Presents

Featured Bead Artist

KERRY BOGERT

by lisa lilla

"... her passion rather than profession."

"I come from a very arsty family (of) painters, sculptors, stage designers, art directors, architects, and more,” claims lampwork artist Kerry Bogert.  A 28 year old wife and mother of three, Kerry both creates lampwork beads and designs jewelry with the beads she makes.  Being herself always meant being artistic; in college, Kerry studied visual communications and graphic design.  Shortly after emerging from college, Kerry worked as a graphic designer for glass artist Concetta Mason.  Kerry asks, “Who knew a few years later I would be working in glass as well!”

Clowing Around

In December of 2003, Kerry began making beaded jewelry but didn’t actually know what lampwork was.  Her idea of lampwork beads was the mass produced type seen in catalogues; she hated those.  Kerry sneers, “I would see them and think…  Those colors, yuck!  They are so big and bulky, who would wear those!”  Seeing the work of Cassie Donlan changed her mind about lampwork beads.  She thought, “If I could make beads like that then I want to learn!”

Beach Box Blues

Looking back, Kerry thinks her graphic background helped her the most as a lampwork artist by influencing her sense of color and style and keeping her experimenting.  She reasons, “When doing graphics, you have to come up with lots of ideas to fill one need before you settle on what you like best.”  Kerry’s love of experimentation and trying new techniques endows her with plenty of ideas.

Glacial

Kerry took her first lampwork course about a year ago and was instantly bitten by the bead-making bug.  She rented torch time here and there throughout the summer of 2005; that September, she “took the leap”, ordered a starter kit, claimed studio space in her garage, and has been making beads “almost daily” ever since.  Though she has not taken any additional lampwork courses, she continues to learn by online tutorials or experimenting.

Skinny Dipping

Kerry’s favorite thing about working with glass is trying to figure out color reactions.  She finds it fascinating to watch molten glass flow on a mandrel and see it balance itself out.  Considering herself still a “newbie” to the glass world, Kerry feels she could learn a little bit from every glass artist out there.  She enthuses, “There is so much still to learn.”

Sandy Lanterns

When asked about which beads she considers to be her best, Kerry replies, “I don’t have a single “best” bead, though I have a few favorites.  My “space” beads all turn out very unique, and I have a few favorite(s) of those.”  Kerry also shies away from a favorite technique, instead, she likes to “just wind the glass and go…”

Wine Stoppers

Citrus Cocktails

 Making mostly bead sets, Kerry explains, “I find a color combination I really like and go nuts.  I do make “space” beads that are really unique and could be considered focals.”  Her signature bead is a black lentil rolled in jitterbug frit with black “caps” at each end called a “Sandy Lantern”.  The creation of her signature bead was accidental.  She was experimenting with the jitterbug frit, added too much of it, squeezed the bead in her press, resulting in an overflow, and decided to cover the ends by winding small caps over them.  Her husband thought they looked like they were covered in sand; she thought they looked like Chinese lanterns, hence the name: “Sandy Lanterns”.

Industrial

Kerry still has the very first beads she made.  She describes them as being “totally wonky, out of round, and still (having) the bead release inside (them)”.  In comparing them to the beads she makes now, she laughs, “I don’t think you could tell they were made by the same person.  I think I have come a really long way.”

Space Knob

Tools that have helped her on her way include her tweezers, graphite marver, pointy shaping tool, and Zooziis presses.  The most important ingredient, of course, is the glass – Kerry prefers Moretti/Effrete but also uses Lauscha and Bullseye.  Her Olympus Camedia C-2100 Ultra Zoom does a fine job of capturing her work.  Kerry’s studio remains in her garage and has incurred improvements over the past year, such as the desk built by her husband and “wonderful rod holder” next to her kiln.

Space Knob (Top View)

Spending about 7 to 8 hours a week making beads (whenever she can sneak time in – mostly in the evening and when her kids are at school and the youngest is asleep), Kerry considers it her passion rather than profession.  She says, “It is more than a hobby, and I am lucky enough that it is supporting itself.”  Once all of her children are in school, Kerry’s passion will segue into her career.  Kerry sells both her beads and the jewelry she designs on her website.

Melted Vinyl

Alien Dominos

Latte

Rain Beads