Phyllis
came
all the way from Singapore to learn how to make glass beads!
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Ah, the wonders of the internet...
Meet my computer date from Singapore! This is Phyllis,
who found me while surfing the web, and emailed requesting
a class. She came to Virginia Beach for a week in February,
2006, and we had three days of instruction, and one
day of extra practice time on the torch.
As well as being very sweet and gentle, she
was also incredibly intuitive about glass, and picked
up everything I showed her very quickly. I would show
her something, and then, without hesitation (but usually
with both of us holding our breath!) she would be able
to do it!
I kept showing her more and more complex techniques,
and to my amazement, she took everything I showed her,
and was able to duplicate it with a quiet determination.
After she finished each bead, I would tell her how well
she'd done, and she'd say, "Mmmm....... It was
okay.... " (She's very modest!) |
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Phyllis was able to make quite a lot of beads
while she was here, so I took lots of pictures!
I'll show them in chronological order, and then posed
together in group shots. I am just so impressed with
how well she did!
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Here is Phyllis, in awe
of my frit collection! (And that's just the first shelf!)
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I think it's very interesting
to note the progression of skills:
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Phyllis's
beads - Day 1 |
The first days beads are simple
shapes, round and barrel, with very basic dot decorations.
Then we move on to making and applying twisties, and
dots raked, swirled and layered (or stacked).
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Phyllis's
beads - Day 2 |
The second day's beads include
ones that are encased with clear glass, simple sculptural
shapes (heart and fish), and a more difficult shape -
bicone - and surface and encased florals. She also blew
me away be making a very nice hollow bead on her first
try! (Note: It took me three years to master those! Okay,
so I'm a slow learner.... ) |
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Phyllis's
beads - Day 3 |
Day three, we worked with
silver and copper foil, dichro, and producing different
effects with chemical reactions in glass. Phyllis also
did an amazing encased aquarium bead, with seaweed and
jellyfish!
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Phyllis's
beads - Day 4 - Working on her own... |
On the fourth day, Phyllis worked on her
own, choosing what beads to make, and did them without
(too much) advice, interference or the instructor
breathing down her neck. I was working right next
to her, but everything she accomplished, she did without
me reminding her to keep the beads warm, keep rotating
the mandrel, telling her where to work in the flame,
etc. Those helpful little reminders that keep good
beads from going bad, when you're first starting to
learn beadmaking.
And she did just fine on her own...... So,
anybody need a slightly used instructor?
Phyllis doesn't need ME anymore!!
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From left to right, top to
bottom: Another hollow, with reduction frit.
A second jellyfish aquarium bead.
A black bead with raked goldstone, which was only half
done when the oxygen ran out!
Center front: Cobalt bicone with moongold
foil, and above, bottom to top - poked encased floral,
layered dots,
and silver foil chemical reaction bead.
Right hand side: Blue round with encased
Millefiore murinni cane, and a surface floral, which
Phyllis wasn't too happy with, she says it looks more
like a cactus flower than a flowering vine!! (I thought
it looked great!) |
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And a
few more pictures of her beads, in group photos... |
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It certainly
was a wonderful experience meeting and working with
Phyllis. I've asked her to send me pictures as she continues
on her Beadmaking Journey. I'll post them here when
she does, so you can see how Singapore's Newest (and
quite possibly, ONLY) Beadmaker is progressing! |
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