Whether they're glowing from a neon sign or scrawled as graffiti on the wall, letters are both meaningful and beautiful. They also seem to pop up where you least expect it-on a bicycle wheel that looks like an “O” or wooden boards that form an “E.” With approximately 250 images taken by amateur photographers, Focus: Letters shines a spotlight on the infinity of ways letters decorate our world…proving that sometimes the vehicle can be even more interesting then the message itself.

The art of glass bead-making has exploded in popularity during the past decade — and these awe-inspiring examples, exquisitely fashioned by 40 of the world's top creators, reveal why. Explore Bruce St. John Maher's fused and faceted landscape beads, the vitreous painted surface of Bronwen Heilman's glass and Kate Fowle Meleny's luminous electroformed glass beads that seem almost like sculptures. In this classic series, every artist receives a lavish eight-page feature with approximately a dozen high-quality images of his or her most impressive work, along with a biography and personal commentary, providing insight into the motivations and inspiration behind each piece.