I am a self taught lampworker, I started in 2001 after trying and failing to obtain glass beads to match my enamelled pieces. I came across some crudely made beads at a village fair and the stall holder told me that someone local had made them. Thats when it struck me that I could make my own beads!!!
My studio is a teeny weeny corner of the kitchen that is stuffed with everything glassy imaginable. Inhabited largely by pixies that like to tip over jars of frit and stab me with stringers it's a fun place to be, their favourite trick of the moment is moving hot rods just under my fingers, it must be them because I swear I put them down safely out of reach?
The cats sleep on my chair so I always have a hairy bum, the dogs like to lie beside me so I have a constant companion aroma of wet dog and burning fur and my rods all seem to have a fine coating of fluff and cooking sheen.......would I change it........would I heck!!
It's fun, it's scary and I work hard to keep it that way......if I ever get to arty farty and up my own backside about it all then for goodness sake give me a short sharp kick and remind me that it is all about the MELTING!!