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Welcome to my ebay aboutme page and thanks for stopping by! I've been a member of the ebay community since Sunday, Mar 30, 1997
We moved to Wyoming from Colorado in 1977 so DH could go to work for the BN railroad. He is now retired! Yay!!
I never planned on being an artisan. It just sort of happened. Back in the 70's when the crafts movement started up again I was "in" to knitting and crochet and some sewing. But what I really wanted to try was stained glass. But I couldn't find any information or any supplies. Fort Collins, CO was a backwater then. So it wasn't until we moved to Wyoming in 1977 that I finally (4 years later) found someone who was teaching the craft.
I took a class from her and that was it. I put every dime I had into buying glass and tools and set about learning the skills I needed. My first attempts were, in a word, pathetic. But I persevered.
It must have worked because eventually my work was well received at local and regional arts and crafts fairs during that time. My line of Christmas ornaments, including freestanding glass angels, has also been seen and sold at the Boise Art Museum's annual Christmas show. And frankly, the angels would almost literally fly out of my booth. It was extremely gratifying to have people lined up and flinging money at me (some folks came back year after year to add to their collection!)
In the spring of 2000, I finally took the plunge and invested in the necessary tools and a weekend workshop to learn torchwork, commonly referred to as lampworking. Now the stained glass tools sit in the corner gathering dust and cobwebs while I happily melt glass! To say I love making beads is a gross understatement. It is a constant challenge to hone my skills and come up with something new and exciting on a daily basis.
I'm a member of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers, the Self Representing Artist bed group as well as Wet Canvas! and Lampwork Etc. -- wonderful resources for glass artists. I don't do shows anymore but am thinking about maybe trying it again (it's a lot of work and I'm getting too old! LOL).
When you have a moment stop by my website: DarleenMB Lampwork
where you'll find lots more exciting things in addition to the last of my stained glass inventory (still have a few of those angels left!) and my beads.
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