Share the Magic   Project Art Seymour is now selling his collectible beads on Ebay to help fund this project in Ghana.  Pictured is one of his ZAMM chevron beads. To find out more, click the link below.

20 years ago, inspired by an antique chevron bead, Art Seymour brought what was considered
a "lost art" into a new century. With dazzling colors, endless enthusiasm, and love of glass,
he once again brought the chevron to the forefront of the bead world.  Two decades later, his
beads are in museums, books and in the hands of collectors worldwide.
 
Through the Share the Magic Project, Art is currently in the process of trying to bring this
technology, technique and magic of chevron making to Ghana, West Africa where the chevron
still has cultural relevance.  (see more here)

Phase one of the project is aimed at getting a credible multi layered chevron bead into
production in Ghana employing the powdered glass technique already in use by local bead
makers.  Recently Art was joined in his Nevada studio by Ghanaian bead maker
Nomoda E. Djaba (Cedi) from Odumase Krobo in Ghana.  In this workshop Cedi and Art
refined a powdered glass chevron technique as well as pulled traditional (molten glass)
chevron cane.

 Phase two of Share the Magic will begin at the end of March when Art accompanied by his
two lab assistants from the Cedi workshop (both mechanical engineers) and Melissa
(Art's daughter) will travel to Ghana. We will be bringing Cedi several hundred pounds of
glass and equipment, including custom powdered glass chevron molds.  This trip will be
used to research the infrastructure in Ghana and the availability of supplies in the hopes
of moving on to the ultimate goal of building a hot glass facility with the capacity for local
bead makers to manufacture chevron beads in Ghana.
 
To help finance his Share the Magic Project, Melissa will be offering many of Art Seymour's
beads  on eBay over the next several weeks. Art has recently changed the focus of his art
and is no longer producing classic chevrons.  Because of this, these hand-made, one of a
kind beads will become harder to find. This is an opportunity to acquire one of Art's beads
directly from him. The entire evolution of the CMO bead will be represented , from classic
matte and high gloss chevrons to unusual Whimsys, some of the newer Jazz beads with
signature canes, ZAMM, and Heavy Metal Jazz beads.  Also being offered will be some
ancient Islamic beads from Mr. Seymour's personal collection.  

Ghana flag Jazz bead that has been designed to help finance this project. This bead will be available within the week.

 ZAMM Beads
 Art Seymour wanted to create the first signed and dated “in the cane” chevron bead in history.  
The year 2000 (MM in Roman numerals) afforded him the perfect opportunity.
They got the name ZAMM because the cane reads AS for Art Seymour over MM for 2000 from
the front.  From the back of the bead the letters read backwards ZA over MM.
Originally 20 varieties, one for each century, were to be made. This did not include the prototype
bead, which wasn’t up to Art’s exacting standards.  An additional 13 layer bead and an
astounding 15 layer bead made the total in the series 22 (not including the prototype).
Most of the 22 canes made 25-30 beads, but one cane only made 8. 

 See more of Art Seymour's beads in Melissa's post in our forum