Rachel Nelson-Smith is a master beadweaver whose work is filled with bold shapes and vibrant colors. With needle and tools in hand, her pieces are alive with enormous energy and dynamism. Finding inspiration in surrounding nature, pure color, and the beads themselves, Rachel creates pieces reflecting the world she sees around her.

Coloring outside the lines, an approach based in freedom allows her to extemporaneously express thoughts as they happen--with wide use of color and energy, physical manifestations are created in beads and wire.

Rachel's work has been displayed at the Luc Center for the Arts and other locations in the California Bay Area and beyond serving as samples for workshops. A number of original projects have appeared in Bead & Button and Bead Style magazines as well as other online publications.

Rachel works a dual focus bringing inspiration to new beaders through basic techniques and personal exploration of improvisational seed bead stitching combinations and wire techniques. Since 1996, Rachel has offered basic to advanced classes in the California Bay Area for the South Bay Bead Art Guild, bead stores, park & recreation programs, and privately. Since 2005, her designs have been offered at national bead shows like Bead & Button and Puget Sound Bead Festival and around the US in bead stores and for bead societies. In the future she hopes to teach internationally.

Residing in beautiful Santa Cruz, CA with husband Colin, Rachel endeavors to spread beauty, peace, and bead addiction through her unique creations.

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