'Perfect Synchronicity'

Two years ago, Janet Alexander was sick in bed. She was having transient ischemic attacks and struggling with a flareup of her bipolar disorder related to the mini-strokes.

She credits that difficult period for the success she is enjoying right now.

"I know that it's fueled my creativity and allowed me a lot of empathy and insight that a lot of people don't get to experience," the Eureka Springs artist says.

In the past nine months, Alexander has created about 400 pieces of jewelry -- and counting -- and she will have her first solo show this weekend at KJ's Caribe Restaurant & Cantina in the resort community.

"I pulled out an old box of beads I had and started beading for therapy," she remembers, "and before I knew it, I was taking classes at (the Eureka Springs School of the Arts)."

Alexander, who has lived in Eureka Springs since she was 3, says she "always thought I was an artist, either performing or creating some sort of art. There was that brief moment I thought about joining the Army -- but that wouldn't have worked out for anyone!"

Ask her what she's done for a living, and she says the list is too long and unusual to rattle off. She was for several years special events coordinator for the city of Eureka Springs. She has directed theater, acted, taught and now considers herself an entrepreneur. She funded her jewelry studio with a Kickstarter campaign -- but not so she could make beads.

During classes at ESSA, Alexander fell in love with powder coating, an industrial process that has only recently been used for art.

"Then I took another class at ESSA in working with found objects and metal, and it just all worked together -- perfect synchronicity."

Her first show was at the Eureka Springs School of the Arts in November, and she's gearing up for three shows in May after this week's solo outing.

"I'm obsessed," she says simply. And clearly loving it.