Lorna Prime - pixiewillow
My first introduction to lampwork was way back in 2003 when I started making jewellery as a form of therapy provided by my local parent contact worker. I was at that point caring for 3 different family members fulltime so needed some me time!
I started making just simple beads on leather thong but soon found the bead section on ebay and the rest is history lol!!
Like most people I started buying the cheap indian and chinese lampwork but then soon discovered the US handmade lampwork and I was totally gobsmacked.
At that point I thought I would never be able to do that so began making faux lampworking using polymer clay.
(http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s287/pixiewillowdesigns/beads/072.jpg)
(http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s287/pixiewillowdesigns/beads/008.jpg)
It wasn't until August 2005 after 2 years of drooling over hand made lampwork that me and Les took a trip to Living Light Glass in Lichfield where I bought my little hothead starter kit.
I took it straight home set it up in the old outhouse and looked at it. I then looked at it and looked some more!!
I finally took the plunge and fired her up and these are what I made.....
(http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s287/pixiewillowdesigns/1603004-1.jpg)
I don't actually call them beads just lumps of glass with holes in!
And thats where it all began. I spent every spare minute in my little out house practising every chance I could.
I was fortunate enough to take a class with Dora Schubert in 2007, 2 years after I started lampworking so you could say I am pretty much self taught.
I think my favourite artists have to be Dora Schubert (obviously lol), Hiroko Hayashi-Kogure and Dustin Tabor.
Inspiration is a funny thing. Sometimes I am inspired by other people's work. Sometimes it is just the colours of the rods themselves in the rack in my studio.
Of late though I am drawing great inspiration from Russian and Scandinavian folkart patterns, which I feel have become a signature style for me.
(http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s287/pixiewillowdesigns/DSCF0011-8.jpg)
(http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s287/pixiewillowdesigns/DSCF0004-9.jpg)
The technique that I would most like to learn that still drives me bonkers now is the taming of silver glass and raku!
These are my favourite beads...
(http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s287/pixiewillowdesigns/DSCF0003-6.jpg)
I love them because the came from a mojo vacation but opened a whole new style of bead for me.
I hadn't got a clue what to make so took inspiration from the greeting card that is behind the beads in the photo.
I think my beads express a side of me that I struggle to let out. I can be quite a shy and solitary person but wish I could be more chatty and outgoing but find it very difficult. I express myself through colour and the bold patterns that I adorn my beads with.
My brain is constantly buzzing with ideas but I am working flat out on custom work....which I absolutely love!!
The vast majority of my work can be found on my etsy www.pixiewillow.etsy.com