Blogging has become a huge job. Not because it isn’t fun to Blog, but because of the purpose of the Blogging that I am undertaking at this time. This is another entry trhat is made in the hope of burying The Bad Blahg (I am not going to mention who or what was said, most people should know. But on the off chance that you are still unaware, Email me and I will welcome you on the Side of the Light).

The artist that I want to Blog about today is Ruth Nichols. Her website, Hillside Gardens Art Studio, is not only a beautiful representation of her life, but an informative site that provides a lot of the history of Flameworking, beautiful pictures of Alaska, and many other topics as well. It is well worth your time to go and take a look!

One thing that Ruth has on her website is a statement that I want to quote here.

“One of the best ways to ensure that your money is well spent is to know your artist.  If they sell on an auction site; check what others have had to say about their creations.  Send them e-mails asking for more pictures, what type of glass they use, the COE - the more detailed and technical the questions, the more assurance you have that the artist knows their craft (assuming they have an answer for you).”

I cannot express in any better words, how important it is to get to know the glass artists that have been maligned by U-Know-Who. Find out for yourself who we are by asking questions, researching our artwork, and even ask for references. I don’t mind at all answering questions, and I would bet that everyone in our lively group of accused frauds won’t either!

Here’s to you, Ruth.

The Blog today is a spotlight on one of the most fabulously talented glass artists ever. Lydia Muell says this about herself, her talent, and her love of flameworking:

When I began playing with glass in 2005, it was not with the idea that I would become a career lampworker. Rather, it was to be a stepping stone to larger work. Glassblowing was my mission back in those days and I thought lampworking would be the gateway obsession that would eventually deliver me into the moderate sized hot shop that I so desired. I wanted to make functional art glass pieces like candle holders, huge glass beads that could be used as drapery finials, blown glass spice jars for Tuscan style kitchens. . .I had to crawl before I could walk and somehow I found myself on an unexpected path.

Today, I am a career lampwork beadmaker who takes each day as it comes, rarely questioning tomorrow. Today provides the same challenge as yesterday and tomorrow will provide the same challenge as today. . .Evolving my skill at the torch, searching my soul for the inspiration that always seems to be communicated with strong classical influence.

Timing, rhythm, and repetition are the elements that move me most in a piece of visual art, just as they move me when I listen to beautifully arranged symphonic piece. As cliche as this may sound, if I can SEE the music playing within one of my beads, I know I’ve achieved something soulful.

These days I don’t look to tomorrow. I’m enjoying the journey too much to worry about where my path is taking me or how and when I’ll get there. I have found a sense of satisfaction and self worth within those little beads that I create each day. For now, these tiny wearable treasures are my destiny.

Lydia certainly creates treasures!  Go to this gallery to see what I am talking about: http://www.lampworktreasures.com/focalgallery.html

I have some Taji Opal frit from Jet Age Studio, that I love. I seriously would not be without this stuff, because of it’s opalescent shine and colors. I also wouldn’t be without it because I order it from Renee Wiggins, who is not only a friend of mine, but an “adopted cousin”. We both have Elliotts in our family tree.

I found JetAge Studio when I was looking for some silver glass frit that would give me ghostly blue transparent images in my beads. I found what I was looking for, plus great customer service, and wicked fast delivery. You can’t do better than that! here is what Renee says on her website:

JetAge Studio sprung from the artistic minds of Renee and William Wiggins in 2006 as an effort to promote each other’s art as self-representing artists. We are working artists, and our studio has long been a multimedia studio featuring artworks in wood, steel, glass, and paint as our form of artistic expression. As we’ve grown through our art, so has our studio, and today we find the glass side has taken over the JetAge Studio namesake. The passion Renee feels to give back to the glassworking community in the form of working knowledge and custom artisan supplies has proved to be the right path for our studio.

I am happy to pass on this information about a good and honest person that has been slandered by The Blahg. Happy New Year, Renee and William!

As most of my readers know, I spend a lot of time on the Lampwork, Etc. Forum. I have gotten advice, instruction, and inspiration form the creative artists on the Forum. And, I have made many friends.

Betsymn has been an inspiration in a very different way that I would have expected. Betsy has taught me that, no matter how much I need to do in a day, or how much money I feel like I need to make, helping others and doing the right thing is more important. I know that there are times when the personal needs take precedence; putting food on the table, or taking care of disabled kids, and we center our lives on those things without a second thought. But during this last year, when evil accusations have flown from one demented person towards innocent Artists, Betsy has gone the extra mile(s), and has help us all.

Among the other things that she has done to support her colleagues, Betsy has devoted countless hours of her personal time to the singular task of making sure that we are all informed as to the allegations of tax evasion and fraud that were leveled against our community. Betsy made sure, every single day, that she passed information to the community so that we knew what was happening without having to go “straight to the horse’s mouth” and read the Blahg that was being published. This, in itself, made it possible to eradicate the slanderous posts of an evil person by Blogging as I am doing now. If we had all gone to The Blahg, the hit count would be so high that it would have never gone away. Betsy put herself out in the “front line” and took on this time consuming task, and prevented a disaster.

Not only that, she did this willingly, and without hardly even losing her temper. What a remarkable feat that was!

Betsy’s website, [url]www.greyhavenart.com[/url], is where you will find a variety of wonderful artwork. On her site, Betsy says this about herself:

“I have cats, dogs, ferrets, chickens, cows and horses because I like animals, and I draw and paint wildlife and nature because that’s what I like and enjoy. My pets bring me joy and laughter, and nature brings me peace and closeness to God. A quote from Anne Frank: “The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.”

Betsy has given all of us this part of herself. Through her, and the effort that she has made during the personal attacks by She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, we have been shown kindness, caring, and the beautiful part of human nature.

I know that all of this is far from over, there is court, publicity, maybe a host of things that are unpleasant in the future. But, at this point in time, I want to take the time and say a very sincere and heartfelt “Thank You” to Elizabeth Wait.

Today’s blog is about my friend Dawn Ceccacci. She is another victim of the slanderous accusations of another blog, (The Blahg, as it is referred to in this circle). Dawn is a wonderfully talented artist that has the ability to make glass stand up and sing. Here is what Dawn wants everyone to know about herself:

“My name is Dawn Ceccacci and I love to melt glass! I am a “Lampwork” artist. I have been making beads for close to 10 years now. In addition to making beads I test Brass Tools for Mike of www.MikesBrassForGlass.com. Mike makes the most awesome brass presses on the market today for working with glass! Plus, I also test Frit (crushed glass) for www.GlassDiversions.com. As a Frit Tester, I receive the latest glass color blends available on the market to work with and then post my results on the Frit Testing Page of my website.
I have been published in the 2010 Glass Bead Calendar, 2009 Glass Bead Calendar, The Flow Magazine, Gallery of Women in Glass Winter 2008/2009, Bead Review 2 A Year of Exceptional Art Glass Beads, The Flow Magazine, Wigwag Article 2008, 1000 Jewelry Inspirations, Rockport/Quarry Publishers, The Flow Magazine, Gallery of Women in Glass, Winter 2007/2008, Step By Step Beads, Interweave Press, March/April 2007
I am truly blessed to be able to keep busy with my web business www.DawnsGlassArt.com and teaching Lampwork classes in my home studio in Howell Michigan.”

Look up Dawn’s work. You will be impressed! I am more happy to have Dawn’s name associated with my Blog.

Hello Everyone, and Welcome.

I want to introduce another friend that I have made. As before, this artist was victimized by a vindictive person in Texas who has accused about 200 artists of being tax evaders and frauds.

Everyone, please meet Bindy Lambell, The Mad Beader:

“I have been lampworking for almost 9 years now and even though I took a class from Leah Fairbanks and Patti Walton much of what I have learned has been trial and error. I have been blessed to have been on the cover of Bead and Button and Lapidary Journal Step by Step magazines. I have now been published over 30 times in several bead magazines and write how to articles occasionally for Bead Unique. I was in the last issue of the Flow Magazine, Women in Glass, and was just notified that I got in again this year even though it was a Juried Show this time and has 50 less artist that were chosen. I have taught bead work, not lampworking, for many years and look forward to start teaching Lampworking this coming year. I did teach a sculptural Lampworking class at a local bead store and actually sculptural Holiday beads are one of my favorite things to teach. I plan on writing some tutorials on Holiday beads this coming year.

I have found my niche in selling bead sets to many bead stores. I also do trunk shows, and several other bead shows every year, including The Best Bead Show in Tuscon.

I live in Huntington Beach California and am the Membership chairperson for our ISGB chapter called the Flame Surfers. My website is www.bindy.com.  I hate that my name is associated with the word fraud and wonder how many sales I have lost because of the lies.”

We all wonder that. This is a classic example of how mean words can injure an innocent party.

Follow the link above to Bindy’s Website. Her beads are beautiful, with delicate colors and flowers, put together in intricate patterns with all of the flavor of the Victorian Era. Her beads have been featured in Step by Step Beads in August of 07, and in Bead and Button in April of 03. Bindy, The Mad Beader, is a wonderful Artist, and a good person, completely undeserving of the accusations that were made.

One more entry for the Vindication Record, where we thumb out nose at the U-Boat: Nancy in Vermont was the first person to “Friend” me on Lamwork, Etc. I have enjoyed knowing Nancy very much, and it is disheartening when someone picks on someone who is so caring and kind as Nancy is.

Let me introduce you to Nancy in Vermont:

“I had an exciting start to lampworking, taking classes in summer of 2006 at the wonderful summer art camp, Snow Farm, in Massachusetts. My teachers were Emilio Santini, Nancy Tobey, Sally Prasch, Lilliana Circe Glenn, Bandhu Dunham and Joe Peters. Some of the classes were week-long, some four days. Enough to make me addicted to glass in no time! For one year after that I had no place to set up at home, but in summer 2007 I found a gal who lets me share her studio, 30 miles from my home. I try to get there twice a week when the weather is good, less often in the winter. So far, I have only managed to master beads with good dimpled ends, though I hope to have enough time to try some of the lovely sculptural pieces and encased flower beads that the other newbies have excelled at. I like to make necklaces and bracelets with my beads, incorporating Bali bead and caps, and Swarovski crystals as well as gemstone beads. My favorite pastime is being a member of the Lampwork Etc. forum, learning many new things about glass and beads, as well as loving the friendship and fellowship of other members. Lampwork Etc. is incredibly important in my life! An amazing group of inspiring artists and inspiring human beings.”

I really want to thank Ullja for introducing me to all of these wonderful folks that I have met. Because of her, and the things that were posted on her Blahg, the artists in the Lampworking community have found friendship and support in each other.

Today I want to write about a new friend that I have made. First off, remember the lady from Waco that was making everyone’s life crazy this year? Accusing people of evading their tax responsibilities and making many headaches for them?  Well, I have decided that I am going to pick an artist that she has blahged about on her defamatory website, and introduce the real person that has been slandered. I say the real person, because the artists that she defames are wonderfully creative people that are just trying to have fun with their talent and maybe even make ends meet in this economy, not criminals, tax evaders, or anything else that we are accused of being.  We? Yes, Mom and I have been blahged about as well.

That being said, today I want to introduce KAS Lampwork Beads:

“My full name is Kathleen Ann Saha. I’ve been dyeing, sewing and selling silk ribbons for nine years, located in a small town in Ohio, have a house full of other peoples’ rejected pets. No children so we’ve adopted all the animals.
I sell on Etsy: kasbeads and have a website: kasbeadsandribbons.com. I also have bee hives and raise much of our vegetables. Also have chickens for pets and eggs……not food! I’m also almost a senior so no spring chicken myself. Oh, I also spin wool, weave, knit, do all kinds of needlework, paint……the list goes on and on!”

So, go and check out Kathleen’s website. The ribbons that she has are absolutely beautiful, and make a lovely fast-and-easy piece of jewelry when you tie a handful of Lampwork beads on the ribbon and wear it like a necklace or wrapped around your wrist!

I am going to continue picking an artist or maybe two per day, so that something good comes out of this mess that has been created. A lot of good people were hurt, and I am going to do my part to help them heal.

Another way that everyone can be involved is to purchase the Artisans and Glassworkers Legal Fund Calendar. It is only $20.00, (shipping is $2.00), and the proceeds go to the AGLF. You see, as a group, and individually, we have been hurt by this person. So, we have a lawsuit in progress. Lawyers are expensive, but in this case necessary in order to get this woman stopped once and for all.

Enough of my standing on the soapbox for today. You can find the AGLF calendar here:

http://www.piercesdesigns.com/pages/AGLF.htm

MY Lampworking class just met for the second time tonight. This class was all about stringers. We talked about pulling twisty stringers, punty stringers, and pulling with a pair of pliers. It was great to see the talent developing in my students, and I love that AhHa! Moment, when it clicks for them. One of my students is already talking about taking the intermediate class.

Gothic Glass has not been targeted by uzilla. That is good news, but bad news as well, because her blahg is great advertising!! And, she is becoming the laughingstock of the internet. It is so funny to read the comments that are posted in response to her rabid, emotionally uncontrolled, poorly-spelled rant!

The sad part about this is, I found out that she attempted to get the business owner and good acquaintance of mine, Irene Girogio of FlameKissed Glass into tax trouble not only for selling online, but for running the raffle to help Shannon Hill.  Shannon was a Lampwork Artist and teacher that worked in Borosilicate (Pyrex) glass. Shannon became ill with cancer some time ago, and desperately needed financial assistance with paying all of the bills for his treatment. Irene started the Raffle for Shannon Hill to assist him and his family, and donated thousands of dollarsfor the cause.

Now, this heartless creature has targeted Irene. That’s just sick.

I love making beads, playing with fire, and seeing what I pull out of the annealer every morning. Nothing is more fun than looking at new beads with your morning coffee!