A Look at a Lampworker's Workspace

I thought I would share what my lampworking space looks like so that you can see a little bit of how lampwork glass beads get their start.  Do keep in mind that each lampworker's space will be unique to their style of working and what level of messy they can stand while creating.  This is super messy for me, but I know lampworkers whose space is far messier than mine and they make some fabulous beads lol! 
So any way, this is my main work area,  you can see my kiln on the right, my ventilation in the middle and my lovely purple torch slightly to the right.  As you can see there are lots of tools, scattered around as well as glass.  On a side note, I drink a lot of water when I am torching, since the heat makes me thirsty lol.

 

This is my glass.  It is stored on these shelves by coe (co efficent) and then further organized by color.  I will be honest, I can go downstairs and just enjoy looking at my glass. ( I have a hard and fast rule that I don't torch when I am tired, its dangerous and not worth the chance of burning myself badly.  Don't ask me how I found this out lol)  So on the days that I work I don't torch.  So if I am really feel the pull to torch on those days, I will go down and do some pre torching color matching and designing.  Lampworking helps me destress and relax and it makes me happy to make beautiful things.

Please, have a look around our blog and check out the great lampworkers and the wonderful beads that they make that are a part of this group.   Now you have a bit of an idea what at least one lampworker's space looks like!

Sonja McClung
SilverRiverGlassWorks

Ask The Divas June Edition

This month's questions is "Which technique do you find the most interesting/challenging?".

Rosemarie Hanus
I love making twisted cane and stringers. It is so much fun to choose the colors and making different combinations - different stripes for the canes and different layers of color for the stringers. I love waiting until the gather of glass... is heated to exactly the "just right" temperature, waiting a bit more until it is ready to pull, and of course the actual pulling the glass into its final form. I have boxes and boxes of these to prove it!



Holly Dare

I love silvered ivory. When I look at silvered ivory beads...it's like looking into a mini-universe!





Judith Billing


The technique that I find the most challenging is sculptural work. I guess using soft glass doesnt' make it easier LOL. I am not good at it, that's why I don't use this technique - and I'm not getting better because I don't use it. LOL. The... most rewarding technique for me is experimenting with color reactions. I just love the feeling of opening the kiln in the morning and not knowing what I pull out. Try to experiment a lot with different base colors, silver glass reactions and reactions to silver foil/leaf. I just love how silver leaf can transform a rather simple color (like ivory, black or cobalt) into something amazing.

Sharon Driscoll

The most challenging thing for me is making a sculptural piece that works visually from all directions. When it works it's heavenly. The most challenging on an annoyance level for me is stringer work. It's never a labor of love.




Keep an eye out for our next Ask the Diva's in July, we will have more answers to this particular question!