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The Term
Lampwork is a term for a hot glasswork method – the method of using a flame to melt and form glass into handmade glass objects such as beads, marbles, and sculptures.  An example of cold glasswork is stained glass art or any glasswork process that does not involve heating the glass in order to shape it. Fusing and slumping are considered to be warm glasswork.

Modern day lampworkers typically use a torch connected to gas (often propane or natural gas) and oxygen to create and maintain a flame with sufficient temperatures, although some lampwork items, including glass beads, can be created with a fuel-only torch (Hot Head) and MAPP gas. A lampwork torch, safely secured to a tabletop or workbench, remains stationary as the lampworker moves the glass in and out of the flame creating their piece either on the end of a glass rod or on a steel mandrel, with the aid of gravity and tools. The term lampwork references a very ancient glasswork technique which originally used the flame of an oil lamp, hence the word lamp.

hollow glass tubes used in glassblowing available in various diameters & colors

Often when people see lampwork objects they will ask if the object was glass blown. Lampworking and glassblowing both involve melting (using fire) and shaping glass, but glassblowing is a different type of hot glasswork which involves blowing and inflating molten glass fused to the end of a hollow tube known as a blowpipe, or blow tube (a hollow steel mandrel can also be used).  Stemware and Christmas ornaments are popular glass blown items.  Glassblowers, glass smiths, and gaffers are terms used to refer to individuals who blow glass.

solid glass rods used in lampworking available in various diameters & colors

Lampwork is accomplished by shaping molten glass on the end of a solid glass rod or on a round steel mandrel and does not involve blowing air into a tube to expand or inflate the glass. Lampwork is also referred to as torchwork or flamework.

In summary, both lampworking and glassblowing involve heating and shaping glass. Glassblowing includes blowing air through a hollow tube to expand and shape hot glass at the end of the tube. Lampwork is accomplished by manipulating molten glass on the end of a glass rod or mandrel.

Some artists lampwork and blow glass. Skills and familiarity with the properties of hot glass and glass chemistry, as well as knowledge concerning how to use tools and gravity to shape molten glass is important in both disciplines. These abilities paired with creativity have been a part of the human story for a very long time. Beautiful artistic expressions in the craft and innovations in the industry continue to draw artists and buyers alike.

Are you strictly a bead maker or do you also create sculptures or figurines?
So far it’s strictly beads, but you never know what the future holds.

Do you have a favorite style of lampwork beads, such as animals, perfectly placed dots, organic, etc?
Dots. I’m a dot freak. I can’t seem to stop myself either.

Do you remember the first time you saw a lampwork object? What was it? Did you want to learn how to lampwork as soon as you saw it?
It must have been on eBay. I would spend hours looking at all the shiny pretties. My husband had enough and took me out to buy a torch. He figured that I just might be able to make some myself.

What is your favorite color or color combination?
Any silver laden glass and dark ivory.

Do you have a favorite tool?
My tungsten pick. I’m not sure I could make a bead without it.

If you had unlimited resources, how far on the planet would you go to get a lampwork bead or sculpture that you wanted?
I rarely buy beads. In fact I could probably count the beads I’ve bought on one hand since I started making them myself. But I would probably go just about anywhere for some rare glass that I wanted.

Where do you hear about new techniques or see new beads?
The forums. I don’t purchase any magazines.  I don’t go to any shows, and I rarely visit eBay anymore.

Did you learn how to lampwork by teaching yourself or from a friend or from a class or book?
I’m self taught.

Do you ever visit lampwork forums? If so, is it for the social aspect, to see the beads being posted, or to learn a new technique?
I do visit forums daily. Mostly to keep up with the latest on new glass or tools coming out. I’ve also made quite a few friends there as well.

Other than lampwork what else do you enjoy doing?
I own a rubber stamp business so that keeps me fairly busy. I used to do a lot of traveling going to rubber stamp shows, but I didn’t like being away from home, so I’ve stopped doing that.  I guess I could say that I enjoy being home. I even have time to do some stamping myself now.

What is the hardest technique you have ever attempted, ie florals, implosions?
I’m sticking with the “dots” answer on this one. It’s what I love to do, but it’s also probably one of the hardest things to do well. There is always room for improvement and total perfection is pretty hard to achieve.

What is the next technique you would like to learn?
I’m not sure. Nothing is calling to me just yet.  I’m happy just doing what I’m doing right now.

Do you love your wonkie beads as much as your other ones?
No. They go in the garbage can. My husband often retrieves them, and I throw them right back.

Amy Kinsch
AKD Lampwork Beads

Barbara Svetlick - Keys Hibiscus

Are you strictly a bead maker or do you also create sculptures or figurines?
I am basically a glass sculpture artist though my flowers are beads and are made on a mandrel.

Do you have a favorite style of lampwork beads, such as animals, perfectly placed dots, organic, etc?
I don’t know if I have a favorite style though I tend to lean towards organic inspired beads and encased floral focals.

Do you remember the first time you saw a lampwork object? What was it? Did you want to learn how to lampwork as soon as you saw it?
The first bead I saw was a Clown Fish on a necklace made by Pam Dugger, and I whined so much she gave it to me. It’s still my favorite necklace, but it was probably another few years before I decided to learn.

What is your favorite color or color combination?
I think Gold Purple and Pumpkin Orange.

Do you have a favorite tool?
I have bought a lot of glass tools, but my favorite are ordinary things you find in the store like all of my needle nose pliers and a little tiny spoon for my powdered glass.

Barbara Svetlick - Midnight Passion

If you had unlimited resources, how far on the planet would you go to get a lampwork bead or sculpture that you wanted?
There would be no barriers, but I’m much more interested in meeting the artist than collecting. I think inspiration comes from the passion that artists put into their work, and I am always amazed at how incredibly innovated the mind can be.

Where do you hear about new techniques or see new beads?
Mostly in magazines or books. I rarely look at work or techniques online.

Did you learn how to lampwork by teaching yourself or from a friend or from a class or book?
I sat down in front of the torch with Passing The Flame and just practiced until I made something that resembled a bead. Once I mastered keeping the glass on the mandrel I moved into sculpture flowers and haven’t gone back to beads though when I am stressed I love making hollow beads.

Do you ever visit lampwork forums?
If so, is it for the social aspect, to see the beads being posted, or to learn a new technique?
I occasionally visit the forums but only for socializing. I’ve made a lot of incredibly good friends from the forums and shows.

Other than lampwork what else do you enjoy doing?
I love writing fiction and quirky poetry, I love music and going to concerts, creating sculptures in mixed mediums, I draw with pen and ink when I need inspiration, and I love adding silver and other metals in my jewelry designs.

Barbara Svetlick

What is the hardest technique you have ever attempted, ie florals, implosions? Stringer control. I know it should be easy but I can’t draw a straight line using a ruler, so it eludes me. No matter how many techniques I use, I can’t get an acceptable stringer down.

What is the next technique you would like to learn?
To make off the mandrel sculptures and to create better canes for my hibiscus flowers.

Do you love your wonkie beads as much as your other ones?
Nope. Making beads is like learning to cook and I don’t talk about those recipes that made the trash either.

Barbara Svetlick – Sculpture Glass Artist

Are you strictly a bead maker or do you also create sculptures or figurines?
I’m strictly a bead maker.

Do you have a favorite style of lampwork beads, such as animals, perfectly placed dots, organic, etc?
I love clear encased beads. I have more fun just messing with the “inside” of the bead and then encasing to see what the effect will be.

Do you remember the first time you saw a lampwork piece? What was it? Did you want to learn how to lampwork as soon as you saw it?
The first time I saw a lampwork bead was on eBay. And, YES, I immediately knew I had to make my own beads!!!!!

What is your favorite color or color combination?
I love purples and greens (all the shades) the most.  And luckily, with the 104 COE glass, you can always count on these colors to work well for you.

Do you have a favorite tool?
I use a graphite marver and a pointy brass tool for shaping, and I use tweezers for picking scum off the clear glass.  Every once in a blue moon I will use a bead press … that’s about it.

If you had unlimited resources, how far on the planet would you go to get a lampwork bead or sculpture that you wanted?
With unlimited resources that bead would be mine, I would go anywhere to get it.

Where do you hear about new techniques or see new beads?
When I get time, I like to look at the magazines and the online bead galleries.

Did you learn how to lampwork by teaching yourself or from a friend or from a class or book?
When I saw those lampwork beads on eBay, I immediately ordered Cindy Jenkin’s book and read it about a hundred times.  I had made tons of beads in my mind before ever buying a torch. Everything else I know, I’ve learned from reading, practice, and just playing around with the glass.

Do you ever visit lampwork forums? If so, is it for the social aspect, to see the beads being posted, or to learn a new technique?
Yes, I am a member of a couple of forums, but I mostly spend my time on TAM, that’s where all my beady friends hang out.  While there is plenty of bead information there, it really is mostly social.

Other than lampwork what else do you enjoy doing?
I also make jewelry from my beads.

What is the hardest technique you have ever attempted, ie florals, implosions?
I can handle encasing and florals pretty well, although they are constantly evolving techniques for me.  I’ve never made a decent implosion, and I have a real problem with raised scroll work. I have trouble melting the scrolls evenly.

What is the next technique you would like to learn?
I would love to get great colors out of silver glass, or even raku.

Do you love your wonkie beads as much as your other ones?
I do.  I never stop making a bead, even when I know it is messed up.   Even if the release comes loose, I will keep going.  I may have given beads away, but I’ve never thrown one out.

Raisin Mountain

This is one of my favorite combinations of Messy glass – Stone Ground & Peacock Green with a little handmade stringer, silvered ivory, and a bit of .999 pure silver accent. This bead is 38.5mm tall.

Recently I ran out of 30ga .999 pure silver wire and decided to try an idea. I’m glad I did.

The process is a bit tricky and the silver foil can tear apart if too much force is used. This is not a very economical or efficient use of silver foil…there is some waste. But if you just can’t wait for your silver wire to arrive, this is a pretty good substitute. Or if you have never used wire, try this process to get an idea of what wire looks like on a bead.

• Start out by cutting off about 1/8th of a 3-5/16″ x 3-5/16 sheet of silver foil.

• Gently twist the strip in the middle and then on either side of the middle.

• Gently twist the strip in the in-between spaces. Continue twisting until the foil can be rolled between index finger and thumb.

• This is a piece I successfully twisted without breaking off either end.

• Since the twisted foil has some thickness, a hot bead will not readily fuse to it. I place my foil on a marvering paddle and hold it under the flame close to the bead so the bead will not have as much time to cool.

• When applying the silver foil the bead should be as hot as possible without slumping.

• Note: If you would like a ring around the bead, place bead perpendicular to foil.

• Note: If you would like a diagonal ring around the bead, place bead diagonal to foil.

• After the foil fuses in one place, use your marvering paddle or other marvering surface to marver the remaining foil into the bead. Then reheat the bead. As long as the bead is not overheated, the silver will ball up nicely, like silver wire.

• After the bead has cooled…

Please feel free to leave a comment or use this Contact Link for any questions or suggestions.

Liz

Fall Spirit Handmade Glass Bead

What do I like about Messy’s Stone Ground? It’s the nicest color for this time of year and goes well with a variety of blues, as you can see here.

This glass bead was made with Messy’s Stone Ground, Sapphire, Pink Champagne and some handmade stringers plus a little .999 pure silver. The Sapphire and Pink Champagne are a bit stiffer than most of the Effetre (Moretti) glass and great to work with if you like working hot, which I do. I really torture my beads…work them a long time, looking for that detail (while I meander down the bead design trail) and work them in a fairly hot flame unless I’m reducing, encasing or working with stringers.

Fall Spirit Handmade Glass Bead

Are you strictly a bead maker or do you also create sculptures or figurines?
I’m still a bead maker. I’ve made one off mandrel piece and remain completely intimidated by the process.

Do you have a favorite style of lampwork beads, such as animals, perfectly placed dots, organic, etc?
I like to make beads with silly faces. They make me smile. and sometimes other people smile when they see them.

Do you remember the first time you saw a lampwork piece? What was it? Did you want to learn how to lampwork as soon as you saw it?
I stumbled onto Corina Tettinger’s website one day and was instantly fascinated. Her beads were so perfect that I tried to figure out how she made them. It took me three months to find a local class and three more to pay on the layaway plan just to take it.

What is your favorite color or color combination?
Blue has always been my favorite color. I don’t think I have a favorite combination when it comes to glass.

Do you have a favorite tool?
My Smircich Tail Stock Holder is my favorite tool. I use it every session, and it has helped immensely in getting a more evenly round bead.

If you had unlimited resources, how far on the planet would you go to get a lampwork bead or sculpture that you wanted?
I’m not really sure.

Where do you hear about new techniques or see new beads?
I read most of the glassworking forums, browse their galleries, occasionally wander through Ebay and read several lampworking blogs and magazines.

Did you learn how to lampwork by teaching yourself or from a friend or from a class or book?
I took a basic bead making class here in Raleigh at a local bead store.

Do you ever visit lampwork forums? If so, is it for the social aspect, to see the beads being posted, or to learn a new technique?
I do visit several of the lampwork related forums. The forums have been a primary source for my learning new techniques and building on the basic skills that I was taught in my first class.

Other than lampwork what else do you enjoy doing?
I love to read.

What is the hardest technique you have ever attempted, ie florals, implosions?
The hardest technique I’ve tried so far has been encased florals.

What is the next technique you would like to learn?
I’d like to learn to make my silly faced beads as sculptures instead of beads.

Do you love your wonkie beads as much as your other ones?
I don’t. While each of them represents a step in learning more about this beautiful medium, when it doesn’t go as I planned I’m disappointed. I have a “bad bead bowl” in my living room that a few of my friends like to dig through when they can sneak it away from me, but mostly I don’t look in that bowl. I’m definitely my own worst critic.

Giggleworks Bead Studio

Are you strictly a bead maker or do you also create sculptures or figurines?
I suppose I would be considered a bead maker. My beads include small sculptural aspects, but they are still beads. (i.e. my roses).

Do you have a favorite style of lampwork beads, such as animals, perfectly placed dots, organic, etc?
My favorite, and the style I always seem to come back to no matter what else I try, is Victorian style florals, particularly small encased garden scenes (which I call the mini garden series). I put so many layers within the bead to create depth in the same manner as a cottage garden planted in a yard, and I always include lots of roses.

Do you remember the first time you saw a lampwork object? What was it? Did you want to learn how to lampwork as soon as you saw it?
I do remember the first time and yes, I was always intrigued by the art. The first items I saw were actually blown sculptural pieces. I watched as the artist blew out small sculptures for sale at a place called Viscaya in Miami, Florida. At the time I saw this art form, I was very young and there really wasn’t much in the way of “public” information for learning this about it. Later on, however, while I was creating jewelry, I stumbled upon lampwork glass beads and was able to obtain enough information to start my lampworking journey.

What is your favorite color or color combination?
I don’t know that I have a favorite color or color combination. I like the muted colors that Bullseye glass offers because it is well suited for the Victorian designs I love to create.

Do you have a favorite tool?
My favorite tool would have to be my brass pokers. They are so versatile in that I can do just about anything I need to do with them. One side is pointed for poking, raking, etc. and the other side is chiseled – great for creating lines, moving glass around, etc.

If you had unlimited resources, how far on the planet would you go to get a lampwork bead or sculpture that you wanted?
I would go all over the world if I had the resources.

Where do you hear about new techniques or see new beads?
I usually learn about new techniques and see new beads on the lampwork forums and various websites. Sometimes I actually dream about new techniques and new bead designs.

Did you learn how to lampwork by teaching yourself or from a friend or from a class or book?
I learned on my own, but with the help of books. Cindy Jenkins first book, You Can Make Glass Beads was my first book and came with my hot head kit. I also love Corina Tettinger’s book, Passing the Flame. Although there is a lot of personal information which I found unnecessary, Corina is an excellent teacher and there are many great techniques taught throughout the book. I have, and will continue to highly recommend it to anyone!

Do you ever visit lampwork forums?  If so, is it for the social aspect, to see the beads being posted, or to learn a new technique?
I do visit a couple forums on a fairly regular basis. I go to one in particular for the social aspect and for inspiration and the others I usually go to just to look at the beads and other work being done by the artists.

What other activities do you enjoy doing besides lampwork?
I create jewelry – wire wrapping, bead crochet, steampunk and micro macrame. I also love silk ribbon embroidery – again, stemming from the Victorian era. The Victorian era is my heart as far as design goes. I have been known to paint and do some cake decorating – those days are long gone though since glass entered my life.

What is the hardest technique you have ever attempted, ie florals, implosions?
I don’t know what I would say the hardest technique I ever attempted is. I have tried many techniques over the 11 years I have been lampworking, but to me, it’s not a matter of difficulty with the various techniques, it’s more a matter of time – - practicing until I get it – - then practicing more until I get it right. With most things in lampworking, I think a person can achieve and master any technique with serious practice.

What is the next technique you would like to learn?
I would love to play in a hot shop, making some serious sculptures (florals, of course). I would also like to make some paperweights with floral designs deeply encased. My torch and current set up do not provide me with the means to do that.

Do you love your wonkie beads as much as your other ones?
It all depends on what part of the bead is wonky. I don’t always like all of my beads – wonky or not. I try different things (styles) that are not particularly to my taste, but I know that they are to someone else’s taste, so I make them. For instance, I just recently made a set of beads that was so out of “my style” because they were a special order. I personally would not make them for sale on a regular basis and would never keep a set for myself. I’m not going to say what the beads were – but you can be sure they were not florals, and certainly not something I would have made without the request.

Marilyn Peraza
The Annealer Magazine

Are you strictly a bead maker or do you also create sculptures or figurines?
I would say that to clarify myself as a bead maker would be correct. I cannot for the life of me make two beads that are the same. Now as far as sculptural work NO! I can manage to get a lump of glass on top of a focal that minutely resembles a frog. All kidding aside, I am a jewelry designer by nature, and a lampwork bead maker by good fortune and fun. I am very grateful that I am surrounded by a community of glass artists who love to play with fire. These artists have become my friends as well as mentors.

Do you have a favorite style of lampwork beads, such as animals, perfectly placed dots, organic, etc.?
I consider myself strictly organic. I love to play with color and I love to work the flame hot pushing the glass to its limit trying to arrive at that point where I have to stop messing around, flame polish and just stick it in the kiln.

Do you remember the first time you saw a lampwork object? What was it? Did you want to learn how to lampwork as soon as you saw it?
I do believe they were ladybugs, and I won them on Ebay back in 2004 or 2005. I do believe I still have a few. Then one day I bid on this set of beads called “Rainbow Eyes” but I lost the auction. I emailed the beadmaker and pestered her so much that we became friends. I wanted to learn all I could so I set up my first messaging account on Yahoo, and every night we would copy and past url links back and forth as I learned what a real live lampwork glass art bead was all about. She was very adamant about showing me things to look for and that chill marks are not a good thing and dirty bead holes are not a good thing. She also spoke of cracks and would point them out, as well as the scum of the clear and the sharp edges around the bead holes. We are still friends to this day. I have gone to visit her out of state and we have torched together.

What is your favorite color or color combination?
Anything that I can make with Raku. It has all the colors of the rainbow that mix into nature.

Do you have a favorite tool?
A friend of mine made me a custom graphite marver and engraved my name into it when I first started lampworking in 2005. I still use it.

If you had unlimited resources, how far on the planet would you go to get a lampwork bead or sculpture that you wanted?
If I did have tons of money I would probably email the artist and ask for a custom order.

Where do you hear about new techniques or see new beads?
I usually just take some time each week and look at beads on various selling venues. This gives me an idea of what colors and shapes people are purchasing.

Did you learn how to lampwork by teaching yourself or from a friend or from a class or book?
All of the above.

Do you ever visit lampwork forums? If so, is it for the social aspect, to see the beads being posted, or to learn a new technique?
I use the glass and jewelry forums mostly as a social place to just take a break from the day. These forums are also a wonderful marketing tool for blasting a link to a new listing or showcasing new designs to feedback from my friends.

What other activities do you enjoy doing besides lampwork?
Going to the bead store in the neighborhood and chilling with the other beaders.

What is the hardest technique you have ever attempted, i.e. florals, implosions?
Pulling my last murrini in Loren Stump’s Under the Sea Class. The murrini was so heavy that I dropped it and he had to rescue me. It was so embarrassing. But he did fix it – that guy is awesome! Nice too.

What is the next technique you would like to learn?
How to make a big hole bead.

Do you love your wonkie beads as much as your other ones?
I love all wonkie’s and happy accidents – every bead deserves a good home.

Vonna Maslanka