About Me

ABOUT ME

For more than a decade, I have been an avid collector of beads. Although I love all types of beads including stone, ceramic, and metal, I have always had a special affinity for glass beads. Glass beads appeal to me because of their variety of colors and designs, the way they reflect light, and their historical and cultural significance.

I started collecting African trade beads after I discovered some chevron and millefiore beads at a store in Anchorage, AK in 1991. I immediately fell in love with their vibrant colors and complicated designs.

I moved to Portland, OR from Texas in 1995 and found myself in heaven in this glass bead mecca. I discovered art glass beads being made right here in the Pacific NW and soon I was taking my first beginning glass bead making class in 1997. I loved the class but at the time I didn't have a space for making beads at home and was unable to pursue it further. It wasn't until the year 2000 that I was able to set up a bead making studio of my own and I began relearning the process I was taught several years earlier.

Since then, I have expanded my knowledge of beadmaking by taking more classes and I have had the pleasure to be taught by some of the best beadmakers and glass artists in the Pacific Northwest including Larry Brickman, James Smircich, and Brian Kerkvliet. I continue to learn and be fascinated about glass beadmaking each day and I hope to continue this path for many, many years.

I still live in Portland with my husband, Lanny, and my two cats. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about my work.