Lampwork Beads: From Molten Glass to Wearable Art

My devotion to glass is insatiable, it's molten state has an almost hypnotic effect on me. From a solid strip of glass on a hot flame, it becomes molten in front of your eyes and can then be manipulated by the artist to produce a beautiful intriguing lampwork bead. The bead may then become an integral part of a piece of jewellery, worn proudly for many years and passed down as a heirloom for generations to come.
It has been recorded in history the earliest form of glass beads discovered were
made around 3000bc. These beads were used mainly for trade. In the late 1200's
Venice became the major city for bead artists when the production was moved to
the island of Murano.
Lampwork beads were made directly from a furnace. A mandrel (wire) was dipped
into the crucible of molten glass and wound around the mandrel. Further progress
was made by the Venetians who used an oil lamp connected to bellows. The
pumping of the bellows added oxygen to the flame in order to increase the heat
sufficiently to melt a glass rod which would be wrapped around a mandrel to form
the bead.
Today, as a lampwork artist my method of making glass beads does not differ
greatly from the 1500's. There is no longer the need to pump bellows to gain the
desired heat, instead a bench burner is attached to a source of both gas and
oxygen. These fuels mixed together produce a very hot flame in which the glass is
melted and wrapped around a stainless steel mandrel coated with a bead release to
prevent the bead from sticking.
The intricate designs seen on many lampwork beads are made in a variety of
methods. A great deal of decoration is created by pulling a thin thread of molten
glass called a 'stringer'. The stringer is then added to the bead whilst in the flame in
dots or lines to form many different patterns.
There are quite a few major manufacturer's producing glass rods specifically for
lampworking. It is very important that the glass used in a bead is of the same coe -
coefficient of expansion. This means the glass must be compatible with one
another so that they expand and contract at the same rate, if not, cracking will
occur. In many cases 2 glasses from different manufacturers or even the same
manufacturer may not be compatible. My lampwork techniques are a little different
in that I prefer to use compatible sheet glass which I cut into strips. This source
allows me to work with a wider colour palette.
Some amazing effects can be experienced with the inclusion of fine silver wire.
When added between 2 layers of glass the silver will often result in a gold colour,
whilst on the surface will retain it's silver effect. Leafs or foils of silver, gold,
palladium and copper also add to the uniqueness of a lampwork bead. A new
design can be discovered every day along with different shapes and intriguing
sculptures.