I started working with stained glass around 1998 for a home improvement project. I wanted glass with texture and three dimensional relief and I couldn't find glass made that way. How could I make a sea urchin with bumps on it? How could I make a turtle seem to pop out of water? Those questions resulted in the pursuit of learning as much as possible about glass.

I explored how to sandblast, fuse, gild, cast, blow, paint, bevel, polish, encase and lampwork glass.

In January of 2002, I started lampworking after seeing a picture of a bead covered with raised dots. That technique would be perfect to make a sea urchin, I thought! Six months later, I took a class from Loren Stump. I have been in love with lampworked glass ever since.

Lampworking has led me on a journey of exploration, creativity and joy. There is still much to learn about the medium. I continue to enroll in workshops to improve my techniques.

The instructors/artists who have been tantamount to my achievements with lampworked glass are Loren Stump, Chris Buzzini, and Andrea Guarino. I am also ever grateful to my "Glass Mother", JoElla Johnson, without whom I would never have had such wonderful opportunities to learn from world renown artists/masters.

My stained glass project is sitting patiently awaiting its completion. It will happen... Someday. :-)