Lampwork came to me through the adoration of beads. I began collecting African trade beads, stringing beads from all over the world, and reading everything I could about the history of beads. Old beads carry their own story; wearing them makes me a part of that story.

Working with glass, forming it into shapes that symbolize my emotional state at that moment, describes the journey I have been on for the last ten years. Beads helped bring tranquility to my life and enabled me to express myself through the intricate designs I ended up with after incorporating my shapes into an elaborate world of the seed bead. Off-loom bead weaving provides me the canvas to paint with my beads.

I started to experiment with recycled glass after a friend approached me with some broken glass baskets. They had belonged to her mother, who had passed away. The glass baskets were originally made in Murano, Italy, and her mother had collected them for years. When they were shipped to my friend, they had been packed poorly and, of course, they arrived at her home in pieces. My friend pictured a new form arising from these broken treasures.

My vision was to create unique beads leaving the historic designs undisturbed, resulting in some one-of-a-kind masterpieces. This experience put me on a path of enhanced consciousness for prolonging the life of something broken by using it to create beads.

Colorful bottles come with their own history. Beads created from bottles represent the feelings associated with an occasion of joy, celebration, or even sadness. I create pieces with these beads and name them for the sentiment they give me.

Themes from Arizona are my primary inspiration, testimony to the profound love I have for this beautiful state. This attachment to my creations infuses each piece with its own character and this in turn finds its way into the people's hearts.

See my Biography for more information.

Contact info:

Phone: 928-899-3574
Email: rowena@rowenaart.net
Web Site: http://www.rowenaart.net