How did you start your shop? How does it all work?

My journey began in Burbank, California. I spent my allowance on tubes of seed beads from the hobby shop. I strung ‘love beads’ and set up a jewelry stand on the sidewalk. I also learned to sew—I stayed up late to sew outfits for school and I enjoyed the idea of wearing something that no one else had.

Later on, I moved to Flagstaff, Arizona. I was intrigued by the Native American beadwork that I saw in the store windows, and I taught myself the basic techniques from a library book. The beading became like meditation to me. I sold my jewelry in small shows and stores, and my western style bead and leather jewelry was featured in a fashion show at Northern Arizona University in the late 1980’s.

In the early 1990’s I found myself back in Laramie, Wyoming where I had attended college years before. I met my wonderful husband, Perry, who is a Wyoming native, cabinet maker, and artist.

When I first saw a dichroic glass stone at a bead show I became excited about the possibilities of combining the glass with beads. I bought a kiln, a book, and after lots of experimentation and mistakes, Godyssey Glass was born. I came up with the name when my daughter Shealyn was trying on my jewelry for some photos and the word godyssey came into my head. Goddess and Odyssey together--or a woman's journey.

I consider myself a multi-media artist and the combinations of fused glass, glass beads, stained glass, leather, dichroic glass and wire make my pieces unusual. I do all the wire-wrapping, gluing, soldering and beadwork myself to create a finished piece of jewelry. My joy and therapy are creating unique pieces that bring compliments to the wearer.

I continue to live in Laramie, Wyoming with my husband, Perry. We enjoy travelling and camping around the state and all over the west visiting our four grown children.

About Dichroic Glass:

Dichroic glass is glass containing multiple micro-layers of metals or oxides. The main characteristic of dichroic glass is that it has a particular transmitted color and a completely different reflected color, as wavelengths of light either pass through or are reflected. This causes an array of color to be displayed. The colors shift depending on the angle of view.

Dichroic glass dates back to at least the 4th century AD. More recently dichroic coated glass was used in the laser industry as a product of interference, filter technology and vacuum deposition. It is still used in laser and photographic applications, and in theatrical film projectors such as IMAX.