I am a trained artist from the Cleveland Institute of Art and grew up in Northern Ohio. I started out in Graphic design and worked some years in that field. I had my own advertising business for a while. Then lige happened and kids and jobs and I didn't work on my art for a long time.
Now I have retired and moved to Idaho to be with my Kids and Grand Children and create. The glass work was taught to me by my son who has been doing it for 10 years. He is teaching me blowing and I am learning lampwork. I just started a year and a half ago with this form of art and I fell in love with it. As an artist I see what the borosilicate (hard) glass rod will become in the flame of the torch. Every bead comes out a little different in color because of the energy given it by the torch and oxygen. Some colors become metalic in luster and some, when reduced in the flame (more oxygen) change color totatly and you are supried when you open the kiln the next day.
The ancient art of lampworking is so amazing and I want to make and share all my ideas with everyone. My beads are annealed in a kiln at 1050 degrees for 1 minute for each milimiter in size for durability. Then I remove the bead from the mandrel, a metal rod, and clean the out holes by hand. I can finish a bead with an insert or just polish around the hole.
I am always open to custom work or a tweek of color or design that you would like. The beads are for you to wear and enjoy. I can provide only the bead or pendant or I can make a necklace and/or earring set and bracelt. I use chain or a hand woven macrame chain of varying styles and colors. I use sterling silver for most of my findings and clasps and metal and crystal and my glass accent beads.
I also make wire wrapped semiprecious stones that my son the Rock Hound found for me in the Owahee Mountain Range here in Idaho. The pendants and earrings are so beautiful with the silver filled and copper wire wrapped in beautiful designs around the polished or raw stones.
Now I am trying my hand at sculpture. I love horses and made my first one this past summer which was something I have always wanted to do. It felt so right, so special. I am an avid gardener and love flowers and animals so the miniature sculptures of clear glass ones and colored glass are fun to make. I have made animals, birds, fish, and now wizards and fairies.
I have a studio set up in my garage and my son's is on the other side. We turn up the Classical music and fire away. I welcome any coments or questions that you may have and only hope you enjoy my art. You can reach me at 440-477-4543, or e-mail at my website.
