I attended one the Painting With Fire
classes taught by the awesome Barbara Lewis
classes taught by the awesome Barbara Lewis
at the Portland Art and Soul retreat this past Tuesday.
I had some great and some not so great results, I need to practice some more.
But I learned so much and can't wait to play!
My absolute favorite are the Copper Beads,
I love the way they look when they are enameled and they have such a luscious feel.
As soon as there are more beads in stock I will be getting some,
along with some of my favorite enamel colors!
Here are the Copper beads, I was experimenting so there are lots of different elements on each bead.
The next photo shows the beads that got squished, heat them,
put a coat or 2 of enamel on them and while they are still hot take some flat nose pliers and squish away, heat some more squish some more, until you get the shape you want.
This will also take some practice,
getting them evenly squished and they also sometimes pop open at the seam
so you have to continually ease the seam together as you squish.
I included some of my not so successful beads too,
you can see I never got the seam closed here and there.
Below are most of the rounds I enameled.
I've been playing with torch firing beads at home for a few months
and for me the thing I couldn't master was getting the beads off the mandrel,
I think I finally learned how to do that.
The morning of the class I was trying to find out which room the class was in,
when I walked in this room I instantly knew, I'm quick huh...lol
So many colors so little time!
Bags O Beads,
it was fun to just stick your hand in and play with them,
it's not often you have that many beads in a bag like that.
Here are the tables, all set up for each student to go for it!
Thank you Barbara, I had so much fun in your class. I regret that I forgot to bring my book for you to sign and I regret I wasn't able to stay for the second class. But I learned so much and had so much fun!
Until next time my friend!
Kristi
Don't miss the LMAJ Cyber Sale on Sunday Oct 2nd.
Hi Kristi, you lucky girl...i just ordered the kit from Barbara...i just hope i can teach myself i live too far away for a class...the components you made almost have a lampwork look to them awesome job can't wait to see more!!
ReplyDeletetake care ttfn Lana :)
How fun, Kristi! I'd love to take some classes on glass work like that. :)
ReplyDeleteOh What fun!! I Hvae jsut discovered the amazing Barbara Lewis thru our Bead Soup and found myself wondering if she would be teaching at Art and Soul!! A tiny secret- I will be teaching at art and Soul in Portland next year and perhaps she will be as well!! I am going to let you bead makers learn the techniques and then come to you when you have them for sale!! as much as I would love to make my own I have to leave SOMETHING for the rest of the world to do!!! LOL!!! I can't do it all!!!! And I know that I can't do it as well as you!!
ReplyDeleteIsn't Barbara great? I have taken a few classes with her now and have loved each one and the process is addicting! The first pics you have here, the beads instantly reminded me of the Easter egg malted milk balls, the white ones with the colored specks. Gotta go find a malt ball now, thanks for that :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I so want to take one of her classes! That first photo, the two beads in the center look like they have tiny flowers on them, the orange and the blue/grey spots. That is really cool. Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteYour beads are amazing. Thank you for sharing your pictures!
ReplyDeleteHi Kristi it was so great to be able to work together in Barbara's class- It was just too much fun wasn't it? I keep looking at all my beads and can't believe how much we did in just one class .....I love you photo of all the colors of the enamels so much I am going to use it myself if you don't mind. Looking forward to you coming to Las Vegas!!
ReplyDeleteTotally jealous! I need to take a class with Barbara and get her kit. Her book makes me squee all over the place and I would love to play with fire (just not in my basement late at night). I even like the non perfect ones. Great idea to squish the beads! I love that shape!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the day!
Erin