about me...

My love of glass and its ever-changing rainbow of color and light began several years ago.  

Glass is the most exciting, challenging and ever-changing medium I have ever worked with, the possibilities are endless. My jewellery designs are all original and unique, and feature focal pieces of handmade hot glass. One-of-a-kind pieces of wearable art are created using other mediums such as gemstones, sterling, crystal and metal clay to showcase the art glass.

Early lampworking, or flameworking, was done in the flame of an oil lamp, with the artist blowing air into the flame through a pipe.  Most artists today use torches that burn either propane or natural gas, and pure oxygen.  My beads are created using a torch and effetre glass, and can be embellished with gold and silver leaf, enamels and acid-etch solutions to create a variety of designs. The glass is melted at temperatures in excess of 2000 degrees F, and later annealed in a kiln for strength and stablility.

Witch Balls and Friendship Balls are made using borosilicate glass, they are my first foray into actual “glass blowing”, a challenge on a bead making torch, as borosilicate glass is a significantly harder glass than the Effetre/Moretti used for beads.

My metal focal pieces and hand-crafted toggles are comprised of either PMC (precious metal clay) or Bronzclay, unique products consisting of either pure silver or bronze metal powder, water and an organic binder, and can be manipulated like regular clay.  When air-dried and later fired at a high temperature, the water and binder burn off, leaving a finished product of solid silver or bronze.

Sculptured bracelets, earrings and accessories are made with Spectrum and Bullseye glass, cut and layered in various intricate designs, then fused in a kiln at temperatures ranging between 1325 – 1450 degrees. Some pieces are hand-painted with liquid enamel paints prior to fusing to create pattern and texture, often several firings are required to achieve the desired effect.

Metal clay pendants and handcrafted toggles and findings for each piece of jewellery are made with PMC and Bronzclay, and fired for 6 hours at temperatures in excess of 1500 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is often hard for artists to talk about their work, and explain the inspiration behind each piece. Much like the poet, when asked what his poem MEANS, replied “If I could say, I wouldn’t have needed to write the poem”. All I can say is that I enjoy every moment I spend in my home studio, which is neither fancy, nor tidy, but my haven when the right side of my brain finds the inspiration to create.