Artist Katie Fenske finds fun in turning unique beads into wearable art
Each time Artifacts owner Michael Greene visits artist Katie Fenske in her light-filled studio, which looks out to the antique store’s garden, he tells her to “make the world beautiful.”
She does just that, turning piles of colorful, uniquely shaped beads into bracelets and brooches, chokers and necklaces, and dangly earrings through her jewelry business, budpnq (pronounced bud-bud). Each whimsical piece is one-of-a-kind “or one of a few,” Fenske says, and is meant to be worn by anyone.
The Greenville native started making jewelry more than 15 years ago. When she opened an Etsy shop to sell pieces, she named it after her grandfather, a NASA retiree turned antique store owner who lived along Florida’s Space Coast. Called “Bud” by his family, “he always had some little project for me every time I visited,” she says, recalling the box of glass beads he gave her when she was 13. “He knew I was interested in making things.”
Each piece starts with vintage glass beads she collects from local and online shops or receives from friends. She doesn’t search for particular beads—except for the Japanese seed beads she uses because of their consistently uniform shape—but instead buys what she loves. Currently, she’s drawn to lampwork beads made with a flame torch.
Katie Fenske Turns Beads into Treasure
“Finding a little treasure is so special to me, so collecting the beads is such good fun. I’m very inspired by what I find,” says Fenske, who also uncovers inspiration in the thrift finds–like pieces of mid-century glass–and original art filling her home and studio.
Before she starts stringing, Fenske etches her beads with an acidic liquid that “is basically eating through the surface of the glass,” she says. This creates a matte finish inspired by her love of sea glass and a marshmallow-looking Swedish candy from the website Sockerbit. The candy, discovered through the blog Fine Little Day, is a reminder of her Scandanavian grandmother.
The jewels’ striking color combinations, like rainbow hues set against earthy ones, come to Fenske while stringing beads that range from a couple of dozen for earrings to hundreds for a multi-strand necklace. “Color compositions are so fun; it’s like putting together a puzzle. I don’t want to repeat the colors, but I want them to pop off each other nicely,” she says. “Color is super important. And I like them all.”
Making budpnq’s jewels sparks as much joy for Fenske as she hopes they do when worn. Each time someone buys a piece, whether through Etsy, local shops, or festivals like Indie Craft Parade, it “means so much to me because I’m putting little bits of my heart into the world,” she says. “For people to say, ‘Yes, I will take that,’ makes me grateful. Thank you. Thank you for seeing me and loving it.”
Follow @budpnq on Instagram for updates on Fenske’s newest jewelry pieces, upcoming pop-up shops or festivals, releases to her Etsy shop, budpnq, or announcements about future workshops. Her Instagram account, @katiefenske, features her fine art photography.
Shop Her Style
“There’s nothing neutral about me. There’s just not . . . I love minimalism. But to live like that—there’s no way. I love pretty things,” Fenske says of her fashion, art, and decor tastes. Some of her favorite spots for finding clothes and collectibles are:
- Ace & Jig – Fenske visits the online site of this clothing company, based in Brooklyn, New York, and Portland, Oregon, for splurge-worthy garments that display her love of color and pattern. www.aceandjig.com
- Artifacts, – This Sans Souci store sells antiques, art, accessories, and vintage items. Fenske and artists Libby Baxter and Angie Carrier have studios there. 3209 Old Buncombe Rd., Greenville, artifactsgreenville.com
- Darin Gehrke Ceramics – At his West Greenville storefront, this potter sells his expertly crafted ceramics, along with original pieces by other artists including textiles from Kuca Home and locally made jewelry. 1266 Pendleton St., Greenville, drgceramics.com
- Etsy – “I find things all the time on Etsy,” Fenske says. “Some of my favorite things have come from putting in some random group of search words.” www.etsy.com
- Hollowed Earth – Fenske often keeps beads in handmade ceramic trays and bowls, some of which she finds at this shop and studio. Hampton Station, 1320 Hampton Ave. Ext., Bay 7, Greenville, hallowedearthpottery.com
- Miracle Hill Ministries – The nonprofit’s thrift stores are favorite spots to find unique clothing, signed pottery, mid-century glass, and original art. thrift.miraclehill.org
- Penland Gallery – The Penland School of Craft’s retail shop sells everything from jewelry and ceramics to textiles and paintings. 3135 Conley Ridge Rd., Penland, NC, penland.org/shop
- Savereign – This boutique sells plants and locally made goods, such as budpnq jewelry. It currently hosts the pop-up shop @teewarden.co. 1256 Pendleton St., Ste. B, Greenville
- Uniqlo – This Japanese retailer is “great for basics,” Fenske says. “They have some interesting shapes for dresses. I love a baggy dress.” www.uniqlo.com/us
Photo Finish
The mention of Fenske’s name in Greenville’s creative community will quickly elicit as many comments about her fine art photography as her budpnq jewelry. Her photography practice started when she got a digital camera to take needed photos for her Etsy shop and expanded when life forced her to put her jewelry-making aside for a time.
In capturing images of Greenville and its artists, she’s drawn to everyday moments such as a silly lawn ornament or the gold light on a building face. “I am motivated by the fact there is always something out there waiting for me to find it; therefore, I continue to seek out spaces and moments of ordinary delight,” she says.
By posting her photography on Instagram, she met many fellow artists and creatives who, in turn, encouraged her to continue making jewels. Fellow artist and friend Glory Day Loflin asked her to bring jewelry to Tempo, an art critique group; invitations to sell pieces at pop-ups and the West Greenville plant shop Savereign followed.
“The creative community is life-giving. I owe them a lot,” says Fenske, whose images can be seen via her Instagram account, @katiefenske, or her website, katiefenske.com.
