Lots of students this spring and summer. If you think you'd like to try beadmaking, I am now scheduling into July and August, email me using the link provided below. 

My Gallery has now been updated.

So, what is lampwork?

Making glass beads is called lampworking because hundreds of years ago, artisans heated glass using oil lamps. I use a propane/oxygen torch to heat  glass rods to over 1700F. Then I wind the molten glass onto a "mandrel", which is a stainless steel rod coated with a claylike substance called bead release, which forms the hole in the bead. Using gravity, a variety of tools, color, form and design... I create a small treasure that is wearable. My work is sold here on the website. Click on one of the categories listed on the left side under Shop For Beads. I process your credit card payment thru PayPal.

Questions? Email me at mmjfirst@aol.com

Want to learn beadmaking? Email me, I take students by appointment only. $175/four hour one-on-one lesson (in my southwest Chicago suburb) private studio. We'll go over safety, equipment, basic beads, rounding and centering, pulling stringer, applying stringer, dots, stripes, twisties, and organic applications.