Spring is sprung

Finally Spring is warming up, but it’s taking it’s time. For me, my lampwork has had to slow down to accommodate a new job but I’m adjusting and my mojo is gradually returning.

At the weekend I was asked one of my favourite questions about my beads. “Do you paint them?” It always makes me smile and shows how little people know about lampwork and glass. It’s my favourite question though because it opens the door for me to talk about it. That’s where my mean streak comes out. I usually pick up a flower bead and explain that it is all formed from hot glass. That each petal is normally composed of three layers of dots which are then super heated and poked to draw them together. I explain that I then encase the entire bead and that’s how I create the tiny bubble in the centre, and I look into their faces……. Wonder, confusion, glazed incomprehension, it’s different each time but hopefully by then they understand that this is not a simple art/craft but something that takes skill and learning.

My most favourite customer is the one who says “Wow”. Not just because they appreciate what they see but because they see past the jewellery to see that it’s different and unique and something they won’t find just anywhere.

People are like lampwork beads, totally individual.

Flowers

I haven’t posted here for a while. I have been busy with Etsy and haven’t had many beads I wanted to share. Then life gets mad and I get distracted again.

I’ve been thinking about Flowers a lot this week. Weddings, Funerals, Mother’s Day, Spring, trips to the Garden Centre! So I spent some time looking for new flower inspiration and created a treasury on Etsy, then spent even more time on Frit Happens and found a tutorial for Watercolour Style Flowers. Now if you’ve known me a while you know I do occasionally paint in Watercolour and love the gentle colours you get and the flow of it.

These beads are my first attempt at this style and although I need some slightly different materials to get a more subtle look they’re quite pleasing.

Spring Leaves?

I think with this cold weather spring really has left! I’ve been practicing raking and did some rather nice leaves. I was quite surprised with the blue shadows on the black glass but it’s actually rather a nice effect and helps to highlight the peacock shine from the leaves. More experiments next week on those I think.

Beady Blues

Inspiration is proving a challenge at the moment so I am trying to focus on improving my photography and making sure that what I do have is out there. I spent a very interesting day travelling the Cotswolds last week with my Mum looking at the various small towns. We were trying to identify the right kind of places to offer my jewellery to for shop sales. It was actually quite difficult, but one thing I did learn was that I have quite a precise idea of what my jewellery is and where it will fit in.

In trying to photograph the best of my latest beads I’ve realised I seem to be doing better in Blue than any other colour?! This is my current favourite.

Juicy Fruit

These make me think of Opal Fruits or one of my boy’s bedtime stories with a “Juicy Fruit Tree”. Very plain and simple but the colours have brightened my week. Not one of my best bead weeks, very frustrating!!!

SRA – Self Representing Artist

That’s it! I’m happy. I finally have the “A” word as a title…. Artist. I can officially display this logo and say that’s what I am. Self Representing Artist Number: T116.

This sounds very gushy but I’ve spent a good part of my life wanting to be good enough in any medium to qualify for that description. Mad then that I’ve finally done it in a medium that I cannot touch during creation but can’t stop looking at and touching once it’s finished. My bead bowl on the hall table is not just for other people to enjoy, it’s for me too.

A Few Minutes of Sun

I did look funny crouched outside the front door trying to photograph my beads in the tiny shaft of sunshine, but sometimes it’s worth waiting for.