She makes lampwork glass art. Her lovely beads and pendents would be wondeful given as gifts or used in your own handmade jewelry.
Check out her shop on etsy for more of her lampwork creations!
1. How would you define your craft?
I do lampwork glass art. ‘Lampworking’ is so named because the glass was originally melted and formed over oil lamps. Today we use gas and oxygen fueled dual mix torches to achieve temperatures required to melt colored rods of glass to form beads, pendants and small sculptures.
2. What inspired you to begin your craft in the first place?
Actually, I was making chandeliers and other re-purposed vintage light fixtures at the time and selling them at galleries and doing local shows. At one of my shows, I met a jewelry artisan who did metal smithing and also used many types of beads in her creations. She inspired me to begin making jewelry as well. Ultimately, the jewelry became much easier to take to shows to sell, due to its portability. Someday, I do hope to get back to making lighting fixtures, but this time with my handmade glass components.)At first I began by making beaded and wire wrapped jewelry. Through this process, I discovered the wonderful tiny works of art being created by lampwork glass artisans and wanted to learn this fascinating craft myself.
3. What is your most favorite part of your craft?
My favorite part of creating lampwork beads is opening the kiln in the morning to see what the kiln gods have brought me!
4. If you could only make one kind of charm (heart, bird Pandora bead) what would you make?
If I were limited to one type of bead, I would likely choose to make hearts. The wonderful thing about hearts is that they can be made in endless colors and styles, with an enormous variety of decorations. Also, they have such special and personal meanings to the people who wear them.
5. What is the hardest part of your craft?
The hardest part of the craft is learning new skills. There is a saying in the lampwork world, which is PPP, meaning practice, practice, practice. New skills never come quickly and are easily lost if not used often.
6. Where od you get the materials for your craft?
There are many good glass suppliers online. Because I work mainly with borosilicate glass, I get most of my glass from Mountain Glass Arts, ABR Imagery, and Glasscraft.
7. Do you sell your products anywhere other than Etsy? Where?
In addition to Etsy, I sell my work at a gallery called Willow, in Littleton, CO, The Bead Lounge, in Longmont, CO and closest to my heart, The Orange Door, in Longmont, CO. (I am also the artist consignment manger for The Orange Door)
I do lampwork glass art. ‘Lampworking’ is so named because the glass was originally melted and formed over oil lamps. Today we use gas and oxygen fueled dual mix torches to achieve temperatures required to melt colored rods of glass to form beads, pendants and small sculptures.
2. What inspired you to begin your craft in the first place?
Actually, I was making chandeliers and other re-purposed vintage light fixtures at the time and selling them at galleries and doing local shows. At one of my shows, I met a jewelry artisan who did metal smithing and also used many types of beads in her creations. She inspired me to begin making jewelry as well. Ultimately, the jewelry became much easier to take to shows to sell, due to its portability. Someday, I do hope to get back to making lighting fixtures, but this time with my handmade glass components.)At first I began by making beaded and wire wrapped jewelry. Through this process, I discovered the wonderful tiny works of art being created by lampwork glass artisans and wanted to learn this fascinating craft myself.
3. What is your most favorite part of your craft?
My favorite part of creating lampwork beads is opening the kiln in the morning to see what the kiln gods have brought me!
4. If you could only make one kind of charm (heart, bird Pandora bead) what would you make?
If I were limited to one type of bead, I would likely choose to make hearts. The wonderful thing about hearts is that they can be made in endless colors and styles, with an enormous variety of decorations. Also, they have such special and personal meanings to the people who wear them.
5. What is the hardest part of your craft?
The hardest part of the craft is learning new skills. There is a saying in the lampwork world, which is PPP, meaning practice, practice, practice. New skills never come quickly and are easily lost if not used often.
6. Where od you get the materials for your craft?
There are many good glass suppliers online. Because I work mainly with borosilicate glass, I get most of my glass from Mountain Glass Arts, ABR Imagery, and Glasscraft.
7. Do you sell your products anywhere other than Etsy? Where?
In addition to Etsy, I sell my work at a gallery called Willow, in Littleton, CO, The Bead Lounge, in Longmont, CO and closest to my heart, The Orange Door, in Longmont, CO. (I am also the artist consignment manger for The Orange Door)
If the world is 72 percent ocean....how come it's so hard to get to the beach.
Here's a Treasury I put together featuring elisethomas.
I enjoyed putting it together....I've been watching the Little Mermaid too much. LOL!
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