How It's Done

Lampwork beads are made from Italian glass. There are different qualities of glass; the most common is the Italian or Murano glass.

To make the beads, I use a torch that combines gas and oxygen. The flame makes the glass malleable, then I can roll it around the stainless steel mandrel. The tip is dipped in liquid mud so the molten glass does not stick to it. That is how the hole is done.

Annealing
When I have finished making the bead, it goes into a kiln to slow down the cooling. The bead is then cooked.