Flame: February 2015 by GBUK

Flame February 2015

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@gbuk.org

Torchlight on …

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Members’ beads from last month’s challenge:

Page 8-9 Colour testing …. Reichenbach garnet… by

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No pressure, no prizes, just fun Make a bead, set of beads, focal, mixed media, on or off mandrel piece using the theme of

or ‘ Post your photos on www.frit-happens.co.uk and/or www.craftpimp.co.uk and/or our Facebook page by All members' photos will be included in the December issue of the GBUK

Nina Atkinson-Severini Like most eager crafters, sitting around watching television isn’t really my thing. I’ve always been someone who prefers to be doing something and as a consequence over the last 50 years, I’ve gone from one hobby to another. Weekdays have been spent in a busy and noisy office environment, and in the evenings and weekends, ( !), I love the peace and serenity of losing myself in something that’s just for me. Over the years I’ve been absorbed in various hobbies including sewing, ceramics, machine knitting and even making model porcelain dolls. Eventually, approximately 15 years ago, I found glass, and that has kept me interested ever since I was introduced to it. I started by making A4 sized panels, and then moved on to a lampshade and other items in the “Tiffany stained glass” style under the skilful and watchful hand of Zoe Bright, a very talented glassworker who lives in Hitchin, Herts. This then progressed to glass fusing, and then eventually I brought a Hothead kit in 2008. As my skills developed and to make it easier to work on glass whenever I wanted, my extremely patient husband converted the back of our long brick garage into a studio for me. I have to confess I’m a bit of a ‘tool’ junkie, and have a large selection of tools mainly relating to glass, (Caldera sectional kiln with bead door, Paragon Glass kiln, grinders, ring saw, sandblaster, bead corer, the list is continually growing), all of which he managed to squeeze in for me.

After spending a couple of days with Barbara Mason on an introductory course, the hothead was very quickly upgraded to a Minor with a 5l oxycon. A few more courses followed, one with Sharon Peters, and one with Pati Walton and my confidence was growing and my ability improving. Family and friends were now going “WOW”, instead of “Oh okay” when I showed them my treasures. At this point I could truly say that I was addicted to glass.

In February 2012 I went to Murano with four other GBUK members. We spent five days in the studio of Lucio Bubacco, it was amazing to see how he manipulated glass. It was also memorable as it snowed and was one of the coldest Februarys on record, (to a point where there was actually ice beginning to form on the canals) and I’ll always remember when we visited Carlo Donna’s Tool shop, it was so full of lovely tools, I could have stayed there all day.

After I came back from Murano within a few months I upgraded my torch again, this time to a Midrange and my latest acquisition is a 10L oxycon to go with it. I the have two torches permanently set up in the Studio. I don’t teach as such, because I don’t have the patience, but I’m happy to help people get the basics and then direct them to the GBUK Website and Frit-Happens Forum so they can contact more experienced flame workers.

Originally it was the challenge to produce something that was bright, shiny and pretty. I never started with an aim of producing anything in particular, and originally I was never interested in making jewellery. However as time has gone on, (and by the very nature of the glass, sometimes it just needs to be worn,) I do now make the occasional bracelet or necklace, and when asked I’ll make a personalised memory bead. I’ve yet to find my own style as such, but I’m definitely enjoying trying to find one. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the generous flameworkers out there that encourage others and share their knowledge, without them my journey would not be so amazing. Thank you.

Each year we bring hundreds of glass beadmakers together in 2 halls to play with glass and fire. Upstairs in the top hall we have the best worldwide lampwork artists demonstrating in front of a camera in a the hall which seats 150 people with the images beamed onto large screens and LCD TVs making it very easy to watch the artists without missing any important details. Downstairs there is a sales area with traders , a "lampworkers village" with the leading artists selling their creations and a huge free taster area. The taster area will have benches set out were anybody can sit down and play with the glass , make beads , pendants or just melt and blob.

Weekend Ticket - ÂŁ30 Allows you full entry to the show on both days (Friday & Saturday) - "have a go" benches, live demonstrations, sellers & traders area. Friday OR Saturday - ÂŁ20 Allows you full entry to the show on that specific day (Friday or Saturday) - "have a go" benches, live demonstrations, sellers & traders area. Limited Entry - ÂŁ5 Allows you access to sellers & traders area only. Ticket holders will not have access to the live demonstrations room or on the "have-a-go" benches. This ticket is ideal for people who are only visiting Flame Off to browse the trader and seller stands.

We have four places available, one on each of (borosilicate marbles) (encased florals) (sealife) (glassblowing) But we aren’t just giving them away …… you have to do a little something in return!

Write an article or tutorial suitable for GBUK to use in furthering it’s aim of sharing and disseminating information about making glass beads.

Contribute one or more photos to using this month’s challenges.

We’d like a suggestion for what to do with lampwork other than making jewellery with it.

Tell the story of a bead you have made, a bead you want to make or even the story of a bead in your collection.

The small print Closing date: Winners will be announced on 14 March 2015 via Newsflash. You must be a fully paid up member of GBUK on 31 March 2015 to enter. Only one entry per household is eligible to enter. Multiple entries may be submitted in all competitions but your name will only be entered once per draw. Winners will be drawn using a random number generator to determine the winner. Committee members are not eligible to enter. GBUK reserves the right to use any submissions in the future for either publication or promotion of GBUK. Full credit will be given if and when used.

‘Silver glass’

‘Raking’

Colour testing

Ilsa Fatt

Reichenbach Garnet Last time I did a colour test, I expressed my disappointment at Reichenbach's Garnet Red. Later, I began to wonder if the problem might lie with me, rather than the glass itself, so I had another go, treating the glass with a bit of TLC, rather than my usual "shove-it-in-theflame" approach. This is what I discovered: Garnet likes to be heated gradually, a bit like Rubino Oro. If you don't do this, it can turn brown and scabby.

Garnet needs to be fully struck to get its true red colour. If it is only partially struck, it will, once again, be brownish.

If you treat Garnet properly, you get a rich, deep red. It is deeper than the raw rod, and a little goes a long way. It changes dramatically, depending on the kind of light it is viewed in. In artificial, yellowish light, it will still look brown, but in natural sunlight you can see its true redness.

Left to right: Garnet over white Garnet spots over white Garnet spots over dark ivory.

There is some colour bleeding around the edges.

Garnet and white twisty, over Medium Red. Garnet works really well in this sort of twisty, as the intensity of colour means you get a true red, even when thinly pulled. Turquoise spots over Garnet.

There is no noticeable colour reaction

The annual competition has come round faster than you thought it would so we want to remind you that Entries need to be in by

Details of where to send them are on the website.. http://www.gbuk.org/pages/gbuk-bead-jewellery-competition-2015/ You need to be a paid-up member on 28th February 2015 to enter any category other than Jewellery. The themes this year are: