Bead Chat Magazine Winter 2014 | Page 92

An Interview with Patti Vanderbloemen By Cynthia Machata I asked Patti what is it about metal that she loved most? And she told me, “I have always been a ‘maker.’ For a time in my distant past, I was a caterer. There is something about taking raw materials and actually making something feasible – whether it’s a wedding cake made from flour, sugar and eggs, or an afghan from a skein a yarn. So, to take a piece of metal wire and bend it into a cohesive shape, or a piece of sheet and cut/texture/dome it into a toggle is the most satisfying of feelings to me. Even more satisfying is the ability to solder pieces of metal together, making a truly three-dimensional piece of art.” When I asked Patti where her inspiration comes from she said when she was starting out it came from books and bead stores. “I visited