Interview with the artist - Lynne from Islandgirl

By N Valentine Studio

Featured artist - D. Lynne Bowland from Fireballbeeds by Islandgirl, Deer Island, New Brunswick

Check out this fellow Canadian! Great shoe! What a unique idea!

How long have you been working in your medium?
I claim to have been a full time glass artist since 1988 so that makes it 22 years, however I actually made my first window in 1969 in grade 7 and took my first official stained glass class in 1980.

What drew you to this medium?
I sort of fell into it by accident, and I love colour, glass has such gorgeous colours, so it's hard to resist. Now I spend more time making glass beads because of my studio, but I still do an occasional leaded window in my poorly heated basement dungeon, complete with stream when it rains. I love jigsaw puzzles, I think leaded glass and jigsaw puzzles have a lot in common!

What is your favorite thing about your art?
Not having to answer to anyone. It's my work, if someone doesn't like it, someone else will. Even if I don't like a bead or a finished piece of jewellery, someone will!

What's your favorite piece?
I've had a few favorite beads currently in my shop. I like these two.

Does Rudbeckia Come in Green?

All Tangled Up

They are both similar colours and they both have copper netting in them. However my favorite piece is probably the shoe that I made for a glass slipper show at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto. The heel is stacked beads and the sole is beads I split in half, then fused to Moretti sheet glass.


What's the hardest piece you've ever made?
Probably the shoe ... I had to make a mold for the sole of the shoe ... I actually made three soles before I got one to work. And yes, it does fit me!

What's the one favorite tool you cannot live without?
A two ended knife, it was in the attic of this house when we bought it, I think it might be some sort of painter's tool? As you can see it's well loved! The non-knife end is curved.


What's your favorite thing about your workspace or studio?
When I'm making beads, I have a great view and it's warm, when I'm doing flat glass there is nothing I like about the workspace, it's cold, damp and wet ... and very cramped!

What is your other craft?
Knitting & felting ... I drag it everywhere with me. Right now I'm doing socks, a lace scarf and a wool modular jacket that I'm hoping to selectively felt so that it's not just a square box!

Who or what inspires you?
The cold inspires me to make beads ... because my studio is warm.
I love flowers and gardening & bright colours, so flowers tend to show up quite regularly, I don't make as many bright coloured beads as I'd like to as they don't seem to sell!
I prefer to make large focals than small sets althought it's easier to sell a bracelet or a pair of earrings than a large stand alone pendant or bead!
I also like to make jellyfish beads, I can spend hours watching jellyfish in aquariums. This is one of my favorite jellyfish beads, unfortunately it's already sold. Actually I think it's time to make more, I have very few left!


What's one thing you've never done you always wanted to do?
Travel to Australia and Morocco. And since they are on opposite sides of the world that sounds like two long trips to me!

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The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.