AOTM June 2010 - Julie Haveland Beer

Started by sparrow, May 30, 2010, 05:35:54 AM

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Julie Haveland Beer


One evening towards the end of 2007 I found myself in front of the computer, extremely frustrated! My DH had built me a workshop just a couple of months earlier. I was getting into fusing again, after a year or so with nowhere safe to cut glass – a must with three young children! But I had a problem, and I miserably searched the WWW for answers. That's when I stumbled upon Frit Happens!, with its wealth of information and wonderful community! I had never taken part in any online forum life before, but here I felt like a pig in muck, browsing pages upon pages of information and tutorials on glass and jewellery making. I read about lampwork and handmade beads that people were actually making at home, and found the techniques fascinating and the beads beautiful. But not for me. I was set on doing my chain maille and combining it with wire work and fused cabs and PMC.


A few months later Manda (Mangobeads) was hosting a meet. Barnstaple is only a 20min drive away, and I asked if I could join in as well. I was welcomed with open arms, and had the most inspiring day – chatting with glassy people and watching their skilled and wonderful demos. For the first time I was "stroking" British handmade lampwork beads, and I even made my own tiny wonky blob of glass... I lasted 9 days before ordering the Hothead start-up kit from Martin, and another month before upgrading to a Bobcat and oxycon. And so started a time with feverish research and melting of glass during any spare moment. Kids were still fed and looked after, but everything else, like house and garden, was given very little priority! Poor DH, I think he was getting increasingly concerned over those first few months!



I have so far not been able to attend a course. I believe that will change soon  ;)!  I have learnt from lampwork friends, demos at Flame Off, online resources like FHF, loads of tutorials and books. And, of course, the main teacher of them all, actually melting glass!

I am not very focused in my "study" techniques, though, and will happily jump from one thing to another before having explored an idea or technique fully.  Imagining reproducing the same thing over and over makes my feet slow and mind blank. So, as such, I am not very productive, I haven't sold a lot of beads and my fuglies collection grows much faster than my Etsy shop stocks. Sometimes I get frustrated over this flaw in my personality, but most of the time I just accept it as the way it is. 


For me lampworking, fusing and jewellery making is a hobby, and I have so far not concentrated greatly on selling.  Having said that, I was taken by surprise by the intense satisfaction of seeing some of my beads/glass cabs being used by other jewellery artists!! I realise that there are ambitions lurking underneath, and that they have not so much to do with potential income, but more to do with recognition and acknowledgement. There, I said it, and feel rather red-cheeked for it!  :D


I am drawn to colours, shapes and patterns, and find ideas and inspiration from everywhere around me: A cluster of flowers, buildings, photos, fabrics...and beads, of course. Many moons ago the lady responsible for my wedding decorations asked if I could give her an idea of what I wanted. Being rather ignorant of plant names I explained I wanted it colourful and fun, yet still classy. Although I don't feel I have a signature bead/style I hope those words describe the glass and jewellery I create, too.


Now and again I have a go at off-mandrel work, or make pendants/cabs using the end of the mandrel. I enjoy this a lot and find it helpful in learning how the glass behaves.  After Easter I felt a bit stuck, decided to leave all fancy glasses alone in their box and just play with colours and patterns. This felt liberating and I have had a lot of fun! A friend asked if I could make her some knobs for a tiny kitchen cabinet. I had a go at making them directly on the nut, and was pleased with the simple design – just stacked dots with a single murrini on the top. They got a lovely response from my Flickr friends, and led to making end-of-mandrel ring cabs with similar designs.  So, currently there are knobs and cabs on the agenda. I have lots of bead ideas spinning round in my little head, and as soon as I get a few commissions out of the way it's play, play, play!



My web presences are sadly neglected a lot of the time, and if you want to know what I'm up to the best place is my Flickr album: http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliehb/. My website, which I plan to turn into a e-commerce site one of these days is http://www.dolmairicdesign.co.uk, and I also have an Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/DolmairicDesign.

If you have managed to stay with me this far I'd just like to thank all you fabulous FHFers! You are a great inspiration, not only because I admire your beads and other art work so much, but also because you are the most knowledgeable, funny and caring bunch of people. FHF has meant so much to me over these last few years - you are my extended family!
Sabine x

www.littlecastledesigns.co.uk www.facebook.com/littlecastledesigns Ring Top Tutorial