Although the focus of my creativity and has shifted and changed over the years according to my circumstances and the available materials, the need to make things continues to be the driving force behind my work. It is, I have realised, necessary for my health and happiness to be able to take whatever is at hand and shape it into something that somehow holds and reflects my thoughts and feelings.
When I was very young I used to collect moss, flowers, gumnuts, snail shells, feathers and any other treasures I could find to make little gardens. As I grew up, and my purchasing power grew too, I was able to surround myself with all sorts of other raw materials from which to make more things. For many years I lived in the country out of town, and so my main souce of learning was via books and experimentation. When my children were very young I was a keen calligrapher, chinese brush painter and papermaker. I completed a certificate in drawing at TAFE. This lead to journalling and making books, which then led into the textile arts and beading and the joys of attending a week long retreat once a year with Textile Firbre Forum.
It was at one of my first TFF's that I spent a week learning single needle right angle weave with David Chatt from the United States, and met a whole group of wonderful obsessed beaders. This was when I realised that my bead stash was pitiful, and needed serious attention. At the the time it was almost impossible to find handmade lampwork glass beads, and I decided I would have to learn to make them myself so I could have exactly what I wanted.
I moved to Sydney in 2000 and a few years later I stumbled upon a beadmaking class, discovered where to get supplies and within about three minutes of making my first bead I was completely and utterly entranced by the possibilities inherent in glass. As soon as I could I rearranged my life in order to be able to make beads full time. I commandeered a cobwebby corner of the garage as my studio and set up my torch, my kiln and rapidly growing stash of glass and assorted paraphernalia.
Fire Bird Beads was born!
My beads tend to evolve in series as I work my way through different options in design, colour, reactions and so on with any one idea. I am very happy to undertake commission work, and to revive an older bead series if a customer desires something in particular. Given the nature of the medium however, you can be assured that no two pieces are ever going to be identical.
Until now my work has sold through galleries, at shows and by word of mouth. Each year I hold a solo exhibition at Fox’s Gallery in Bathurst, NSW. I have written articles for beading magazines and developed kits for new beaders. I have worked part time for the last few years at a local glass studio. Now that the glass studio has shut up shop, I have expanded into doing home parties and shows. I have found this to be a great experience for all involved. It gets me out of the shed, and gives the hostess and her friends a chance to catch up over a few drinks and nibblies while playing dress ups with the jewellery and fondling the beads.
If you live in the Sydney area and would like to have a home party, please contct me on 0450 365 455 to find out more.
Thanks to Mezzi I can now also display my wares on the web and reach a wider audience.
Enjoy!
Penel