Artisan Goddess

Lampwork Glass Heart

2010-05-05T14:39:00.003+12:00

I made this gorgeous large heart glass bead(37mm x 30mm x 8mm ) by shaping it by eye and hand whilst working with the glass in molten state. I kiln annealed it overnight.

I called this piece Irruzione Inglese Heart

which means Eruption of Love

I love the picture inside the glass, the back shows a mountain peak, with a flowing path of liquid molten which is all captured within the clear glass encasing of the bead. It is breathtaking! The heart is muted in colour which lends itself to be worn with so many gorgeous outfits.

The wire work encapsulating the unique picture heart is artful, eye catching and streamline. The Swarovski Crystal in the stem of this pendant is a large 8mm Golden shadow Helix Swarovksi which to me symbolizes the "soulful light catcher" which in turn reflects onto the heart. I put a silvered heart signature in glass, on the back which is what I will be doing with all my glass hearts from now on. The necklace and accents are bohemian and just compliment the over all look of this gorgeous pendant.

The necklace currently measures 70cm and the pendant measures 7cm.

I think this necklace looks fabulous when worn at this length and in all honestly looks dashing when worn at a much much shorter length as a neck accent too. I will leave this up to you. Let me know which length you prefer. I will happily adjust it either way free of charge.

My heart pendants as with my crosses are a trademark to Lorraine Dowdle Creations© and exclusively my design that drew attention for the first time in LA just over 6.5 years ago.

Each and every one is utterly unique and so different from anything else I have ever seen at the time. I still teach my design and technique in my studio classes and just love seeing how the ladies/gents bring their pendants to life with a touch of themselves in it.

A few from the collection over the years.

Lorraine Dowdle "Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions" Albert Einstein.

Corina Tettingers Magic Wand

2010-04-30T14:46:00.002+12:00

I have just received my Magic Wand from Cornina. It is an amazing tool, strong and beautifully made.
I have been doing lamp-working for so long and until now have used a butter knife which worked wonders apart from the fact that it was not brass. I like using brass to aid in "popping" the colours of the glass whilst working in the flame and found that if only my "butter knife" was brass, I would be able to do this without having to put the knife down and pick up my mini brass plate to achieve the results and then pick up my "knife" again to continue.. so alas my Magic Wand has arrived now I have the multipurpose tool i have always wanted and honestly just never got round to buying.

If you would like to purchase Corina Tettinger's Magic Wand tool

Click here

Lorraine Dowdle "Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions" Albert Einstein.

The Mystery Lampwork Glass Shape: How and when it was born!

2010-04-17T00:13:00.003+12:00

This stunning bead has been on a crazy journey of discovery with Me on so many levels.

Keep reading and scroll down the page to view photos.:)

How Mystery was born!

As most of you know , I am addicted to wire and glass and incorporating both mediums to create a stunning Wearable Art Creation is my passion.

Last year May 2009 to be exact, I started creating a life size mask out of wire and Swarovski crystals and have been working on the mask a little each week as I get a moment. I am still busy with it almost going on a year later. The unfinished and phenomenal looking creation so far, stares at me everyday as it sits next to my workspace waiting to be worked on until completed.

In the meantime I have also been giving my other passion heaps of my attention by working on a signature glass bead , which requires constant heat control, and an amazing amount of patience and dedication whilst working at the flame, which are traits I don't possess naturally. :) :) So all in all my initial bead design is still in the mastering process,as it is a design I want to complete well, share it with the world......BUT I feel I need to present it, in its best form and that , I am not ready to do yet.

As an artist I also suffer from a wondering mind. I have a thousand things going on at once and wish I had a thousand hands to handle all the ideas I have and because of this trait, whilst I was struggling through the original signature bead design in the flame, for some unknown strange but true reason , I just picked up my tweezers and pulled most of my work apart whilst in the molten state.

I just sat there and twirled the mandrel with the remainder glass on it, for minutes on end which felt like hours and thought to myself... "I need to take a break, I need to re evaluate my design..... I am switching off my glass torch now!!! BUT with my wondering mind I was also thinking at the same time about what I was going to do with my time while I re evaluate my approach to the glass bead , and hence........

What happened next was a defining moment in my life.

I found myself taking a rod of glass instead of switching off my torch and creating my wire mask in molten. It just happened... The two ideas amalgamated into one and I felt so complete in that moment.. Here I am sitting thinking of wire but making the creation in glass.. OH WOW!!

What an empowering feeling that was to see this creation unfold right before my eyes.

Here is the mask I made that night.

This range is particularly special to me because you can see right through the eye section. The open eye sections are 9mm(almost 1cm) in length and 4.5mm(almost 1/2cm) in width.

This mask measures 55mm across

I was so hooked in that moment and in awe of what just happened that I just went with the flow and had the most fun whilst doing it.

I then made a 2nd, a 3rd a 4th and so on , on different days... they did not all come out fabulously... I have about 16 masks lying in water that I dumped after 1 1/2 hours of sculpturing.. :( it is not a good feeling to loose a glass bead after working so long on it.

Some more mask beads created over the last few months

I love how unique my bead is. I enjoy every minute of creating one at a time.

*** It is important for me to note that I do not work "off" the mandrel. These luscious beads are created from start to finish on a mandrel. I first start off with a base bead ( some are round, others do-nut shaped and most are decorative too) once the base bead is complete I then start the slow process of building glass to achieve the desired shape and then the fun of creating begins after about 1 1/2 -2 hours of sculpturing.

I have a couple more to show but have not taken photos of them all.

The below creation is my chosen one, which I called "Mystery" and was the one chosen out of the many I created for the NZGBA 2010 NATIONAL GLASS BEAD COMPETITION.

The theme was ELEMENTS.

and this is how I interpreted water as one of the elements.

Water is a mysterious, enriching and intuitive element

that holds the consciousness and wisdom of our very existence.

Our true self is revealed though reflection.

by Lorraine Dowdle

"To understand water is to understand the cosmos, the marvels of nature, and life itself."

"The messages from water are telling us to look inside ourselves."

-Masaru Emoto - "The Hidden Messages in Water"

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. I would love to hear your feed back on my design creation.

This is a stunning design which is open to endless creative possibilities and one that would bring endless joy to many. Now that I have entered the bead into the fabulous competition and so hope I stand a change at winning a fabulous new torch, I can go ahead and wear my charm bracelet which I created with many mini masks on it and give my friend her broach pin which she will attach to her scarf. From bookmarks to earrings to large accent cuff bracelets.......

This design is exquisite and being able to share it with you all means the world to me.

To all the lampworkers that would like to give it a go , I am in the process of creating a tutorial which I think you all will enjoy immensly. However in the meantime should you like to make this bead over your torches and show and tell or sell, please give credit too and mention LORRAINE DOWDLE as the creator of this luscious piece of unique art, design and shape. Thank you.

xxx

Lorraine Dowdle

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions" Albert Einstein.

Great Advertising for ALL mediums of CRAFTING .... pass it on!

2010-04-15T10:33:00.002+12:00

The next issue of Creative Crafting magazine is going to include a colourful crafters directory with click through links to everyone's websites. It's only £2 for a text link with a description and a button straight to your website. Please join in and grab some cheap advertising (the last issue had over 66,000 views in 2 months) and also to support the team that brings you the magazine. Despite rising costs to produce lets aim to keep our free community magazine available.

You can book your slot on the
Creative Crafting Website

http://creative-crafting.com/advertising.html

Please post this on your blogs and twitter about it, pass it on in any way that you can.

Thank you

Lorraine Dowdle
"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions" Albert Einstein.

Feminine and Fabulous SS Lampwork Glass Bracelet +

2010-03-29T00:23:00.001+13:00

I was so excited when I opened the kiln and saw how this bead came out. It is beautiful!. A Lampwork Glass lentil measuring 20mm x 20mm.With a rich Gold Ruby Flower on top measuring 15mm and two colour detailed leaves measuring 15mm each in length.

I created matching complimenting beads and created a bracelet using hand created components all made out of Sterling Wire.

I just love it!

I have been working on a few more 3D designs ( flowers, bunnies, butterflies etc and a design so far removed from anything I have ever seen in lampwork history ) , this one design in particular was created by me in July 2009. I am very excited about this specific creation and look forward to it's release which I plan on doing round July 2010. In the meantime I am working on a detailed tutorial to teach it's design process.

So back to the flowers.

Here is a gorgeous flower creation with its petals measuring 30mm x 30mm. The 3 petals are attached to an 8mm barrel bead. This glass bead is so stunning just as is. I look forward to finishing the creation it is being used in.

Here is a pendant drop 3d flower barrel bead measuring 30mm with the flower measuring 15mm. So sparkly and gorgeous in the flesh.

I hope you all had a fabulous week-end. I have a couple more photos to load but just realised it is almost 1am..

to be continued...................

Lorraine Dowdle
"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions" Albert Einstein.

All "wired" up... it is a passion!!!

2010-03-19T12:37:00.001+13:00

Creating jewellery with wire gives you a hands on approach, complete control of your creative side and an instant open door to your natural inner self.

My first wire creations were made for scrapbooking purposes. Decorative embellishments on gifts, and creations as gifts etc..

This first stage of playing with wire was, exciting, rewarding, usable, elegant, unique and FUN. Without realising it, as you create and play with one creation after the next you spontaneously develop a secret relationship with wire which grows and flourishes as you move onto your next wire project. When you tackle a larger project or move onto a thicker gauge of wire you suddenly realise you have come so far in understanding the true nature of how wire works.

Learning through play

My next project or challenge so to speak was to create a wearable piece. I remained using the thinner gauge wire.

The next challenge : moving onto a thicker gauge wire and introducing the chasing hammer.

The transition was slight yet profound. The creative side works on overdrive and you suddenly find you don't have enough time in a day to create.

After this stage you could say : You are all "wired" up!!!

Look within yourself and you will be amazed at the wealth of creative ideas you find. Don’t question what comes naturally to you…just respond to it and allow it to manifest in your own beautiful creations, as unique as you are.

In the years that I have been working with wire, I still LOVE it and will always use it in my creations! The only difference between then and now is that I use my own glass beads incorporated with my love for wire to create.

Lorraine Dowdle

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions" Albert Einstein.

Wearable Art : Desirable and exclusive

2010-03-18T17:04:00.007+13:00

Artisan Lampwork beads, wire creations, workshops : private tuition beading classes..

Exhilarating !!!

Close your eyes and imagine a village where the only monetary system is bartering goods and services with each other. Now ask yourself.. what can I see myself doing, day in and day out that will complete my soul and bring joy to those around me?

This is it for me. :)

Create: Live in the moment! Create: Spend your quite time doing something you are passionate about and truly Love! Create to infinity and feel complete!

I had an interview with Tara Ganesh, and thought to share this as my first blog post to give you an idea of who I am and what I do.

1.Tell us a bit about yourself and your work.

I live in the land of The Long White Cloud : Aotearoa: the indigenous Māori name for New Zealand. I am based in Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. I am married to the world’s greatest guy, and have been blessed with 2 beautiful children.

I am a creative soul who is intrigued by life and sees beauty in so many things around me. My jewellery creations are one of the many creative things I do and share.

2.How did you get started as a jewelry designer?

I’ve always found it difficult to find jewellery that reflects my personality and style. After putting my career on hold to raise my children, I started making jewellery for myself and was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved doing it. With unwavering support from my family and friends, I became more confident over time and was encouraged to branch out. So essentially it all started as a self-taught hobby which developed into a full time endeavour that I am very passionate about.

3.What inspires you ?

I’m inspired by the eternal, quiet abundance of Nature and the free-flow of it’s energy all around us. I feel a connection to the natural world and I believe this enables me to draw inspiration from within rather than from tangible things or ideas around me.

4.Any advice you would give to aspiring designers?

5.Where can people find your work?

6. Why Jewelry?

Jewellery is expression…..like a picture that holds a 1000 silent words. When you look at a well-crafted piece of jewellery you can feel the warmth and energy that went into making it. I like to infuse my creations with depth and spiritual substance, giving each creation a distinct focus and specific purpose. It is very rewarding to make a timeless, beautiful piece of jewellery that a client can identify with…..a piece that would make her feel radiant and confident.

7.Did you have a background in jewelry or are you completely self taught?

I’m self-taught. My background is in Information Technology…..a world removed from jewellery making.

8.What have been your favourite creations and why?

I don’t churn out jewellery as a pure commodity to trade with. Every piece of jewellery I make, in essence, reflects and aspect of myself, so it would be difficult to say what my favourites are. In terms of my personal style, I’m drawn to earthy textures, rich colours and warm metals.

9. What other projects are you working on this Fall/ Winter?

I’ve been requested to make my lampwork beads and handmade wire findings available to other jewellery artists. I have recently launched wire findings on my website.

10. How do you make bead choices?

I use my own lampwork beads in my designs, so I create the beads according to the vision I have for a particular peace. I also make beads as requested by my clients.

11. What lessons has your work life taught you?

It is important to maintain balance in life and to remain grounded….not easy to do in this fast-paced world we live in! Creativity is a doorway through which balance can be achieved and I’ve learned to keep this door open. It has also taught me to have faith in myself and to trust my instincts. But most of all, it has taught me that nothing is more rewarding than bringing joy to others.