Meet Sam Norgard
Sam (Karen-Sam) Norgard, Professor Emerita in Foundation Studies at the prestigious university for creative careerists, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), and also from the University of Wisconsin.
Sam attained a B.F.A. in painting and printmaking, and an M.F.A. in ceramic sculpture. And in 1999 was introduced to the world of possibilities of beadwork when she attended a beadwork convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after which she introduced beading into SCAD’s fibers and jewelry department.
With studio work that includes working in 2-D, 3-D, and 4-D, from impressive immersive installations to precious, wee pieces of jewellery, it could be said that “Sam has never met a medium she didn’t like.”
Beginning as a professor in 1974, and retiring in June of 2024, Sam has taught upward towards 10,000 students in many art and design topics – foundations, fibers, jewelry – which after the year 2000 included beadwork.
A sampling of Sam’s work, below, and more can be viewed on her website.
Sam’s Bead Inspirers and Influencers
Sherry Serafini – for her innovative bead embroidery
Diane Fitzgerald – for her legacy in off loom work. Sam particularly notes the influence of Diane’s early book on the brick stitch.
Suzanne Golden – for her innovative, colorful, large-scale geometric pieces
Kate McKinnon – for her contemporary geometric beadwork
Wendy Elsworth – who influenced Sam’s desire to initiate community and whose book, Beading the Creative Spirit, made an impact
Joyce J. Scott – an African-American artist, named a Smithsonian Visionary Artist in 2019, counts amongst Sam’s heroes! Having admired Joyce’s work for some 20 years, Sam is chuffed that they are now good friends
Magic Happens in Community / Global Projects
Sam loved her years as a teacher, “building design muscle,” speaking to many beading societies, attending workshops to expand her own skills, and purposefully passing the torch to a newer artist, who is equally kind, talented, and determined to leave her gifts on the planet.
Since 2020, Sam and her mentee, Anvi Shaw, a former student and now world-renown bead artist, “conserving Kutch artistry,” have been creating, teaching, assembling, and sharing global beading projects. Anvi is currently guiding the assembly of the 2021 project, All Colors, in India, and making a connection to have the piece shown in India.
The lessons and participation in the projects are free – you will find lessons and lectures on the norgarddesigns.com website.
Having interviewed Sam, I could feel that her sharing and caring attributes are deeply ingrained. Sam speaks genuinely of her altruism and love for humanity, within the context of her own skills and talents in art and design.
In Sam’s words:
My community work started as a small Friday club, The Twisted Fringe, and grew into working with young women in the Dominican Republic. When the UK Beadworkers Guild asked me to be an ambassador for their International Bead Week, I decided to try my own projects on a global scale. Anvi’s team in India and a very brave, loving and loyal crew here in Savannah GA have continued to work with me on the makings of each global.
My favorite stories all have to do with relationships to connecting with others. Don’t get me wrong. I’m extremely happy with the design and teaching aspects of the projects. I’ve been fortunate to have been in design and teaching over 50 years; now, the opportunity to connect in new ways is really exciting to me.”
The Global Projects series facilitate the need to share. Sam hopes to one day have a show featuring all of the global projects. Do be sure to check out all of the projects; they are sure to inspire you! And check back in June/July when the 2025 project will be ready to launch.
Global Project 2023 Eye Love – various contributors / photo on right by Anvi Shah
Global Project 2024 – Honoring the Ndebele – various contributors
Along with the projects, Sam purchased a property in Canada in Belliveau Cove, Nova Scotia, where each summer artists are welcome to attend workshops in painting, beading, and more. This summer, Art’s Haven will be hosting master bead artist Maggie Meister who will be teaching “Beadwork inspired by Architecture” June 21 – 24.
Where to Find Sam:
Website: Norgarddesigns.com
Art’s Haven and Big Blue Gallery, Belliveau Cove, Nova Scotia
Established in 2020, Art's Haven (featured in photo at left) is a retreat, residency, and workshop space; Big Blue features a gallery showcasing a variety of artists and artisans’ work, coffee bar, bead-oriented boutique.
Sam’s Beading Tools
- · favorite needles are Tulip, although she does also use Japanese needles, size 11, long
- · go-to thread is Nymo D on a cone, which she informed me began as a French upholstery thread. She keeps her thread a yard or shorter, so that it doesn’t “tire.”
- · preferred beading techniques change between bead embroidery, off loom and loom, and more recently, bead adhesion using grout (mosaic, a la Sabrina Frey), glue (think of Liza Lu’s beaded kitchen), or beeswax and varnish (Huichol bead art).
Sam has long toyed with the idea of beading a dinosaur! The size of most is daunting, but she can wrap her creative problem-solving skills around beading the skeleton of the extinct dire wolf. And she has volunteers ready to join her, members of her local-to-Savannah beading group, Sam’s Beaders!
Well, I don’t know about you, but wow, I am inspired to try something new and have to say that the Eye Love Global Project is calling me!
Until next month dear beadlings, Bead Happy! Cathy