Beading Times: How long have you been making beads?

Jeanine Owen: Since 1994

What got you started making beads? Did you take a class?

I studied and earned a degree in Glass technology from Salem Technical College, NJ.

Were you interested in making beads before that?

I hadn't really ever appreciated glass beads or any beads until I studied glass...the feel and weight of glass beads was attractive to me.

Did you have an artistic or craft history before that? How has that translated into the beadmaking, if at all?

Before any formal glass education, I was an "artist demonstrator" in Disney theme parks. I began an artistic journey as a portrait artist in my 20's, and worked as a sidewalk artist in the disney parks and other attractions. I worked alongside many good street artists in locations such as Montmarte, Paris, Euro Disney, France, Tokyo, Disneyland in Japan, Faneuil Hall Markeplace in Boston and numerous locations in Orlando.

I also worked as a Disney staff crafts person designing and building scenes and props for attractions at Disney... mainly the trees and foliage for Epcot center. After many years of pastel portraits I was trained as a Silhouette artist and eventually went to work for Arribas bros. Glass company and was their Silhouetist in their Tokyo Disneyland siklhouette shop for many years. It was through Arribos Bros that I worked alongside glass artisans, etchers, lampworkers, and glassblowers, and was first introduced to the medium of glass.

Can you share a photo of some of your other works with us?

I enjoy expressing myself through other art forms and have studied classical oil painting with Marvin Mattelson at the School of Visual Arts in NYC.

What has surprised you most about working with glass?

That it is never round nor is it ever straight... that it can be sensitive and difficult and also easy and happy. I am never sure how the glass will flow on a given day and I try to approach it with a calm and focused head and heart.

Have you had anyone that you consider to be a mentor? Tell us about them.

No, I have met many artists that I admire but have always been very independent, stubborn, and true to my own heart and vision. Among artists whose work I admire are, Dianah Hulet, Al Janelle, and Loren Stump. I also admire the work of my scientific glass professor in NJ, Mr. Joe Luisi. I have taken workshops with notable artists, such as Paul Stankard and Loren Stump and some glassblowing at private studios in Japan.

Whose beads inspire you the most?

I love Dinah Hulet's work, and it opens my mind to what is possible in glass. I have a tremendous appreciation of the Japanese bead makers and artisans who have a fine design sense and an appreciation for details.

Do you sell your beads? Do you sell the beads by themselves, or already made up into jewelry?

When I was new to bead making, I had a website that was all jewelry that I made with my own beads.  I also sold my jewelry in several nice galleries, including the American Craft Museum in NYC, and Wheaton Village

Did you intend to sell your beads when you first started? What got you started selling them?

It was when I began to make sculptural beads, specifically faces of people, cats, dogs, and animals, that I realized I felt passionately about faces of all kinds. I was happy with the first cat beads I made and received much interest in them. I was selling on ebay then and my cats and dogs were my best sellers.

Have you ever taken part in a bead or art/craft show?

Yes I have but to date they have been smaller venues close to home. I sell primarily through select galleries so I can stay at home and enjoy the art of making them.

What was the biggest challenge you encountered? What did you enjoy most?

My biggest challenge is always the packing, setting up, and driving to only sell for approx. 2 days. However, I do enjoy the communication and feedback from bead buyers and collectors.

How do you feel you have benefited from the experience?

Certainly making connections, meeting people, hearing and seeing firsthand their reactions to my glasswork is helpful, educational, and often gratifying.

Do you have any tips for first time exhibitors?

Maintain your business well and give nothing away for less than you think you deserve. It is always a challenge for me to be fair to myself. The fear of criticism and rejection is often there and I have learned to that it is better for me to keep a piece of work I love than to reluctantly sell it for less. Place a large bowl of less unique glass beads, such as spacers and orphans and odds at bargain prices for the bargain hunters.

Do you sell your beads in stores or other venues?

I sell my beads through my own website, my etsy shop, sometimes on ebay, and through my favorite glass gallery, Pismo Glass.

Do you have a website or auction site that you regularly sell you beads on? If so, what is the url/id info, etc.

http://www.ondineglass.com
http://www.ondineglass.etsy.com
on ebay, my seller id is ondineglass
http://www.pismoglass.com

What do your friends and family think of your beadmaking?

I believe they all enjoy it... I hope so. Sometimes they wear my beads, so I think they must like them.

What sort of set up do you have for making beads?

I have several torches and hand torches from my scientific glassblowing days but I currently use a moderately small and very efficient torch called a Lynx by glass torch technologies. I think their torches are exceptional for working with soft/soda lime/art glass which is what I primarily work with now. I also use an oxygen generator as my oxygen source. My set-up unfortunately limits me to working small, but the advantages are good, no heavy rolling and lighting of oxygen cylinders. I have found making beads that are wearable need to be appropriately small so I think my set-up works well for what I make. I have a digitally controlled Scutt Kiln that I love for annealing my glasswork.

What type of glass do you use?

I have many different types of glass that I keep separated in my workshop. I enjoy them all for different reasons. I like Bullseye glass for sculptural work, but also like my Effetre, Lauscha, Satake, and my newest favorite is the silver reactive glasses by Doublehelix Glassworks. I also own some beautiful vintage glass that I collected while I was studying in NJ.

Do you have any favorite colors or combinations of glass rod to work with?

I like to use a lot of clear with all my glass colors. It really is amazing how far a little color can go.

Do these colors (or combos.) create a special reaction when used in a certain way? Tell us about it.

I love the silver reactive glass, especially Ekho, for making iridescent looking fish and even using little dabs of it on spacers to give a little bling. I tend to favor opaque glass for my own necklaces but I like to incorporate bits of clear throughout a strand of beads. Because glass is a subflective material, I like the effects I achieve working with opaque colors and using transparent to increase tone or depth.

Do you have a favorite product, i.e. bead release, glass, etc.

I like the bead presses I purchased in 2009 from Mike Rainey, Double Helix Glass.

Do you have a favorite bead making book or piece of instructional material?

My favorite all purpose glass book is "More than you ever wanted to know about glass beadmaking" by Jim Kervin.

Do you have a favorite technique?

I enjoy making murrinis, especially simple flowers. I like to make my own signature cane as well, but it is a long process for me that requires much effort.  However the end result is gratifying.  A good signature slice/chip from a well made cane adds to a worthy sculptural piece, so it is worth the effort.

Are you a "set" person or a "focal bead" person?

I have to say I am neither, or I am both... it just depends on the bead, or the day, or the mood... I appreciate both sets and singles. Often, if I have created a bead I especially like I will set out to make some complimentary beads for it, so perhaps I am a set person... on the other hand some beads are best on their own without distractions.

Have you developed a "signature" bead, a unique type of bead that is recognizably yours? Tell us about it, how you developed it, etc.

I think my cat beads are most uniquely mine. There are other artists who also make cat beads but I think mine are unique. I usually model mine from the cats and dogs I see in my own backyard or neighborhood. Because the animals are a major passion in my life I try to copy what I love about them and see in them. The first cat beads I made were simply a fun distraction from the many round and simpler beads I had made. I listed a few on ebay and they sold quickly. I then made some to sell as cat charities, to raise money for spaying and neutering, and it was successful enough to keep me motivated to create more. I enjoy the process of working on a bead to the point where it looks back at me. If it makes me smile I feel it's finished and I put it into the kiln to anneal. There's nothing better than going to the kiln in the morning and finding some wearable cat and dog beads that make me smile.

What was your biggest obstacle to overcome?

Fear... worrying about the process instead of being in control and enjoying it. I try not to feel pressure but to concentrate on making something of great quality. I also try not to compare my work or success to other artist's. We all have different views to offer.

What is the hardest kind of bead to make for you? The easiest?

I think the hardest bead for me is a horse, and of course the easiest are simple spacers.

What is your favorite kind of bead or technique?

I love sculptural work and faces, but I am always changing and I appreciate the beautiful geometric dot work I see.

Do you still have the first beads you made? What do you think of them now?

I have some of my early beads, I do still have my first cats, dogs and sculptural work. I find it interesting that some of my early work is great, but I have a better eye for details and more expertise in well formed quality beads now such as round smooth dimpled ends.  I like to see clean happy stress free glass beads. Some of my early work was careless.

How have your beads changed? Since you started or over the years?

I have learned over the years and with practice how to work fast and which colors blend for the results I want. I don't need to do quite as much experimentation.

What was your scariest bead making experience?

I'm lucky in that I haven't had one, except maybe trying to get the hot kiln open wide enough to remove a bead to re-introduce it into the flame. Or, sometimes in my Florida workshop I've had a bee or an ant drop down onto an arm or on my head while I'm in the middle of forming a bead. It's impossible to swat at anything while holding a mandrel of hot glass... so learning not to react has proved beneficial.

Do you have a humorous bead making experience or moment to share with us?

I have a secret box of beads that I hide... faces that I don't like for one reason or another... they aren’t bad enough to throw out or good enough to sell or even give away. They are just my silly secrets, and I have yet to decide on what to do with them.

Have you had any "glass epiphanies" while working – some revelation or understanding? What were they?

That glass is constantly teaching me to slow down... it's a meditative process and you just can't rush it sometimes.

Do you have a technique, method or tip to share?

Learn not to rush, panic, or worry, and allow gravity to be one of your cleanest and  finest tools. Also give yourself frequent breaks to have a drink, stretch etc. A comfortable chair, arm rests, and a bowl of cold water to cool off tools or drop hot glass are a must.

Do you listen to music when you work, or prefer complete silence? 

I love good music while I work but I do not like headphones. I will listen to all kinds of music, but prefer a radio so I don't have to change a tape etc. Soft R&B, jazz, classical or even opera suits me best if I am at the torch for a great length of time. I also enjoy talk shows like PBS. Loud music gets on my nerves.

Do you have any advice or encouraging words for someone who is just starting out in glass? 

Trust your heart, instincts, mind, but educate yourself with facts of the glass chemistry you work with. Remember that you learn the most from the mistakes so don't get discouraged and enjoy your successes. Don't expect perfection.

Have you "invented" any new tools, or recycled something that wouldn't ordinarily be thought of as a tool for lampworking?

I often have an eye out for stainless steel utensils and dental tools; and use many for sculptural work... sorry to say no inventions are exclusively my own. I do routinely clean my scraps from my work table, and sort & clean them to be used as colorful frit or to make my own end-of-day-beads.

Could you share with us some pictures of your studio set up?

My small but simply adequate glass shop is vented at the floor and at the roof to help eliminate toxic fumes, I have multiple fans to push air out and also pull fresh air in. My oxygen generator is positioned away from my torch, my propane tanks are stored outside. My glasses are stored separately according to brand/type. I have a storage cabinet for tools and supplies, and an area for photographing.

How much time do you spend making beads (in hours) per week? Is it enough?

I normally spend 20-30 hours creating beads to sell online or through galleries. However due to the vented nature of my workshop I like to stop bead making during the hottest months of the Florida summer. I enjoy this break to work on other projects that are also meaningful to me, such as painting in oils, acrylics, and water colors. I also set up my silhouette cart and enjoy selling silhouettes on special occasions. I consider all these arts as cross-training.  They keep my eyes focused and improve my techniques and sense of composition and design. Black silhouettes encourage my appreciation for color. I like to keep myself in practice with paints and portraits, it only helps my glasswork when I return to the torch.

What about photographing your beads – what do you use to get your pictures and do you have any tips or tricks to share?

I have a Nikon Coolpix camera, and use a lightbox set-up with good professional lighting... I find it is a continual challenge to get a great picture and will often devote an entire day to try multiple shots and angles. My goal is to capture the bead as honestly as possible without much editing. There is usually some small editing to be done, I will remove glare spots if they are too distracting. I have found using a tripod helpful to achieve a clear and focused image.

Is this a job, or a passion? Or both? How much of making beads/playing with hot glass is about just making them, vs. making a living?

This is both a job and a passion, I began this as a serious job because I was earning money. Since having my small bead business, I have grown to appreciate being able to keep my work if I choose to and not rely on it as a business. This is why I also supplement my income as a hairstylist/colorist/painter/and silhouettist. I have reached a plateau in my bead making where I love my own beads too much to sell each one that I make... so my glasswork is becoming more of a passion. Many of my bead buyers are animal lovers and we all share this passion and animal admiration.

Where do you see yourself going with lampworking/glassworking in the future? Or, where do you see it taking you?

I see myself as having fewer but finer pieces of glasswork and supporting this glass bead passion with other work. I hope my creations will endure over time and be a worthy tribute to the things in this life that inspired and moved me.

Do you have a favorite bead, a "best bead." Can you share a photograph with us?

My little old lady bead was made many years ago, when I was first inspired and realized how much was possible with a small amount of glass