The Tucson Bead Show

The Tucson Bead Show is managed by Garan-Beadagio, LLC, and Anna K. Johnson. Garan-Beadagio specializes in marketing strategy and website development. Anna’s affection for the hand made arts was inspired by her grandmother’s passion for painting, ornament, textile art, beads, and music. In 1966, Anna wanted to travel, but had no money, and searching for a way to finance her travels, she discovered that beads travel light, and trade easily. The historic bead making centers of Reichenbach, Jablonec nad Nisou, Providence, Murano, and Kaufbeuren-Neugablonz, were –in those days –full of antique beads, and, if possible, Anna would have bought them all. In 1979, after studying Murano lamp work bead making with her husband, she made her first glass bead on a hillside of white sand above the blue Pacific. At that moment, Anna felt as if she had rediscovered an aspect of ancient art and design. Over the years, Anna has run several companies that specialized in handmade arts, and supplied thousands of bead stores, antique shops, collectors, and designers. She exhibited lampwork glass beads, vintage Gablonz drücken glass beads, as well as amber, silver, glass, crystal, ceramic, and gold beads at antique shows, trunk shows, bohemian craft shows, and flea markets, from Sausalito to Santa Barbara, attracting buyers from all over the world. In 2005, she produced the first To Bead True Blue in Tucson, Arizona, concurrent with the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. Anna had envisioned it as a resurgent Arts and Crafts show, the output of many diverse cultures and traditions, and it was successful beyond her expectations, growing from 50 to 500 exhibitors, becoming the major show of its kind in the United States. The Tucson Bead Show gathers the finest artisans and wholesale suppliers, together in one place, at one time, for an intense, three-day trade forum that puts buyer and seller face to face. (Also see: Contact Us; Fast Facts; Terms & Conditions; To Bead True Blue; Visions of Flora)