lampwork.com

Marilyn Peraza, founder of The Annealer Magazine sharing some thoughts…

Are you strictly a bead maker or do you also create sculptures or figurines?
I suppose I would be considered a bead maker. My beads include small sculptural aspects, but they are still beads. (i.e. my roses).

Do you have a favorite style of lampwork beads, such as animals, perfectly placed dots, organic, etc?
My favorite, and the style I always seem to come back to no matter what else I try, is Victorian style florals, particularly small encased garden scenes (which I call the mini garden series). I put so many layers within the bead to create depth in the same manner as a cottage garden planted in a yard, and I always include lots of roses.

Do you remember the first time you saw a lampwork object? What was it? Did you want to learn how to lampwork as soon as you saw it?
I do remember the first time and yes, I was always intrigued by the art. The first items I saw were actually blown sculptural pieces. I watched as the artist blew out small sculptures for sale at a place called Viscaya in Miami, Florida. At the time I saw this art form, I was very young and there really wasn’t much in the way of “public” information for learning this about it. Later on, however, while I was creating jewelry, I stumbled upon lampwork glass beads and was able to obtain enough information to start my lampworking journey.

What is your favorite color or color combination?
I don’t know that I have a favorite color or color combination. I like the muted colors that Bullseye glass offers because it is well suited for the Victorian designs I love to create.

Do you have a favorite tool?
My favorite tool would have to be my brass pokers. They are so versatile in that I can do just about anything I need to do with them. One side is pointed for poking, raking, etc. and the other side is chiseled – great for creating lines, moving glass around, etc.

If you had unlimited resources, how far on the planet would you go to get a lampwork bead or sculpture that you wanted?
I would go all over the world if I had the resources.

Where do you hear about new techniques or see new beads?
I usually learn about new techniques and see new beads on the lampwork forums and various websites. Sometimes I actually dream about new techniques and new bead designs.

Did you learn how to lampwork by teaching yourself or from a friend or from a class or book?
I learned on my own, but with the help of books. Cindy Jenkins first book, You Can Make Glass Beads was my first book and came with my hot head kit. I also love Corina Tettinger’s book, Passing the Flame. Although there is a lot of personal information which I found unnecessary, Corina is an excellent teacher and there are many great techniques taught throughout the book. I have, and will continue to highly recommend it to anyone!

Do you ever visit lampwork forums?  If so, is it for the social aspect, to see the beads being posted, or to learn a new technique?
I do visit a couple forums on a fairly regular basis. I go to one in particular for the social aspect and for inspiration and the others I usually go to just to look at the beads and other work being done by the artists.

What other activities do you enjoy doing besides lampwork?
I create jewelry – wire wrapping, bead crochet, steampunk and micro macrame. I also love silk ribbon embroidery – again, stemming from the Victorian era. The Victorian era is my heart as far as design goes. I have been known to paint and do some cake decorating – those days are long gone though since glass entered my life.

What is the hardest technique you have ever attempted, ie florals, implosions?
I don’t know what I would say the hardest technique I ever attempted is. I have tried many techniques over the 11 years I have been lampworking, but to me, it’s not a matter of difficulty with the various techniques, it’s more a matter of time – - practicing until I get it – - then practicing more until I get it right. With most things in lampworking, I think a person can achieve and master any technique with serious practice.

What is the next technique you would like to learn?
I would love to play in a hot shop, making some serious sculptures (florals, of course). I would also like to make some paperweights with floral designs deeply encased. My torch and current set up do not provide me with the means to do that.

Do you love your wonkie beads as much as your other ones?
It all depends on what part of the bead is wonky. I don’t always like all of my beads – wonky or not. I try different things (styles) that are not particularly to my taste, but I know that they are to someone else’s taste, so I make them. For instance, I just recently made a set of beads that was so out of “my style” because they were a special order. I personally would not make them for sale on a regular basis and would never keep a set for myself. I’m not going to say what the beads were – but you can be sure they were not florals, and certainly not something I would have made without the request.

Marilyn Peraza
The Annealer Magazine