Studio Time: Art Retrospective - Lampworked Glass Beads

I had so much fun with the polymer retrospective,  I decided to do the same with my lamp work glass. Kind of fun to look through my art history. It took me a good six months in glass before I was able to form decent beads. 

Very First Beads

I bought the Fireworks kit from Hobby Lobby. Got brave. Turned the torch on and made them lumpy little globs of glass. Still proud of them.

The top three beads are from the class we took to learn how to work with the torch, hold the glass and mandrel. I found it useful to work with someone a little more experienced in working with glass, especially with something as serious as an industrial torch.

Ooooh, some very very ugly beads. Especially that "broccoli bead" where I'm experimenting with dots.

The first bead I kind of like. Except the ends are pointy and sharp instead of well-formed dimples.

Experimenting with transparent, but not with enough high contrast.

Introduced higher contrast. Another leap forward.

 Took a wire wrapping class.

Bought a kiln. Was experimenting with stringers in imperfect scrollwork on big chunky beads.

Gift for my sister. Need to restring the glass beads, but necklace otherwise held up well.

Esmeralda Necklace. Really loved how this turned out. Used fine silver and wrapped in layers of green glass.

Favorite colors of course! Rusty red and pale blue. Lots of dots. Learned that I didn't do perfect placement very well, but started adapting to organic placement.

Really proud of these beads. I created twists in multiple greens and blues, created a small tube bead, then heavy wrap in clear glass. Squeezed the bead. Then layered a brown tree truck and varied greens for leaves. Rather imperfect, but it turned out like I imagined in my head! That was kind of fun! Doesn't happen all the time.

Learned that the simple reactive beads were much more interesting to my audience than the art beads.

First commission for a bridal party.

Starting to learn chain maille.

Mixing chain maille and glass.

I got a new lamp work setup in Hong Kong! So happy to get back to glass back in 2009.

A gift for friends. They liked the giraffe theme so I experimenting with learn how to create that type of design. Fun!

First introduction to swirl beads. Kiwi beads in a transparent core and opaque outside. This spurred a new level of experimentation for me.

A fun quirky set I called, "The Dalmation wears lipstick." Inspired by a pair of polka dot black and white shoes with red toes.

The first time I tried the lariat style. Love this and need to come back to it.

Lush lampwork bracelets.

Learned how to stretch my beads by using different styles of beads in the same necklace.

Beads I made in my home studio in Greenville. This is the first time I started creating collections. 

Cotton Theme

Frost Series (clear glass, etched)

K... that was fun. Now I need to get back to glass.