I am a Lampwork Bead maker based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Individually created art glass beads can be considered small works of glass art.
I create art glass beads out of "soft glass" or soda lime glass. Working in my studio, each bead is created by melting glass rods and wrapping the melted glass onto a steel rod. My torch uses an oxygen propane mixture. The bead is shaped, decorated and place in a kiln. The kiln then holds the beads at a constant temperature. While being worked in the flame, stress is created in the glass. Holding the beads at a constant temperature and then allowing them to cool slowly allows the molecules in the glass to realign. This relieves the stress which can cause cracking or breaks. The process is known as Annealing. All of the beads I create are properly annealed to prevent stress cracks. 
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2019 Potential Show Schedule
Applying for a show does not guarantee acceptance. There are many excellent artists & limited space at every show. The shows where I have been accepted and will be attending for 202o currently are: Chesapeake RotaryArt Show May 2 & 3 Courtyard Square Park Cancelled 306 Cedar Road Chesapeake Stockley Gardens Spring Art Festival May 16 & 17 Stockley Gardens Virtual Show Ghent in Norfolk The Honeybee Festival August 15 Norfolk Botanical Gardens Cancelled Seawall 50th Anniversary Art Show Aug. 29 & 30 Portsmouth VA Stockley Gardens Fall Art Festival Oct 17 & 18 Norfolk VA |
