I became interested in beadwork at a young age, when I was introduced to it at camp. The bright beautiful colours, always kept me fascinated, and wanting to create more and more pieces of jewelry. I believe my attraction to colour, and desire to produce hand-made objects, is what drew me to glassblowing. I studied glassblowing at the Haliburton School of the Arts, and it was there that I had my first experience with glass bead-making. Although it was not a part of the program, a fellow class member was already an established bead-maker, and she gave me my first lesson. From that point forward, I have been passionate about not only creating beads and jewelry, but also about improving my skill and learning new techniques. I have learned a great deal, from various books, but also from making many painstaking mistakes. Although sometimes frustrating it is often the best way to learn.
Each bead is hand made, using glass rods in a variety of colours, which are then melted, and wrapped around a metal rod called a 'mandrel'. The designs are created using different colours of glass as the bead is built up. The mandrel is what creates the hole of the bead, which can be adjusted by using different sized mandrels. When each bead is finished, it has to be cooled slowly, so as not to crack, through a process called annealing. For larger beads, they must be cooled in a kiln or 'annealer'. After the beads are cooled, they are meticulously cleaned to remove all of the 'bead-release', which is a clay based product that prevents the glass from sticking to the mandrel. When the beads are clean, they are ready to be made into jewelry. This has got to be my favorite step; putting it all together and seeing a finished product brings great satisfaction.
For Inspiration
During the summer months my job allows me to be outside each day, which gives me a plethora of visual stimulation. It can be as simple as noticing the contrast of a striking bright flower, against the slate-coloured rock behind it, that can spark a world of ideas. I have always admired African jewelry and beadwork as well, and I am sure that some these design concepts have seeped into my work. Through spending hours on the torch, designs are able to evolve into new designs, which then ignite new ideas. Playing with colour, shape and technique allows for endless possibilities of design.
Each bead is hand made, using glass rods in a variety of colours, which are then melted, and wrapped around a metal rod called a 'mandrel'. The designs are created using different colours of glass as the bead is built up. The mandrel is what creates the hole of the bead, which can be adjusted by using different sized mandrels. When each bead is finished, it has to be cooled slowly, so as not to crack, through a process called annealing. For larger beads, they must be cooled in a kiln or 'annealer'. After the beads are cooled, they are meticulously cleaned to remove all of the 'bead-release', which is a clay based product that prevents the glass from sticking to the mandrel. When the beads are clean, they are ready to be made into jewelry. This has got to be my favorite step; putting it all together and seeing a finished product brings great satisfaction.
For Inspiration
During the summer months my job allows me to be outside each day, which gives me a plethora of visual stimulation. It can be as simple as noticing the contrast of a striking bright flower, against the slate-coloured rock behind it, that can spark a world of ideas. I have always admired African jewelry and beadwork as well, and I am sure that some these design concepts have seeped into my work. Through spending hours on the torch, designs are able to evolve into new designs, which then ignite new ideas. Playing with colour, shape and technique allows for endless possibilities of design.