Lisa Mosser

Making lamp worked glass beads combines my childhood appreciation for glass miniatures with a lifelong love of marbling, sparkling inclusions, patterns, and color. My stone series reflects the natural colors and patterns of the earth. I love the work of the Impressionists and use the variegated colors produced by enamel powders to explore some of their effects. My multi media pieces are abstract explorations of color, texture & form.

The beauty of light shining through art glass has always captivated me. My favorite memories include marveling at art, art glass, and stained glass windows in museums & cathedrals throughout the U.S. and Europe. I was mesmerized by glass blowing at Jamestown, and torch work in small studios in Venice. I took a beginning lampworking class and, after the second day, experienced the transition from the fear of fire to a fascination with flame working. When my husband retired and I left the corporate world, art transformed from an occasional tool for stress relief to a compelling passion in my life.

The glass beadmaking process

I use an oxygen/propane torch to melt Italian glass rods of various colors onto a metal rod (the rod forms the hole in the bead). The glass rods go from rock hard to clay malleable to honey soft in the 1500 degree flame. I build up many layers of glass often adding fine silver foil, enamels, or other inclusions. All of my beads are formed individually using heat, gravity, and tools - no machines involved. The metal rod (which is actually a stainless steel welding rod) is dipped in a clay-based compound before use to prevent the glass from adhering to the steel. After the bead is completed and annealed overnight in a kiln, the clay compound can be dissolved in water to remove the bead from the rod.