juiceglass.com

Lampwork, or flamework, as it is more recently called, is the use of heat and fire to manipulate glass in a molten state. Rods of glass are heated in a flame and than pushed, prodded and otherwise used to create glass beads, sculptures, and other components for jewelry or other glass art. I create my own glass beads and pendants for my own use in juiceglass jewelry as well as to sell to other designers to use in their own creations.

Glass fusing is another method of working with glass to create jewelry items or larger pieces for home use and decor. Instead of heating glass in a hot flame and manipulating constantly while molten, fused glass is cut and arranged "cold," or at room temperature. The glass is then loaded into a kiln to be heated to a high temperature, so high it becomes glowing red and molten and fuses together into a solid piece of glass. My plates, bowls, candleholders and some jewelry components are made through this process.

Think of bread. You can buy Wonderbread, full of cheap ingredients and machine made, but these days there's a lot of "artisan bread" out there as well, found in small bakeries and shops. Artisan breads tend to have more expensive ingredients, are made with greater care and have more complexity than "regular" loves found on the supermarket shelf. The bread has soul. This analogy should help you understand the use of the term in art. There are lampwork beads and art glass, and then there are artisan lampwork beads and art glass. All of my glass creations are annealed in a digital kiln, ensuring durability and strength. There are a lot of cheaper glass beads out there, on ebay, in bead stores, even at art fairs. These are mass produced beads of lesser quality and often not even cleaned, let alone annealed. The Wonderbread of the art glass world. A quick comparison between artisan lampwork and art glass and mass produced beads easily shows the difference between the two types of work. My work is handmade with care and attention to detail, I strive to provide the finest product I can for your enjoyment. As with so many things in life, you definitely get what you pay for with artisan lampwork and art glass. All of my creations are works of art in themselves.

Each of my pieces is a one-of-a-kind work of art, made with care and attention to provide years of enjoyment for the owner. I strive to create each piece in a way that allows my artisan beads to sparkle at their very best! I use only sterling silver components in my pieces, Swarvoski crystals and the best accessory beads I find. Often my piece contain silver beads made by tribes in Thailand where women get a living wage for their work. Just as I expect my work to hold value, I support other businesses that value their artists as well. IF at any time you have a problem with one of my pieces, send it back for a full repair free of charge. Your new jewelry is wearable art, it's ok, get excited!

Where do you get your glass?
- I exclusively use Bullseye glass for all my lampworked and fused elements, when I am not working with See Glass. Bullseye is an independent company located in the Pacific Northwest. It is a local company to me, I enjoy supporting local business with my art. They are good people.
What is See Glass?

Over time I have tried to lessen my footprint on the earth as much as I can. I am blessed to almost all of my needs taken care of in the world, as well as many wants. But I am aware that this luxury comes at a cost to the planet. See Glass is another way I am working to be more responsible with how I move through life. Many of my pieces will include, if not be made entirely of, recycled glass. See Glass means to see how much of what is in the world is reusable, and beautiful even if not "brand new." I will always mark which items contain recycled glass, and maybe even what sort of bottle they came from! What could be more perfect for a wine lover than a bracelet made straight from wine bottles (I don't mind the job of emptying them for use, either, heh!)

There are two ways to receive custom orders from juiceglass. I will honor any request made with See Glass where the customer provides the glass. This sounds strange, but it is really an exciting way to own your 100% unique piece of art or jewelry, complete with sentimental value. Say you have a bottle from your wedding of champagne, sitting on display, taking up space. Send the glass to me, and I will create a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry using your special glass. Not only are you helping to recycle and help the environment, you can wear your precious momento and show it to the world, instead of letting it get dusty on a shelf! Wine bottles can also be fused into cheese plates that retain the shape of the bottle, and will be tagged with any special date or information you wish to share.
Any of my beads, jewelry or fused designs can be made in other colors. I will do my best to accomodate requests like "I love that purple fused bead, can you make it in green?" I reserve the right to cry uncle if I am too busy with other orders, but it never hurts to ask, and I can certainly fulfill such requests if you have patience for turnaround time.

What are my payment options?
- Payment for items found on this website may be made by credit card securely via PayPal, personal check or money order. All prices are in US dollars. Please note, items will ship after your check clears the bank.