Ellen Saunders
Ellen Saunders travels around the world to find the beads she puts into her baubles that she offers to the public at Rainbow Springs Art in Dunnellon gallery.
A native of Philadelphia, Saunders began exploring jewelry design after retiring from the business world in 2001. In her previous life, she was a management consultant, a CFO and controller, and a sales and marketing executive. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from Temple University.
But that was then and this is now, when she is the mastermind of Ellen Saunders’ Beaded Baubles.
She’s studied jewelry design with experts in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, California,
and Australia.
She describes what she does as “bead stringing,” not “bead weaving.” She doesn’t do anything that requires soldering.
As she travels around the globe, she acquires beads, seeds, and stones, then strings them together in colorful patterns. She’s visited 94 countries so far.
Her jewelry may contain boulder opals from Australia, painted wood from Bali and the Phippines, seeds from Africa, silk beads from Vietnam and Cambodia, ceramics from Peru, and paper beads from Kenya and Eswatini.
Her work has been spotlighted at galleries in Ohio, New Jersey, and Florida. She’s a member of the Citrus County Craft Council.
Saunders can be reached at esaunders@tampabay.rr.com or (352) 527-6556.
