Bev McQuary

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Handmade Glass Beads & Wire-Worked Jewelry

Bev McQuary has been creating lampworked glass beads for over 16 years.  She was the Registrar at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, WA for 10 years and had the opportunity to take classes from some of the very best instructors, including Sabrina Knowles & Jenny Pohlman, Carmen D’Aquila, Larry Brickman, Larry Scott, Dan Adams, Andrea Guarino, & Brian Kerkvliet.

After a time, she found she had a bucket o’ beads and learned wire working techniques in order to display them.  She was able to take wire work classes from Lynn Merchant, Tracy Stanley, & Irene Huberman, to mention a few. 

Next, she became intrigued with Precious Metal Clay, a byproduct of Mitsubishi.  Precious metals such as silver, gold, or palladium are mixed with an organic binder so that the result works like fine porcelain clay and holds texture beautifully.  Pieces are created, air dried, then fired for a short time; the binder fired out and the piece is then totally fine silver or gold, that can be soldered, a patina added, and finished.  Bev has taken PMC workshops from Virginia Causey and Kathy van Kleeck.

Each of these techniques uses much of the same equipment.  Bev’s studio is at her home on the west side of central Whidbey Island, WA.  Her work is displayed through Whidbey Island studio tours and at Ann’s Coup d’ Art in Coupeville, WA.

WHIDBEYWORKINGArtists

•  Shirley Ashenbrenner

•  Maryon Attwood

•  Marilyn Dessert

•  Nikki Farias

•  Gail Harker

•  Dan Ishler

•  Marcy Johnson

•  Maggie Lancaster

•  Lyla Lillis

•  Rainy Lindell

•  Robbie Lobell

•  Bev McQuary

•  Stacey Neumiller

•  Kathleen Otley

•  Kay Parsons

•  Diane Reardon

•  Gerald Roberts

•  Christopher Saxman

•  Karen Schroeder

•  Mariana Shawver

•  Paula Spina

•  Ann Wilson    

•  Brian Yates

Directions for Tour

Bev McQuary

From SR 20 take N Main St towards water. Turn right on NE 9th, then next left on NE Center St. 902 NE Center St.