When I was a kid I was very into art and was constantly drawing and doing any and everything artsy that I could. I took art classes all throughout my schooling and can’t remember a time that I wanted to be anything other than an Artist when I grew up. There was a time when I really thought I would grow up to be a glassblower… I didn’t, but I got really close! Even as a kid, I was mesmerized by the process of transforming a solid material into something flowing and vibrant. That fascination stayed with me through my journey as an artist and eventually led me to a form of glasswork that felt like the perfect blend of creativity, precision, and challenge.
My path to glasswork wasn’t quite as cut and dry as it sounds. It began with a passion for art, took a detour into advertising, and eventually found its way back to creativity through jewelry making and lampworking. Meeting a generous mentor during my senior year of college introduced me to the enchanting world of creating glass beads with a torch. From there I immersed myself in the craft, honing my skills and exploring different forms of glasswork until I found my true calling in fused glass.
When I got into UT-Austin I was in the studio art program and sometime around the beginning of my junior year I freaked out and thought I wouldn’t make any money as an artist, so I suddenly switched to getting my degree in Advertising. It wasn’t quite what my 20-year-old mind thought it would be - not as creative of an outlet as I’d hoped.
I started learning how to create jewelry right around this time from a friend who showed me how to wire-wrap to make dangle earrings. I got super into beaded jewelry at that time and loved shopping for beads and making unique beaded designs.
One day during my senior year of college, a friend introduced me to her friend’s mom, who was THE nicest lady. She told me all about lampworking, AKA making glass beads with a torch. I was completely fascinated and spent an entire day with her, soaking up all the knowledge she was so willing to share with me. She showed me how to make glass beads using a torch and let me make my very first glass beads! This interaction changed the course of my life and I am forever grateful.
Eventually I found a glass studio that offered glass bead making classes, so I immediately signed up! I was completely addicted right from the start! It is such a mesmerizing process to make glass beads. If you’re not quite sure what I mean, picture a glass blower who’s making a large vase and rolling the hot molten glass across ground up colored glass–this is just a much smaller scale version of that! When you’re making a glass bead you wind hot glass around a stainless steel rod and that ends up being the hole in the bead. While you are adding designs onto the glass bead, gravity is pulling on the molten glass so you are constantly rotating the stainless steel rod in your hand so that the bead stays round and uniform. As you add layers, upon layers onto the bead and are constantly rotating it it actually starts to get heavy! So when I realized this, I came to terms with not learning how to blow glass, as that would be WAY heavier!
I made glass beads for a number of years and combined them into my jewelry designs, but always struggled to make a matching pair of earrings. Since the process is generally done by making one bead at a time, I would often times have to make 6 or 7 beads until I had a pair that matched.
A few years after I took my first glass bead making class I started working at that same glass studio. It was there that I got to take a stained glass class and eventually a fused glass class, which ended up changing the course of my glasswork. Ever since I took the fused glass class I was hooked on glass…yet again! I finally found a process working with glass that allowed me to grind the glass to make earrings that matched! It was like a match made in heaven! I love the flowing and mesmerizing process of hot glass, but the art of fused glass has allowed me to perfect techniques and create symmetrical, vibrant pieces with sharp lines and unique patterns that reflect my aesthetic. Whether I’m cutting glass, grinding edges, or layering patterns for firing, every step is a blend of artistic expression and technical skill. I love how this medium allows me to bring my vision to life, one layer at a time.
For 22 years I’ve been immersed in the art of glasswork, exploring its many forms–from making lampwork beads to creating contemporary fused glass designs. Each step of my journey has deepened my understanding and appreciation for this incredible medium. I have had the honor of sharing my work with others over the years through my art shows and hope to inspire others to explore the art of glasswork for themselves.
Glasswork has been such a rewarding journey for me, and I’m always excited to connect with others who share an interest in this fascinating medium. Whether you’re a seasoned glass artist or just curious to try it, I’d love to hear your story or answer your questions! Let’s connect–share your thoughts in the comments or drop me an email at Lindsay@Lindsay-Designs.net