I think every piece of art has a special feeling about it. Just as we are sometimes in a better, than other days in a less cheerful mood, the results of the work of the human mind and creativity have their own unique atmosphere around them. Some of them talk about carefree days and the wind in the hair, others may speak of sorrowful thoughts, the tranquility of the nature around us or in opposite about the power of the elements.
Patrick Duggan’s beaded art jewelry is shouting one thing in many different ways:
“Be happy, life is beautiful!”
Of course the message you read from all the necklaces, earrings and bracelets can be very different from my version or from the one Patrick intended to share through his art.
Tell us in a comment: what do you think, what is his jewelry talking about?
You will find here interviews with jewelry makers and fashion designers every second week.
Together with them I wish you a pleasent time reading!
Please tell us about yourself and your brand a bit!
I am Patrick Duggan, I am in my 66th year and I live in Sydney, Australia. I have no formal training in art, however, most of my life I have been creative in some form. Starting at age ten with knitting, I have done crochet, tatting and macramé. I have exhibited and sold my drawings and paintings. I also have dabbled with lead-lighting, pottery and mosaics.
It was the discovery of beading that fulfilled my yearning for a new way to express myself.
How did your story as a designer begin? Do you remember the first piece you sold?
A friend of mine returned from a holiday in Bangkok with some wooden bead men’s braided wristbands. They were very attractive and I was hoping he would give me one, but alas, no such luck. Two days later I woke early and a voice inside my head said “you have done macramé, make your own wrist-bands”. So I did! My friends liked them and people bought them. That was the beginning of my addiction to beads.
Please tell us how does your average day look like! It’s so exciting to get to know more about the lifestyle of a designer!
I wake around 3:30am. Needless to say I also start falling asleep early, generally in bed before 9pm. First thing, I check my social media and fulfill any orders received overnight, make a coffee, then I sit down to bead, sometimes I write tutorials. I will do that for about four hours, stop, have breakfast then return to beading/writing. Around midday I stop as my body has had enough sitting – 7 to 8 hours a day is generally enough for me. Usually I either tidy up the house and shower or go to the gym. The rest of the day I do house chores, gardening, read, etc. If I have a design idea I want to explore I may return to beading in the afternoon, but only to see if it works.
What makes your designs stand out of the crowd of other designers? Which are your favorite colors, shapes, materials etc?
To tell you the truth I don’t actually know what does!! My friends tell me I have a definite, recognizable style in my beadwork. They say having a style is good and well known designers are recognizable also. I hear them but I still try that extra bit to make my work unique. Maybe this answers your question. My favorite part of beading is designing, engineering and making new centerpieces, especially when I have new bead shapes. From the centerpieces the rest flows forth.
I am not afraid of color and find mixing colors very exhilarating at times.
I love pinks/purples and greens together and use this combination often. My favorite beads are seed beads. With seed beads all kinds of shapes and textures can be constructed. A design can be totally or partially seed beads and I love them. I also love Swarovski crystals, who doesn’t??
For what kind of occasions can we wear your pieces? What’s the woman who wears your design like?
One of the many things I love about bead weaving is the diversity I can get in designing. One minute I may make something that looks like “crown jewels” the next piece may be perfect for wearing to a barbecue. I am not sure I create for a specific kind of woman, or for an age group. The woman I see wearing my jewelry is someone who enjoys color, loves classic themes, also takes risks in being bold, will dress up for special occasions and wear jewelry to “knock-em-dead” – whether that be a statement piece necklace, or a pair of striking earrings. I guess answering this question tells me she is a well rounded, confident woman of the world who enjoys living her life by her own rules.
Where does your inspiration come from? Do you have some rituals to boost your creative energy?
I am inspired by what I see around me – color, nature, architecture, shapes, vintage jewelry, television, new beads, to name a few.
For example:
Color – when fluoro came back into fashion recently I made some of my most colorful designs.
Architecture – my best selling tutorial to date is my Art Deco bracelet inspired by the top of the Chrysler building in New York.
Nature – a recent non-symmetrical piece was that of a small flower arrangement.
New beads – I get so excited experimenting with them. If the bead producers didn’t keep coming out with new beads my beading life would get pretty dull.
A ritual for inspiration?
Other than enjoying going to bed early, so I can wake early and bead in the silence of early morning, listening to the birds waking as the sun rises. I love that time of the day. I guess this is my ‘ritual.’ A lot of inspiration and ideas spring forth when beading one design and another ‘what if’ idea comes.
Do you have a piece of jewelry you made, that is somehow special to you?
I think I have many pieces. One in particular comes to mind. Very early in my bead-weaving career I learnt brick stitch and did some really pretty earring designs, by brickstitching around beads. I then decided to make lots of these brick stitched beads and join them into one large necklace design.
It was daunting as it was way beyond my capabilities at the time.
I felt fear and anxiety, going to all this work and I didn’t want to mess it up.
I learnt a lot from this piece. I managed to get it all done and called the necklace “White Goddess”.
A fellow designer commented how beautiful it was and how it reminded her of French lace –I was more than thrilled to hear such a compliment from a designer I respected.
On a more recent note, I have designed a necklace that I now have on a bust sitting on my lounge-room mantle. It is simple in design yet I am very satisfied with the texture I achieved, the shapes and the colors used. I see it as ‘different’ to other things I have created, however a fellow designer, who knows my work, well, says it is very obviously a Patrick Duggan Design. I am always amazed how others see a style in my work, whereas I see diversity.
If you could design something for a well-known person or maybe a fictional character from a film or book, who would it be, and why?
I watched the television series “The Tudors” and one of Henry’s wives – Ann Boleyn – wore some of the most inspirational pieces of jewelry. In this series Ann seemed bold and confident and was well aware of her position and used it to her advantage. She also dressed immaculately, wearing really strong, eye-catching jewelry. I would love to design for Ann Boleyn – or at least the television character before she had her head chopped off!
What kind of clothes and accessories do you wear? Who are your favorite designers and why?
This is a hard question to answer being a man. I like fashion, always have. One of the less satisfying things about getting older and larger in body is “fashionable” clothes are not made for the larger person. In Sydney’s temperate climate I mostly wear smart trousers, jeans, shirts and t-shirts. In winter I add a jacket or coat. I enjoy seasonal colors, smart tailoring, and comfortable clothing. Clothing for me doesn’t necessarily have to be a designer label but to choose designers I like it would be Hugo Boss, Giorgio Armani. I had an Armani jacket and every time I wore it someone would compliment me. So there is something to be said for good tailoring.
Accessories – I am not big on wearing jewelry. I do wear a watch and I also like largish men’s rings, sometimes I wear a chain and pendant. I have made myself a few pendants and only occasionally wear them. What I do love are interesting belts and belt buckles.
What is your goal in the future? Where would you like to see your brand?
My immediate goal is teaching four classes at Beads by Blanche, (New York) in June. Kitting some of my designs will be next. I haven’t had kits in my store before and hope they will be well received. Travelling and teaching in Europe and other parts of the world would be great. Definitely on my “to-do” list will be to produce books of my designs.
On a personal note, I am planning to downsize my home by having a sea change soon. I will then cease working for someone else and make beading my only profession. Creating from ones own hands is very exciting – what a great profession.
Where can we see and buy your designs?
My Links
Tutorial Store: https://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/home/patrickduggandesigns
My Blog: http://patrickduggandesigns.blogspot.com.au
Website: I am currently setting up a website and hopefully it will be active soon.
Thank you very much for answering my questions, Patrick!
Make sure to check out Patrick Duggan’s article about using Fireline, there’s so much to learn from it!
Tell Patrick Duggan in a comment, how do you like his art!
And what do you think about the new series “Face to face?”
Whould you like to tell us more about your art and be featured in one of the upcoming interviews?
Don’t hesitate and drop me a line here 🙂
Great job Sandra. I am thrilled that you like Patrick’s work as much as I do. I can see the two of you involved in a collaboration soon.