Diva of the Month (Part 3): Patrice Sheperd

Hi all you Diva lovers! It's time for an update on our Diva of the Month - Patrice Shepherd. Lampworking is a challenge and fun at the same time. And those who torch have to have a sense of humor - it can't be all work, work, work. So, Patrice here are few funny curve balls for you to answer. We really want to know ALL - I feel like the "Insider - tell all Hollywood". Let's turn it over to Patrice...

Name three tv shows you watch but are kind of embarrassed about.
Aww nothing embarrassing about comedy! The Big Bang Theory, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and (ok, maybe this one is) America's Got Talent.



Do you have a day job??? If yes, what is your favorite thing about it???
Yes, I work for my County certifying EMTs and Paramedics, and providing data and project support to my office of nurses and paramedics. I've been there over 6 years, and have grown so much with my little hard-working EMS family. My favorite thing about my office is that the people that I work with, including the management, are all genuinely caring people who really want to improve emergency patient care. They are all from the private sector, who came onboard to make policy changes to improve our emergency system, and I love working with such caring, honest, and funny individuals. I get my daily dose of sarcasm and comedy amidst serious business, and it's a great place to work.

Who do you most admire in glass and if you could take a class with that person, what would you most want to learn? (Please include LINKS to their website!)
Currently, I would love to take a class from John Kobuki, because his implosion marbles are INCREDIBLE!
Click my link to: John Kobuki

What is the first thing you do when you get home?
I greet my husband, put my stuff down, uneaten lunch snacks go in the fridge, then I check mail and proceed to wind-down. I get home late most nights, so I don't always make dinner, but some nights I do if I get home before 8pm.

If you had one wish, what would it be???
I guess I'd wish for the world to be stress-free. Either that, or for everyone to be more considerate of their fellow humans, animals, and our planet. If decisions were made more for consideration of others instead of greed, the world would be so much nicer for our children, grandchildren, etc.

Describe the most fun day you’ve ever had.
That's a tough one... The most fun may be on a day from our Montana vacation a few years ago... The fun part was a long horseback ride through the Beartooth mountains with just Paul, myself and our guide. Breathtaking views of pristine forest by horseback, what could be better? We took so many photos and had a great time, plus we stayed on a lake in a rental with full kitchen and fireplace. I think most of my favorite "fun" times involve hiking, horseback, biking, and aquariums. :)

Making beads is solitary work. How do you handle that??? If you listen to music / watch videos, please share some of your playlist.
Peaceful, solitary work. It's wonderful! It's probably easy for me to do on my own because I work in a very busy, small office, and am constantly re-tasked with other assignments that it's refreshing to work quietly on my own. Music is really helpful to keep the momentum and energy if I'm "working" in the studio. Some of my favorite bands to listen to include The Beatles, The Killers, Muse, Tegan & Sara, Coldplay, and The Postal Service. I'm an alternative rock kind of gal.
Favorite color and how does this show up in your bead work?
Well, I love green and blue, so you'll see tons of beads using both colors. Although they are two of my favorites, I love variety, so my beads will usually exhibit more colors than just my favorites, as I want to make what customers will also dig. I like beads with several colors, so silvery boro glass is one of my "favorite things." The way that boro colors tend to have so much variety is just awesome, much like the silvered soft glass our group loves so much. Life's too short to be into just one color, though :).

If we were visiting, and starving and you weren’t home…what could we find in your pantry / fridge to use to whip up a meal?
TONS! We are firm believers in preparedness(and options), so there is always a ton of food in my house. Since I have a booth at a weekly farmer's market, there are usually some fresh veggies, most always tomatoes, cilantro, onions, and potatoes. I love eggs (hard-boiled and scrambled/fried), so we usually have a dozen fresh and a few boiled for snacks in there too. Years ago we bought a huge (I think 22 cubic feet) freezer to house meats, bread, grains, prepared meals, ice cream, just about everything that can be frozen, and it's usually pretty packed. In case our solar cells and batteries are damaged, we also have a decent supply of canned goods, including my favorite standby: jalapeno refried beans! The usual canned tuna, salmon, beans, etc. are also there for variety. If you needed to whip something up in my house, you'd have plenty of options, plus a hefty cabinet of delicious spices and seasonings. I don't stock much meat on a regular basis, but if you were adept at cooking without fresh meat, you'd be pretty well set in my little kitchen.

What is on your nightstand…list everything?
Hmm, well of course I always have a necklace or two laying around there from taking them off before bed, a notepad, assorted pens and pencils, hair ties(to be fair, these seem to be in every room/on every surface in our house!), lip balm, tissue, loose change, hard candy, a few beads that were in my pockets before I emptied them... Sometimes I will pick out a bead or two I've made previously that I want to duplicate or make similar of, and it travels back to my nightstand in my jeans pocket. Then I will hopefully get it back to the studio when I'm tidying (so it may take a few months to get back there!). :)


Thank You Patrice - You're a Good Sport! One more interview to go with Patrice - are you all ready for your quiz? I hope so...she's a gal with great talent and it looks like she a hard working and FUN Diva to be around. See you all soon!