Beading the Body. An Intensive Beading Workshop with Caroline Broadhead

The journey begins with an online introduction, where you will be introduced to the theme through inspiring examples of ancient and contemporary beadwork. This gives you time to reflect, research, and experiment with techniques before we meet in Athens.

When we meet, you will be invited to interpret the theme in your own way—by covering, enclosing, protecting, concealing, or preserving ideas, memories, and even three-dimensional objects. Through demonstrations, discussion, and individual guidance, you will develop your own unique piece while exploring beadwork as a contemporary artistic language for personal expression and creative experimentation.


Materials needed:

• Please source a variety of beads to use. You can bring anything you want to use, but maybe a good amount of one sort to start with and avoid very fancy ones. We will be looking at how you can build structures. You can access beads at https://diva.com.gr or other places. Suggested are Preciosa seed beads, which come in a variety of colours and are good value. Sizes 11/0 (small), 8/0 (medium), 6/0 (large).
• Beading needles size 10 (medium size) and 12 (for smaller beads).
• If you can bring Fireline 125 yards, 6 lbs or 4 lbs, that would be great. It is expensive. I will bring a reel, and I can sell you shorter amounts.
• If you think you might want to make a stiffer structure, then bring very thin wire
• Sharp scissors or blades.
• Small boxes to hold beads or rectangles of cloth or felt to stop beads rolling away while you are working.
• Maybe a tube of Superglue.

Workshop Schedule

• Friday, October 2: 18.00-20.00. The seminar will take place online, via Zoom. During the Info Session, you will have the opportunity to discover the workshop’s themes and content, learn about the creative process and techniques you will explore, and gain insight into Caroline Broadhead’s approach to beadwork as a contemporary medium of artistic expression.
   
• Wednesday, October 14 – Friday, October 16: 17.00-21.00. The seminar will take place in person.
   
• Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18: 11.00-15.00 h and 6.00-18.00 h. The seminar will take place in person.

Workshop Duration: 26 hours
Number of Participants: min. 8 participants, max. 12 participants.

Workshop Fee:
The cost of the seminar is 420 euros + 24% VAT.
Send proof of payment to uni.versus.art.room@gmail.com by August 25.


About Caroline Broadhead
Caroline Broadhead’s work centres around objects which come into contact with and interact with the body and include collaborations and performance work. Some pieces are intended to be worn and changed through touch and movement, and other works have explored the outer extents of the body through light, shadow and reflection. She has lectured, taught and exhibited widely, and her work is represented in many international collections, including V&A, Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Museum of Art and Design, New York and Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam. Her 2017 retrospective exhibition was shown in the Netherlands and the UK. A finalist for the Loewe Craft Prize 2025, she is Professor Emerita at Central Saint Martins, London.