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FOCALS

My passion with lampworking began about 10 years ago when a colleague came to tell me about a class being held in the museum across the street.  The class was learning how to make glass beads.  I was fascinated with the idea and enrolled.  When I saw rods of colored glass melt through the flame of a torch, I was hooked.  Since then I fit every minute I can to sit in front of my torch and melt glass around a mandrel and magically turn the rods into sparkling beads. I continually experiment with new glass and learn techniques.  I never get bored. 

At a local community fair, I was fortunate to meet a lampworker who was displaying her creations.  Pat introduced me to the southwest Ohio group of lampwork artist who meet monthly.  The Miami Valley Lampwork Artists meet to encourage each other and to enrich the development of their art.

For me lampwork is an art that constantly challenges. There’s something mesmerizing about the torch flame and watching the glass go from a solid to a liquid and back again while coaxing it into a specific shape. It’s an endless quest of color, design and technique — always exciting, sometimes frustrating, and never boring!

I really enjoy designing jewelry from the beads.  The beads themselves inspire the creation of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

I live in Beavercreek, Ohio with my longtime husband, Leon. A recent interest second to lampworking is softball and baseball as played by my expert pitchers, Holland and Teddy. Then I always look forward to visits from my Grand Rapids, MI grandtwins.