In 1998 I began working with "hot glass", creating one-of-a-kind beads individually over an open flame.  Unlike stained glass which is rigid in nature, hot glass is “alive”, as the molten glass takes on a life of its own.  Some of the more elaborate and decorative beads can take upwards of an hour or more to create.  The beads are then annealed to prevent breakage, cleaned and arranged in jewelry form.

(click on Image for larger view and more information)

EARRINGS DICHROIC	EARRINGS MORETTI	JEWELRY DICHROIC	JEWELRY MORETTI

    Beads are part of every culture; they have been used to decorate just about everything and convey status, beauty and power to their wearer.  The oldest known beads (made from natural objects) date back 40,000 years.  Many thousands of years passed before the secrets of making glass came to light, and the earliest known objects of man-made glass were beads.  For thousands of years the glass trade was surrounded in secrecy until the first book of glass making was written in 1612.  The Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movement countered the mass production of beads in the 20th century.  They, like today's glass bead makers, stressed individual creativity and good design in handcrafted quality items.

    The glass used in making beads over an open flame is typically moretti glass which is sold in rods of varying colors and patterns.  It is important that glass types are not mixed as it causes stress within the completed bead resulting in cracking and breakage. Many of the beads I make are “cased beads” which are covered with a coat of clear molten glass which adds depth and mystery to the design, and magnifies the detail.  I also work a great deal with dichroic glass. (What is dichroic glass?)  This is a specialty glass, extremely expensive (sells by the square inch, rather than the usual square foot or pound weight), which changes its appearance constantly depending on the angle and the lighting used to view it.  It is made in a heated vacuum chamber and given a special metallic coating, which shimmers like jewels.

    Glass fusing is done in a specialized glass kiln where the glass is heated to specific temperatures that control the amount of “melting” that occurs.  Once again in this method of forming hot glass, I like to work with clear coated dichroic glass to make “cased beads”.

 Back to top

ALL  PRICES IN CANADIAN DOLLARS. PRICES CONVERTED TO US DOLLARS AT CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE.