Beadmakers Profiles

A few more profiles from some of our participants for this weekend beadmakers trunk show. Enjoy! - Join us Saturday from 10 - 5pm

Jody Wieler

Jody Wieler is an emerging glass artist, currently living in St. Catharines, Canada. She found a studio in the summer of 2006 that taught beadmaking, and immediately knew she was afflicted with, and addicted to, the sensuousness of the melting glass. She admires the science and technique in the creative process, and the art and beauty that results. The jewellery-making focus literally changed overnight, and now the beads are the centrepiece of the work, often standing alone as a collectible or sculpture.

Wieler works with soda-lime glass from Murano, Germany and the United States. Melting the glass rods with a torch, it is formed around around metal mandrel, to which a myriad of colour and precious metals are applied, creating one-of-a-kind miniature works of art. She has recently acquired a taste for borosilicate glass, of which its muted colour palette is strikingly appealing to her. All of her glass work is kiln-annealed for durability and longevity.

Also a professional classical singer and teacher, she embraces glass as her "physical and visual art" outlet. Her work is often "organic" in nature, allowing for the colours to form interesting patterns, reacting in surprising and interesting ways, reflecting the fact that although she may start with a list of things to creat that day, ultimately the glass and colours are the muse, lending a certain spontaneity to her work. The true nature of the glass is expressed. Another permanent fixture of her work is the full off-centre heart, and tribal-style scrollwork. Murrini (small pictures like flowers and butterflies) are also making their way into her beads as she develops the canes, and finds interesting ones, such as those by Momka. Wieler's work is evolving rapidly - "It's always a surprise to open the kiln the next morning!"

Enjoy the wearable art that is inspired from my heart, made with my hands, and borne through the flame.

Dwyn Tomlinson

About the Artist

Who first tied a claw or a shiny pebble on strip of leather and worn it as a decoration? — or a declaration?

For longer than recorded history, we have defined our differences and our allegiances, carried our memories and our wealth in the form of jewelry — very often in the form of beads. We have collected them, traded them, hoarded them, lost them. We have burned forests to make them, traded worlds for them. They have been the domain of kings, the fascination of children, the comfort of the bereaved, the lure for the greedy. They are pedestrian, they are art, they are ubiquitous, they are magic.

I'm fascinated with the timelessness of personal adornment — and the universal appeal of jewelry. The primal urge that causes us to hang decoration on our bodies. The endless fascination with beads, with glass a unique substance that defies logic, defies description, defines magic.

Glass, in particular, is a strange and wonderful substance. Hard, strong, brittle, clear, transparent, opaque, malleable, immutable, impervious, corruptible — what else is so ethereal and so solid at the same time?

And then, there is the process … is there anything with a more primal appeal than fire? Melting the glass, shaping it with heat and gravity — tools that you can't see, can't touch. One dangerous and the other so ubiquitous it is beyond noticing.

Oh, those golden days when the glass does everything you ask, and more. Magic, just magic!

What else? I can ride a horse, teach a dog to come when called, drive a stick-shift, milk a goat. I can tell a story, paint a picture, change a tire. I can build a web site, bandage a wound, and bake cookies. I read Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett and J. K. Rowling. I watch "Torchwood," "CSI," and "SpongeBob." I believe in big bold Cabernets, real butter, and death by chocolate. I know the international phonetic alphabet. I believe in the power of duct tape. Specialization is for insects. I am "DragonJools."

Julie Beverstein

A bit about me.... I currently live in Toronto but grew up in the country. I grew up around stained glass but never was exposed to glass it in its molten form! One Christmas my mother bought me a weekend glass blowing course which was amazing. Unfortunately not an affordable hobby for me but I love to do it when I get the chance. I had no idea that lampworking existed until I saw a kit in a store. The kit contained a simple hot head torch - I bought it and was hooked!.

On a ski holiday in BC I signed up for an afternoon lampwork class which helped solidify the basics skills of making a bead!

Once home, I rented some torch time at the local glass shop - Fantasy in Glass and they were super in helping me get started.

I soon invested in a better torch and kiln and set up a little studio at home. I spend much of my free time at the torch and I love creating new things.

I have had the privilege of taking private lessons from Dwyn Tomlinson, Amy Waldman-Smith and later this month a weekend course taught by Kristina Logan hosted at Tank Studios! Sometimes I use my beads to create wearable art in which I like to incorporate sterling silver and Swarovski Crystals.

I share my workspace with a couple of loyal wiener dogs that are happy to sit by my side and create with me!

Stay tuned on Friday for more profiles and pictures!