My first contact with hot glass was as a child, when I decided to
see what would happen if I fried a clear marble on my parents’ space heater then dropped it into cold water. I've
been fascinated with glass ever since. Though the rich and bright colors of glass have always appealed to me, my
experimentation in color began with my work in fibers and fabric. After several years of sublime obsession with quilts,
I turned my creative efforts to personal adornment and returned to glass.
I have been creating jewelry since 1996 after learning how to make earrings
from a co-worker. A short time after making my first necklaces, people started inquiring about purchasing my pieces.
I continued to explore new jewelry designs, and in 2000 I gave myself over to my love of glass when I began making my own
beads. I have studied with many well-known glass beadmakers and in 2006 I spent close to a month on the island
of Murano in Venice, Italy learning glass sculptural techniques with Lucio Bubacco and Vittorio Costantini.
Ah, but the call
of fiber never completely disappeared. A day spent at a large knitting show reaffirmed my desire for the colors and
textures available in today's yarns and fibers and I began incorporating them into my jewelry designs.
My main influence
is nature, and for inspiration I draw upon my present surroundings as well as the New England landscapes of my childhood.
I feature seascapes, rocks, trees and flowers as well as little fantasy worlds in my glass beads. With my unique beads
I create one-of-a-kind jewelry, embellished with stones, precious metals and other natural elements. I use various fibers
to enhance many of my jewelry designs and have recently taught myself to crochet. I find the combination of glass and
fiber a perfect union and plan on continuing my exploration of fiber as a medium for my artistic expression.
Oh... if you’re
still wondering what happened to that fried marble, soon thereafter the kids in the neighborhood could be seen wearing little
crackle-glass spheres around their necks.
~~~
Shirley
is the artisan and owner of
