AOTM March 2007 - Jim Berry

Started by Isabelle, March 02, 2007, 08:06:01 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Isabelle

The Featured Artist fot March is:


  I decided after 8 years of working with stained glass as a hobby to go to work for a local stained glass shop doing custom work, repairs, and eventually teaching classes in their shop. I did this for about a year and decided to open my own store. I was just getting into fusing glass at that time and had had a few lessons  from a friend. So, when I opened my shop, I also planned on carrying fusing glass and supplies as well. At that same time I was approached by a lady who was looking for a studio to teach lampworking classes at . I did not know much about beadmaking at the time, but became interested in the idea of offering classes in it at our new store. So, I contracted with her to teach a beginners lampworking class once a month and I put in a complete inventory of Effetre glass rod and an extensive line of tools and supplies. We've had the shop open now for 5 years and glass beadmaking classes and supplies accounts for about 50% of our business.


I took my first glass bead making class about 5 years ago from Mick McNulty who teaches the class at our store. Since then, I have taken classes with Anne Ricketts, Dave Butts, Michelle Waldren, and Larry Scott. I've also had the opportunity  to watch over the shoulders of some of the countries best beadmakers when they teach at our studio. Since we opened 5 years ago we have had Corina Tettinger, Jennifer Geldard, Kimberly Affleck, Larry Scott, Janice Peacock, Tink Martin, Andrea Guarino, and Kim Fields teach at our studio. I think I've learned something from all of them!


It's hard for me to single out a particular style of bead as my favorite. Each artist's style is so unique. I'm drawn to all of them.  As for my own particular style, I think my favorite is organics.


I continue to do my stained glass and fusing work. I teach classes in both at Blue Moon Glassworks. I enjoy teaching as much as actually doing the work. It's so fun to see people getting excited about working with glass.
I sell my glasswork through my store, mostly my fusing work and stained glass. I've not sold any of my lampwork beads. It's almost embarrasing to see the boxes of beads accumulating!


My future plans are to continue to expand my glass store, taking more classes myself, and making more contacts with instructors to bring in to teach for us.

I have a gallery of some of my work on my web site www.austinbluemoon.com as well as galleries of work that the artists who work with me have done.