Meet the team part 4

FHFteam has the most wonderfully talented team members and glass artists. Today I would like to introduce you to some FHFteam members that make exquisite sculptural pieces of wearable art.

Emma of aflame with desire

Lampwork goddess pendant, borosilicate glass, Blue Storm

Emma makes beautiful sculptural pendants from borosilicate glass, including dragons and these beautiful stylised sculptural goddess pendants, in the heart of the English Lake District. Each of these goddess beads raises money for Cancer Research UK. I recently had the privilege of watching a live demonstration by Emma at the 2012 UK Flame Off.

Next I'd like to introduce you to Sabine of little castle designs

Blue Rose lampwork glass ring top, interchangeable

Sabine Little is a Sheffield based glass artist and sculptor who is perhaps best known for her sculptural roses and innovative interchangeable jewellery range. I have been reading with interest about her three year long art instillation project called follies for follies, you can read more about that in Sabine's own words on follies for follies blog.

Next up is Julia of Pandanimal

Tribal Head Focal Bead - Handmade Lampwork Glass feature bead

This sophisticated focal is one of Julia's new range of tribal head beads. Based on an Easter Island head the glass has been heavily distressed to give it a weathered and naturalistic effect. Julia's shop in jam packed full of beads inspired by her desire to represent geology and stone in all its varied forms with glass.

I hope you enjoyed this quick introduction, click the pics to go to Etsy and see more from each of our teamies and also don't forget to stop by and check out our June Giveaway blog post.

Pick of the week - My Mum says

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I gave the job over to my Mum this week to choose her 5 favourite listings from FHFteam 2011. She picked 11 instead, hope you liked them too.
Jolene x

Pick of the week - Teamwork

Watch the Birdie Earrings Sterling Silver by attheedge

Alice-Artisan glass rose and pearl necklace by nemeadesigns

Gaia - Copper and London Blue Topaz Pendant by eleljewelley

CosmicII by JoWalker68

Ivory Treasures Pendant by DawnTurnerCreations

Some collaborative works showcasing the talent of two or more members of FHFteam Enjoy, Jolene x

Pick of the week - Forever Flowers

Poppy ring - glass and sterling silver by littlecastledesigns

Large millefiori pendant by blackheartbeads

Flowering at Midnight - Polymer Clay Bead Set by ContinuumDesigns

Jungle Speed - glass beads made by MyPrecious

Forever Flowers Fused Glass Hanging by helenbluefairy

Everlasting floral beauty from FHFteam 2010 Hope you like, Jolene.

Pick of the Week - Over the Rainbow

I was feeling inspired by the fantastic colour around this week, so a few more picks than usual!

Jo Bailey
caraj316.etsy.com


Cherry Pie by FinishingTouchJewels


Wolf Orange by SpaTownBeads0407


Mellow Dragon by flyingbead


Hip to be Square Brooch by SorbetGlass


Royal Blue Glass beads with Glow in the Dark Necklace by JivesJools


Five Islands by flyingbead


Racquel by littlecastledesigns

Pick of the week - Snow Queen

Soft white snow drifting lazily from heaven to settle, a soft duvet on the ground. Desolate and solitary beauty and wintry white whimsy have inspired this weeks FHFteam's Snow Queen picks from me. Hope you like, Jolene

Featured this week are

Greay Lace bracelet by jowalker68
Found - lentil almpwork bead by flyingbead
Gold-Lilac Keishi Freshwater Pearl Necklace by sallygraddondesigns
BBA crosstitching glass beads by bubblefizz
Sculptural butterfly wedding tiara by littlecastledesigns

Resolutions Challenge - Sabine Little

FHFteam are running a challenge right now on the word theme of Resolutions. Here is the stunning necklace entered by Sabine of Little Castle Designs.

Sabine says:
I first came across Jenny Joseph's poem a few years ago, and it made me laugh out loud. I had visions of this lovely elderly lady running her walking sticks along railings, and I thought 'that's how I want to grow old'. At the time, I was single, and fancy free, no child to be a good example to. This has changed, and I think I now respond to the poem differently. Whereas before, both points of view (the Now and the Later) were alien to me, I now feel I understand better how it feels to be 'grown up and responsible' - whatever that might mean...but at the same time, I've learnt that our children need to grow up with a sense of silliness, of fun that harms nobody, and to take risks for what they believe in. To metaphorically 'wear purple' every day - that's my resolution for 2010...and every year thereafter.



You can find more stunning jewellery and lampwork created by Sabine at LittleCastleDesigns

Pick of the Week - Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night - Dylan Thomas

Jolene

Featured this week are

Spice Sunbaked Beads by LushLampwork
SEIKA - Sculptural lampwork butterfly by littlecastledesigns
SUMMER PEBBLES Lampwork bead set by PixieWillow
Lily the Pink. A set of handmade lampwork beads by Josephine Wadman
Flores Mexicanas Beaded Bead Set by nemeton
Mexican Wave by pandanimal
Flamong heck that's ORANGE by tanofcourse
Pink Watermelon Swirl Lampwork Beads Set by allthatsparklesbeads
Rainbow Doodle fused Glass Wall Hanging by Helenbluefairy
Polka Dotty, a set of Handmade Lampwork Beads by Dilunah

Featured Artist - Sabine Little

Little Castle Designs

photo by Richard Downton

1. How did you get started in lampworking/fusing/jewellery making;

When I was pregnant, my husband and I went to Venice for a 'last dash' before I was too far gone to fly. I'd done silversmithing, and so am always on the lookout for artisan jewellery...which, in Venice of course, meant glass! Sadly (or fortunately?), we had trouble with the bank, and I only had very little money to spend, on a few simple black, white and red beads. Not long after, my husband had to go abroad for work - I'd usually have joined him, but was no longer allowed to fly. Determined that I would have fun, too, I booked a one day glass bead making course. I remember telling my teacher - Mike Tillerman - that I had no intention of continuing with glass bead making, no matter how much I enjoyed it, that my heart belonged to silversmithing. 72 hours later, my starter kit arrived...

2. How long have you been lampworking;

I've been lampworking for about 2.5 years now, the last 1.5 years were the time I started specialising in sculptural beads.

3. Where do you find your inspiration;

I find inspiration...anywhere! It can be quite frustrating, actually, because I don't have the time to follow up half the ideas I have! I see colour combinations in leaves, curves in architecture, animals on Flickr...and I love words! So many poems and quotes I read are very visual to me, sometimes, I see a complete piece of jewellery in front of my eyes as I read.

4. What is your favourite piece of your own work;

I think it's very much always the most recent piece that was a bit 'different'. I loved the first dragonfly I made, I still have it, it's waiting for some kind of special bail. More recently still, I started making asymmetric necklaces, based on poems and quotes, and I love the 'Mad as a Hatter' lariat, because a lot of jewellery I've made to date is quite shy and retiring...this isn't!

5. Who's work do you admire most;

There are too many people I admire to mention individually - as a group, they have the common denominator that their work is always of high quality - no shortcuts, no excuses. I think that, if you do sell your work, you ought to do it as professionally as you possibly can - not in the 'how may I help you today, Ma'am' kind of way, but by producing the best possible quality you can, and being self-critical. And that's not just your actual work, but everything around it. I myself know that I could learn lots from other people in the way of photography, for example.

6. What are your goals for the future;

2010 will be the year when I 'turn pro' - lampworking full-time, teaching lampworking / glass bead making, and making jewellery. So, my most immediate goal would be to make that leap without too many mishaps - hopefully, getting more ideas from paper to finished piece. I've got two websites - http://www.littlecastledesigns.co.uk/, where I sell beads & jewellery, and http://www.nowforevermore.com/, which specialises in wedding jewellery and celebratory jewellery, as well as a selection of both on my etsy shop (http://littlecastledesigns.etsy.com/) - I've got this year to understand how to work all these to their best potential...if I find the holy grail, I'll happily share it! ;-) Being home in daylight should also help with those photos!