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This is actually
a little odd for me to be including myself in the featured artist section.
However, since I'm sure many of you wonder who I am, and since
things are a bit slow, I figured it would be a great time to do this.
I was born in the
Bronx, NY, then raised for part of my childhood on Long Island in
Suffolk County. My teens were spent in Florida which is where
my entire immediate family moved when I was about 11 years old.
It was there that I can recall the first time seeing someone blowing
glass. I was amazed! Being the artistic person that I
am, I knew that some day I would have to try that.
Sometime during
the year of 1999, while reading a magazine, I found a very
interesting article on making glass beads. It wasn't about
blowing glass though, it was using enamels. The main thing that
interested me was being able to make my own glass beads (I was
designing jewelry at that time - something I had been doing for many years).
I wanted unique beads for my pieces that would separate my jewelry
from others. So my research started, and I found lampworking.
That brought me back to the first time I saw the glass blower making
intricate little art objects from rods of glass, and it was at that
time that I decided it was time for me to give this a try. With 1999 winding down, I was asked by my son what I would like to
receive for Christmas. My response? A beginner kit for making
glass beads. I was delighted when I opened up my Christmas gift
and found a hot head torch, glass, Cindy Jenkins' book and the basic
tools for lampworking... so it begins..
Once upon a time
I was a custom flower grower for 30+ local florists, and the use of
floral designs in my beads (as in all the other areas of art I was
ever involved in) was inevitable. Below are a couple of
my earlier floral beads.
The first one is
an antique series I did way back when, and the second one is the
"Iris."
Still using the
hot head, I set out to make a sculptured rose (one of my favorite
flowers). When I became successful making the rose, I had many
people asking how I did it. So I went a step further and
created a DVD tutorial showing how I make the rose, step by step.
The DVD is still
being sold today through my site as well as in various stores in the
USA and abroad.
I sometimes
feel that I'm living in the wrong era. I absolutely love
everything about Victoriana, particularly the elegance and the
romance. So, it's only natural that I incorporate my
interpretation of Victoriana into my beads and jewelry designs.
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I even
started putting the Victoriana touch on basic objects, like
frogs, goddess' and cats. You name it, I tried to
incorporate it!
I'll still make other beads that are non-Victorian style (below
and left), but my heart is with Victoriana and florals.
I am
basically self-taught in lampworking. My knowledge comes
primarily from books, discussions with other artists, and trial
and error. I
did, however, attend one boro class; but I can't say that I
really learned anything since it turned out to be more of a
demonstration than a class.
I currently
use a Beta torch which is a bit hotter than the minor burner.
I run it off an oxy generator and propane. I also have
many tools, but pretty much stick to basics. I do have
some favorites that are always on my table. They are my
brass pokers, my spring action pliers and my sculpting tools.
There are so
many people who truly inspire me. If I had to choose any
one person, I would have to say it is Lydia Muell of Ashton
Jewels. My mouth drops to the ground every time I see her
beads. As for inspiration in my jewelry designs, Vonna
Maslanka of "Just Vonna" inspires me tremendously. (I own and
treasure one of Lydia's beads and several of Vonna's jewelry
designs).
I currently
live in North Carolina with my husband, David; my daughter,
Jessica; and two furry children (my Siamese, Charlie Brown, and
my Persian, Lacie).
I'm in the
process of making my new studio, but for right now, I have a
section of our game room (a free standing converted 3 car
garage) which I use as my temporary studio. I do teach
classes on a one-on-one basis. As many of you know, I am
the founder of The Annealer Magazine, both in print and on the
net, and we feature a free auction site focused on just about
everything glass (beads, jewelry, supplies, etc.).
There are so
many things I feel I still need to accomplish in my bead-making
and glass melting journey. But I feel I've come a long way
since the first day I lit my little hot head torch (which by the
way I can still remember doing). This has been an exciting
journey thus far and I hope I can continue for many more years
to come.
A special
thanks to all of you who pop in to view the magazine on line,
and to all of you who have purchased the printed magazine.
I would love to hear from you, so please feel free to stop in
the forum under the Featured Artists section and let me know you
support what I am doing, ask questions, or just say hello.
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Please
join me in the forum - click here to go directly to the thread.
You can
see more of my work at:
www.PerazaBeads.com
I am
going to take this opportunity to be the Featured Seller on the Auction
Boutique. Most of my beads are currently on
special - I'll be adding more throughout the month
too so check them out.
Click here to go
directly to the auctions.
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