefully sell the beadwork. I&...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BACK AND OUTSIDE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BACK AND OUTSIDE: I've returned from Santa Fe and the show was a great success! So, I can breathe a sigh of relief. Now that it's over I realize just...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SOMETHING DIFFERENT: These past few months my schedule has consisted of me doing a crazy amount of beading. Right now    I'm not in a big hurry to get back ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MOVING ON

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MOVING ON

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHAT TO SIT IN?

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WHAT TO SIT IN?:  Went for a road trip to Anchorage to find a new beading chair. My old faithful will not stay up (the piston is shot) and every 1/2 hour I ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WORK AT THE BUNNELL

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WORK AT THE BUNNELL: Click here to learn all about the Bunnell Street Arts Center Tomorrow I'll be taking some of my work down to the Bunnell Street Arts ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HALLOWEEN HAIKU

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HALLOWEEN HAIKU: Right now I'm working on this piece I call dragonflies revenge...OOO AHG AHG AHG the cat swats at wings crunching on the drago...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: 2 HUMMINGBIRDS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: 2 HUMMINGBIRDS: Working on an order for an excellent customer, she has requested a hummingbird. I made the first one and wasn't sure about it so I made...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: COMING ALONG...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: COMING ALONG...: The hummingbird piece of beadwork is done! This piece will be the front flap of a suitcase bag, and now I'll start on the side panels. ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ONE DOWN, FIVE TO GO

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ONE DOWN, FIVE TO GO: Here's the finish piece. One down and five to go! This is because I'm doing three pieces that are looking east (up river) and three ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Kate Boyan's Gallery: YEAR OF THE DRAGON: The year of the dragon, hope that's a good thing. Here's a dragon teapot that belonged to the grandmother of my husband and I though...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FRUSTRATED AND BORED

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FRUSTRATED AND BORED: When I took on this project I knew it was going to be a lot of work. But now I'm back beading more sand. I really feel bored beading the...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MORE FEATHERS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MORE FEATHERS: Still playing around with the feather necklaces...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NUMBER 2 FINISHED

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NUMBER 2 FINISHED: So here is the finished piece. I'm pleased, the seagulls are a little meaner looking than my last ones, but they can get that way when t...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE RIVER #3

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE RIVER #3: Working on #3. I really like the little girl and the dog, and of course the seagull yelling for more fish! The sky is coming along and w...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GETTING OLD WITH BEADWORK

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GETTING OLD WITH BEADWORK: Let's be honest, getting old is not for the faint of heart. I've just gotten home from a two week trip where I was helping my b...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: STRANGE DAYS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: STRANGE DAYS: It's been a crazy couple of weeks.We've had out of town company so there has been fishing, beach combing and even gold panning. Th...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINALLY DONE!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINALLY DONE!: The Coco Bag is finished! This one was a struggle with the crazy but sweet looking dog, the beadwork on the strap, (it's hard bead...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: POWER OUTAGE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: POWER OUTAGE: Sitting in the dark, there's a big wind storm and the power is out. I use to live the cabin life style with no  electricity bu...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: 10 11 12

Kate Boyan's Gallery: 10 11 12: Today is 10 11 12. I wonder how many times something like this happens. You always hear about numerology, I'm sure this must have...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: YOUR OPINION

Kate Boyan's Gallery: YOUR OPINION: So, I've just finished this hawk  piece of beadwork. It's going to be a bag with the feather being the flap.( the whip stitch and...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WINTER DIGS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: WINTER DIGS: In Alaska winter comes early. We have always had two wood stoves, one upstairs in the gallery/studio and one downstairs. This year I ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINISHED HAWK

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINISHED HAWK: I finished the hawk bag. Thank you for your input on the black or brown options, I went with the brown, Robbie's choice, mainly becau...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THIS IS THE END, OR NOT

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THIS IS THE END, OR NOT: So, the end, or the new beginning or just as far as the Mayans went with their calendar. I have a feeling that I will be in the middl...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SIMPLE OBSERVATIONS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SIMPLE OBSERVATIONS: To start out 2011 with something different I thought I would begin a simple observation Monday. Making observations on things that catch my...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SIMPLE OBSERVATION MONDAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SIMPLE OBSERVATION MONDAY:    I'm doing a class at Gigs, (in March) the owner of the local bead store,  Gig's Beads and Things . About once a year I try to do ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SURROUNDED

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SURROUNDED: "never a moments peace."

Kate Boyan's Gallery: YEAR OF THE RABBIT

Kate Boyan's Gallery: YEAR OF THE RABBIT: Tomorrow is the first day of the Chinese year of the rabbit. The predictions are not great, something about the rabbit being wood and that c...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NO SHOW

Kate Boyan's Gallery: NO SHOW: First I'll just get this out of the way. I received the letter on Friday informing me that I will not be having a solo show at the ancho...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPY VALENTINES DAY: XOXO

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ARTIST STATEMENT

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ARTIST STATEMENT: So here's what I came up with for an artist statement (for the grant proposal.) It's really difficult to know what to say, but they ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: JAPAN

Kate Boyan's Gallery: JAPAN: What a incredibly terrible disaster! I feel so bad for Japan. They are huge bead makers, I wonder if the bead factories were destroyed?  I c...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: YEA SPRING

Kate Boyan's Gallery: YEA SPRING: Spring is my favorite time of year. Today I went to Bishops Beach and walked and walked. The tides were way out, rocks that you never see we...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TULIPS, RABBITS & BLUE BUTTERFLIES

Kate Boyan's Gallery: TULIPS, RABBITS & BLUE BUTTERFLIES: Awhile back I did the blue butterflies and I really liked them. Thought they looked great with red so I designed this bag with that in mind...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: STYLISH BLOG AWARD

Kate Boyan's Gallery: STYLISH BLOG AWARD: So, my niece Annie (who is a wonderful photographer and has a very cool blog with her work,  http://anniedennisphotography.blogspot) has sen...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: VERY EXCITING NEWS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: VERY EXCITING NEWS: at the hotel Sitting in a dark room with three projection screens and a group of hushed but excited people. The speaker is saying Kate B...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ROAD TRIP!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ROAD TRIP!:  Just returned home. Ah, you could say we were snacking our way across Alaska. Pretty hard to make a salad when your eating out of the coole...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ON THE BEAD TABLE NOW

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ON THE BEAD TABLE NOW: Here's what I'm working on now. Getting ready to go dip netting and was inspired to bead red salmon! At first I designed the belt to...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: PROGRESS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: PROGRESS: Working on the water behind the fish now. The blue colors are beautiful, not realistic to the murky waters of the Kasilof River. Took the d...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: PROCRASTINATING NO MORE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: PROCRASTINATING NO MORE: So, while I'm merrily making my fish beadwork, I've  been putting off an order that I need to get done.  I don't like doing fu...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: DONE BUT NOT DONE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: DONE BUT NOT DONE: The wolf is done! I am about one day away from finishing the side panels and then there will be lots of lazy stitch to do. I'm so happy...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LABOR DAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LABOR DAY: Just had two people stop into the gallery on their bikes, they were riding from Soldotna to Homer and then going to catch the ferry to Kodi...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: CHALLENGES

Kate Boyan's Gallery: CHALLENGES: So, I'm starting on my first piece of the dip net series. This one is going to be from the seagull perspective. They are such a crack up...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: A COUPLE OF COMPLETED PROJECTS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: A COUPLE OF COMPLETED PROJECTS: T

Kate Boyan's Gallery: AUDIT!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: AUDIT!: Ever wonder what it would be liked to get audited? Well I'm about to find out. Opened the letter and was shocked, why me I'm such sm...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE BEACH

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE BEACH: So here's how the sand came out. Mixed all the colors together and then I attached them two or three beads at a time. I tried to be rand...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THANK YOU VETERANS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THANK YOU VETERANS: Happy Veterans Day! A very special one, 11-11-11. A once in a life time occurrence. I'm one of those people who is always looking up and...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: DIP NET SERIES

Kate Boyan's Gallery: DIP NET SERIES: Well, only one more day before we start gaining some daylight hours. It's after 9 am and it is still pitch black out. These short winter...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BELOVED BIRCH

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BELOVED BIRCH: You know how I love my spring, the baby leaves, sticky and bright emerging from the buds on the long quiet branches. This is a tribute to b...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MEMORIAL DAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MEMORIAL DAY: Memorial day weekend is the official start to the crazy fish chasing summer that goes on around here. King salmon season opens, people pore ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FILLING ORDERS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FILLING ORDERS: My god I'm wiped out. Summertime. Have to get out an enjoy the weather, get the garden going, keep the garden going, weeding, weeding we...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FUR IN BEADS IS HARD!!!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FUR IN BEADS IS HARD!!!: So, this is the piece I'm currently working on.  I'm not at all sure about it, I may have gotten carried away with trying to blend ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FAMILY HEIRLOOMS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FAMILY HEIRLOOMS: Had a wonderful day in the gallery! I had two very interesting women come in. One of them bought my "Day of the Dead Tie". This is...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR WORK

Kate Boyan's Gallery: PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR WORK: Trying to take pictures of the beadwork today. Wanted it to be all artsy with nature as the background. Only one problem... as soon ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SANTA FE SHOW

Kate Boyan's Gallery: SANTA FE SHOW: So, this is the end result of the photo shoot the other day. The address of the the gallery is 223 W.  San Francisco. If any of you are arou...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: EARLY WORK

Kate Boyan's Gallery: EARLY WORK: Getting very close to finishing the wolf piece I've been working on  and pulling my hair out over. A couple more days and I'll post...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINISHED WOLF

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINISHED WOLF: Yea, the finished wolf piece! Long hours, very tired eyes and sore wrist. I think it's my favorite bag for the Santa Fe show. Seems like...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: STILL LIFE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: STILL LIFE: Well, I really never wanted to talk about the weather in this blog, but the frustrating summer we are having is working my last nerve! ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: POPULAR POPPIES

Kate Boyan's Gallery: POPULAR POPPIES: I've always loved poppies. The gorgeous  summer fields of the common orange poppy and the huge and spectacular Arctic blue poppy that ev...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GOING TO THE SOUTHWEST

Kate Boyan's Gallery: GOING TO THE SOUTHWEST: I love the southwest. If I wasn't a die- hard Alaskan I would live in the desert with the lizards and the cactus.  There is something ab...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ELATION

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ELATION: I'm back from Santa Fe, exhausted but happy. When ever I do a show, I always joke ( not really) that there will be either elation or dep...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BOOK GIVE AWAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BOOK GIVE AWAY: Hello all! Today I'm posting a book give away, (THE BLUE BEAD). I'll leave it up until Sunday and then I will mail the book out firs...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LABOR DAY

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LABOR DAY: Happy Labor Day! The official end of summer, seems like it was just the beginning. Wow that went by fast. So, everyone who said they wanted...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE BIRDS ARE LEAVING

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THE BIRDS ARE LEAVING: In In the yard this afternoon and I heard the guttural rattle of the sandhill cranes. Looked up to see a huge group, long necks stretched to...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: 250 WORDS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: 250 WORDS: So back to the solo show application. The museum wants a no longer than 250 words artists statement explaining what your proposal is, basica...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LIFE WITH MOOSE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LIFE WITH MOOSE:  I'm trying to design a great piece of beadwork of moose. All summer we had this family in the yard. Got to watch the twins romp, explor...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BAGS AVAILABLE FOR SALE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: BAGS AVAILABLE FOR SALE:  Dragonfly and Roses  $650.00 9 inches by 9 inches Dragonflies and Flower  $650.00 9 inches by 9 inches  Northern Lights and Car    $...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ON THE TABLE NOW

Kate Boyan's Gallery: ON THE TABLE NOW: The application for the solo show has been sent in! Yea, that's done. They let people know at the end of December, so I can move on and...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: DAMAGE

Kate Boyan's Gallery: DAMAGE: This is a story of a well meaning nature lover who was trying to rescue a hurt bee. Unfortunately while transferring the injured insect (wh...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THANK YOU TROOPS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: THANK YOU TROOPS:                                                Happy Veterans Day!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: METEOR SHOWER

Kate Boyan's Gallery: METEOR SHOWER: Just got back from mailing the repaired Raven Bag and running tons of errands.We're about 30 miles out of town so you want to check lots...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINISHED TABLE TOP

Kate Boyan's Gallery: FINISHED TABLE TOP: Here's the finished piece of beadwork. As you can see I did add the little rice bowl and its shadow.  There are actually several things ...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: PLAYING WITH THE BLOG

Kate Boyan's Gallery: PLAYING WITH THE BLOG: view from the bead table today Feeling inspired by my new blog colors I decided to post a piece that matches the gorgeous blues. This Ra...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: CHRISTMAS NECKPOUCH

Kate Boyan's Gallery: CHRISTMAS NECKPOUCH: So much is going on! I wanted to get a few pieces sent to the Santa Fe gallery for the holiday so I've been working over time to get thi...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LONGEST NIGHT

Kate Boyan's Gallery: LONGEST NIGHT: Winter is long and dark but this being Solstice, tomorrow we'll start gaining daylight again. The weather's been bitter cold lately,...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MERRY CHRISTMAS!: Crazy the cat, sleeps soundly on heated tiles by the wood stove. Robert naps on the couch. The white rabbits are plentiful, leaving tracks...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Kate Boyan's Gallery: HAPPY NEW YEAR!: Checked the mail today and there was a letter from the Anchorage Museum of Art. I got all nervous with the anticipation and fear of rejectio...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MY PROCESS

Kate Boyan's Gallery: MY PROCESS: Because we are all staying home and sheltering in place, I thought I would share a little bit of my process. My posts are usually far a few...

Kate Boyan's Gallery: CLOSED FOR NOW, ( COVID-19 related.)

Kate Boyan's Gallery: CLOSED FOR NOW, ( COVID-19 related.):   First let me say, I love my gallery and I love my patrons. Normally this time of year I would be bustling around getting ready for the...

RAVEN AND SKULL

 I finally finished my Raven and Skull bag. It's one of what I call my book reports, which is to say I read a book and then after mullin...