Beads Glorious Beads

Jennifer Findlay Lampwork  Glass Art 

About

My first experience of hot glass was, as a child, watching utterly amazed, as a glassblower created animals in front of my eyes at the Royal Melbourne Show. I immediately wanted to do this  but it seemed way beyond the realm of childhood possibilities.

I have always been fascinated by colour and form which led me to embroidery and cross stitch. As much as I love this medium it did not fulfil my need to create and I soon began designing my own cross stitch samplers.

Next, I started making jewellery and came across "The History of Glass Beads" and my love of glass was re-ignited. Finally working with glass seemed possible. If glass beads could be made 3000 years ago, I could certainly do it, I thought!!

So, I took an introductory class with Cathy Charles at chockadoo.  I was off and running. I bought my lampworking kit that same day. I have since been fortunate to take classes with some of Australia's foremost glass workers including, Bernard Stonor, Peter Minson and Jan Cahill.

I am fascinated by the reactions of glass, enamels and metals. One of the things I love about working with glass is that the possibilities are endless. There is always something new to discover, to learn, to create.

I hope you experience as much pleasure from my beads as I did while making them.

I live in Sydney, Australia with my husband Robert and our Eclectus parrot Chloe.     

I am a member of the ISGB (International Society of Glass Bead Makers), Australian Glass Bead Makers Guild, SRA and SRA-ANZ.    

Classes

Akihiro Ohkama  Nara, Japan 20 - 22 Feb 2008

Bernard Stonor  2007

Robin Foster 2006

Jan Cahill  2006

Peter Minson 2005

Cathy Charles 2005