Sylvia Brady has a talent for creating beautiful pieces of beaded jewelry inspired by the beauty she sees on St. Croix.
The blues of the sea, the orange and pink sunset, the variegated shades of a red flower, the green hues of the hills, and the cream colored sand are all captured in bead work by Brady.
“I am inspired by everything I see,” Brady says. “I look at the blue water and think about beads I have that color and designs go from there.”
Designs by Syl Brady is her home-based jewelry and doll design business.
Brady, who is a self-taught beader, uses genuine stones, gems, shells, glass and wooden beads, silver ornamentation and other natural materials in just the right combination to create a certain look. Her creations include a necklace on which a large silver fish appears to be swimming in fingers of coral, and a necklace that looks like blue-green sea foam.
Brady, who is originally from New York and first moved to St. Croix in 1977, says she grew up doing creative things such as drawing and arts and crafts. She says her parents were very old-fashioned and didn’t allow her to watch television, so she entertained herself with found, recycled items to make fun projects at home and in school. She also spent her time reading and writing, concentrating on poetry.
“Young people should have busy hands that express their God-given talents,” Brady says. “Kids can do so many creative things if given the opportunity.”
Through My Sisters Keepers, Brady has been teaching beading and jewelry making to delinquent girls under the care of the Department of Human Services at the Cottages at Youth Rehabilitation Center.
“This is a ministry for me giving back and reaching out to the young women, helping them to move on to a better place,” Brady says. “They feel so happy and proud to be able to create something pretty and give it to a loved one.” She has taken girls to display and sell their “green” jewelry at Starving Artists shows at Whim Plantation. The jewelry is called “green” because other local beaders and jewelry designers have donated recycled materials to the girls. She added it is good for the girls self esteem to have people see their creations.
Brady holds private beading parties and classes for young and old just about anywhere, such as classes at vacation Bible schools and summer camps. Anyone interested can schedule a beading class or party by calling 332-9738.
Brady is also talented at making one-of-a-kind decorative dolls she calls “Island Angels” with island-inspired print fabric mache gowns. The blank faced dolls of all sizes are dressed in gowns in all the shades of the Caribbean, from shell pink to sky blue. Fabric mache is the art of draping and molding fabric that has been treated with a stiffener so it holds its shape when dry.
Brady creates one-of-a-kind, custom-designed dolls and jewelry, always striving for top rate customer satisfaction. She says a lot of her works are from word of mouth and referrals.
Her work can be seen online at www.sylviabrady.vpweb.com or in Frederiksted at the cruise ship dock in her vendors spot on Strand Street. She says people from the ships are definitely looking for locally made items. Brady says the jewelry sells well but the dolls aren’t easy for the tourists to pack. Her pieces can be seen at most of the local art shows and sales at the St. George Village Botanical Garden and Whim Plantation.
She says she would eventually like to have her own store but working at home has its advantages such as the freedom to come and go and do as she pleases.
