Handmade jewelry, beads, and painted stemware and wine glasses

Where do I begin? I came to painting glass in a round-about way. It's a little intimidating to think of myself as a painter after so many years of being a Lampworker (a person who makes glass beads on a torch) , metal-smith and jewelry maker. Oh and I teach the skill of jewelry and Lampworking as well. So it's hard to think of me as a painter...it's like wearing silk stockings after being in your comfy wool socks..

I have a strong belief that you can do anything you put your mind to. And so with that I was determined to figure this "beast" out. I'm challenged drawing a straight line..and that little voice kept saying..."are you kidding me". And intimidation set in... And then the light bulb came on... and the heavens began to sing... and the ideas came racing...and I had a plan. I had tamed the " beast".

As a lampworker for the last 16 years, my focus has always been flowers. I love nature ,the soft colors fading into bright bold colors I use in my glass flowers. And I thought, why can't I use the same movements I use with glass stringers ( tiny threads of glass that you design with) with a paintbrush and paint? It made sense... So I purchased a few bottles of paint, some brushes, glasses, and started playing... My first pieces were really primitive, ;-) But I kept on...purchased some books, looked at colors, petals , stems... all the parts of the flower.

My experiments started looking better, and one of the galleries I show my jewelry in took them in to test. They sold! and quickly to my surprise! Doubt... be gone! I was elated. With a new confidence I took a couple of classes from a fabulous teacher who lifted the "veil" and I was off. That was a year ago..

I like little "quirks", and the unusual, the "organic-ness" ( OK , I know that's not a real word) of a piece of art gives it character in my eyes. My flowers are just that,... the petals may not match up with the leaves in nature, or be the color you might expect. Stamen and pistils might be in the center of the wrong flower.... but that's ok ... it's my "artistic expression". I paint what I want to see, what colors look good to me... and then cross my fingers, eyes, toes, and ears if I could that you will too.....

Mind you, I still love working with my torch and glass rods... it was my first baby. I've just adopted a new baby. Both allow me to play with color, leaves, and flowers. But Don't be surprised if every now and then I post some of my lampwork jewelry and beads!

Kathleen