A Life of Balance
Hello! My name is LeahHolmes, and I am a Lampwork Bead Artist --meaning that I actually melt pencil-thin rods of glass around steel "mandrels" to create one-of-a-kind glass beads in a propane/oxygen torch.
I started beading, stringing pearls and small glass beads mostly, as a form of meditation while working on (and ultimately leaving) my doctoral dissertation in English Literature in 2007. It was a time of significant change for me professionally as I transitioned out of the Academy and into the Studio. Beads—and soon, *making* glass beads—helped me carve out a new path towards fulfillment.
Since that time, my excitement for hot glass and for the possibilities of its design and ornamentation have only grown. Many years of part-time college teaching helped keep the wolves from the door while affording me ample time at the torch and, a bit later, at the bench for sketching and designing the sterling silver settings that would hold my beads and cabochons. What a wonderful life of balance I found from this odd combination of "teaching and torching!" A loyal cult following of very special ladies who began collecting my pieces has allowed me to grow my lampwork skills and business savvy steadily over the years. Today I *love* my in-home jewelry shows, yet I’m excited for my long-time patrons and new ones alike to find me here on Etsy and on my website, leahslampworkstudio.net !
When you look at my beads, I hope you see the passion that made them, my effort and intention, my honed skills and happy accidents! I hope you see my crazy love for the beadmaking process--that awesome dance between heat, rotation, gravity and balance.
Thanks so much for reading and for your interest in my studio and beads. Wishing you a life of balance,
Leah
