Featured Bead Artisan Part VI: Linda Newnham

A very warm welcome to Linda who makes the most glorious glass beads over on the Isle of Wight! You will recognise a lot of her work in my designs as I am a big fan of her style!

How did you begin your craft?

It all started when I went to some ceramics classes with a friend and made some beads. Of course I had to make something with them and the next logical step was to take a jewellery making class where I made a necklace, bracelet and earrings using the beads I had made.

Linda's Ceramic Bead Bracelet

I found the process of making the beads very slow, making them one week, glazing them the next and then having to go back the following week to pick them up.

There were only 2 bead shops on the Isle of Wight where I live (only 1 now) with not a great selection so I started buying jewellery from charity shops that I could break up and use. I found buying beads online a frustrating experience so when I saw someone making glass beads during an Open Studios visit I was fascinated. I was so excited at the thought I could make my own beads in any colours I liked.

I set about investigating online to see what I would need to set up this craft of lampworking and found Becky Fairclough who lived not far from my Mum and did induction courses. I signed up for a 2 day course and made my first glass beads. That was in June of 2011. I picked up my equipment from the Big Bead Show in September and finally started making beads in the November and I haven't looked back since.

An early picture of Linda's studio - it's grown a lot in recent years!

Where do you draw your inspiration? 

That's a tricky one as it's never from just one source, sometimes it's someone else's work such as  glass artist such as Chihuly or a painter. But quite often I find it is in the process of making beads that inspiration strikes, one thing leads to another and ideas pop into my head as I go along.

Describe one of your favourite techniques to use in your work?

I would have to say at the moment it is making headpins for those of you who don't know what a headpin is, it is basically a glass bead on the end of a piece of wire. 

Fabulous Glass Bead Headpins

Is there anything new you are itching to try and incorporate?

I have so much glass I haven't tried yet and a gold fuming kit I have yet to use to name but a couple of things I would like to try.

What would you describe as your biggest professional achievement?

Well, I am going to narrow that down to my biggest achievement in lampworking and that would be my recent win of the jewellery category of the Glass Beadmakers UK annual competition at Flame Off. A necklace inspired by a Dale Chihuly sculpture I saw in Murano last year. I am very proud of this piece which has over 100 headpins in it.

 You can find out more about Linda's work via her website and stay in touch on Facebook! 

Featured Bead Artisan Part V: Michaela Carrington

Come and say hello to Michaela!

Another new find for me from The Big Bead Show back in April, Michaela had a great set up of glass beads and fused glass artworks.

How did you begin your craft?  

I saw some dichroic glass at a local craft fair and the lovely lady taught me how to cut glass. I wanted a hobby far removed from my day job as an Accountant. My obsession with glass started, soon to be followed by lampwork.

Dichroic glass hearts ready for making into pendants

Where do you draw your inspiration?

My biggest inspiration comes from my workshop students who come to my classes full of ideas, I just have to come up with the techniques! 

Students working hard!

Describe one of your favourite techniques to use in your work?

In lampwork I love the simple dot that transforms a plain bead, in fusing I'm loving mixing painting with frit work in the same piece.

My spotty bead haul from Michaela!

Some of the fused glass artworks at the show too.

Is there anything new you are itching to try and incorporate?

Fused box casting - first attempt this weekend! Have a look at my facebook page www.facebook.com/Michaela-Carrington-Designs for the results!

Fused glass trinket box with heart motif

What would you describe as your biggest professional achievement?

Being filmed for Bead.TV, jewellery projects using my very own lampwork beads.

The dotty beads make an appearance in this gorgeous bracelet!

Michaela also runs an online shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/micpru

Featured Bead Artisan Part IV: Helen Chalmers

Give a big wave to Helen!

Ah, the wonders of Facebook! By the random act of 'stumbling upon' Helen via some of my other beady friends I am now a few £££'s poorer but the proud owner of some very pretty beads indeed!

Jinjo Lentil Beads made by Helen Chalmers

How did you begin your craft?   

      I was lucky enough to study Jewellery and Metal Design at Art College, and having had a taster session on the torch with my friend Emma Baird, got hooked on lampworking! There is an intricacy to it which lets me colour and pattern to my work in ways I never felt possible. I bought my first torch almost four years ago, and have used it nearly every day since. When I realised there was a demand for beads for jewellers and collectors and opened my Etsy shop, and started selling bead sets as well as using them in my own jewellery.

Electric Necklace made using her very own beads!

Where do you draw your inspiration?

         My inspiration mainly comes from travelling, and books (especially photographic ones) detailing different sites around the world featuring beauty and colour. All of my colour combinations are dawn from a picture or visual source initially, and then I just run with them and develop them as I work at the torch. I especially love Pinterest for digging out new colour combinations and inspiration. My page is: http://www.pinterest.com/helenjewellery/ in case you fancy a peek.

Great use of colour here.

Describe one of your favourite techniques to use in your work? 

         There are quite a few techniques in lampwork I love using, one at the moment is 24 carat gold leaf (not a cheap habit!), but it just adds such an elegance, especially to little beads. However, my ultimate favourite has to be using stringer to create dots. It is just the most effective way of building a pattern, and it is the case the majority of the time my sets will feature dots, I just can't resist using them.

Amsterdam Etched Beads

Ancient Persia Glass Beads with a touch of luxury - real gold decoration!

Is there anything new you are itching to try and incorporate?

         I'm currently trying to save up for a Sandblaster, but its going to take me a while :) I would love to be able to create some detailed illustrations in my work, and have spent a long time reading up on it, and coveting one. I would also love to try electroforming on glass, I think the copper covering is such a beautiful effect.

Handmade Glass Ring by Helen Chalmers

What would you describe as your biggest professional achievement?

         My biggest professional achievement so far would definitely be leaving my part time job in July 2013, and beginning working full time at my little business. I teach lampworking, and make and sell beads and jewellery and I'm still alive (for the moment at least!). Seriously though, it feels so wonderful to be able to get up in the morning and go to a job where I decide what I'm doing each day, and love every minute, even the accounting side of it. I wouldn't change it for the world.

You can find out more about Helen and view her work here:
http://www.helenchalmers.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/helenjewelleryglass
https://www.etsy.com/shop/helenjewellery

Tune in again soon when I introduce another of my more recent discoveries and show you some work I have created with her beads!