Barbara Hendershot had had her fill of jigsaw puzzles last year. Then she came across a gleaming new art form.
Hendershot discovered diamond art, which consists of small diamond-shaped beads of various colors adhered on a sheet depicting a picture’s grid.
“I enjoy seeing the picture develop and see how the colors work together,” said Hendershot, of the Village of Gilchrist.
She’s become such a devotee of the medium that she founded the Diamond Dotties in March, which gathers at Fish Hawk Recreation Center on the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 10 a.m. to noon.
“I belong to three knitting groups,” Hendershot said. “I know how fun it is to meet people with the same interest.”
So far, the organization has had an average attendance of about ten members.
Leone Gifford, Hendershot’s next-door neighbor, was introduced to diamond art by Hendershot. She had been putting together jigsaw puzzles for a while and was looking for a new interest.
“And it’s very relaxing,” Gifford said. “Anyone from 8 to 80 can do it. It’s such a new craft. They don’t really know what it is. They ask, ‘Do we have to bring brushes?’”
A color key is included on the sheet, which has a sticky surface. A stylus with wax on the tip picks up the beads. To make things easier, the kit includes all of the beads needed to complete the painting.
“That’s it,” Hendershot said. “Everything is clearly defined. It’s a very affordable hobby.”
Hendershot, on the other hand, has amassed a sizable collection of trays and styluses from each kit she purchases. She’s given some of them out to members of the club.
Custom-made kits are available, according to Gifford, so anybody may make a diamond version using their own photos or sketches.
It’s simple to remedy a mistake if the wrong color of diamond is placed on the sheet, according to Hendershot.
Hendershot took around two months to finish a work that resembled a Thomas Kinkade painting.
“It’s been the most challenging,” Hendershot said. “I think it’s quite beautiful.”
She created two holiday paintings, one for Halloween and the other for Christmas.
Hendershot’s sister had been doing diamond art for nearly four years, but Hendershot couldn’t imagine it the way she described it.
Hendershot’s first attempt included a brightly colored pineapple with the words’ ‘Pineapple Crush’ written on the side.
Hendershot has handed diamond art down through her family, including her daughter and granddaughter.
“I love to work on it while ‘Jeopardy!’ is on,” Hendershot said. “It’s relaxing. It’s something you can work on for a short period of time.”
Hendershot had done a lot of stitching, including needlepoint and cross-stitch, before discovering diamond art. She enjoyed making pictures out of the strands.
Hendershot appreciated how the color key for diamond art and DMC embroidery floss is the same.
Email Hendershot at buckeyephan@yahoo.com for more information about the Diamond Dotties, or join the Diamond Dotties of The Villages Facebook page.