Denise Smith

Compiled by Cathy Charles with special thanks to Denise for sharing her beautiful work.

Denise's exquisite work speaks volumes for her talent. She has an eye for detail and even the smallest beads are intricately designed.

Her creative flair initially took Denise towards warm glass and during a Fusing and Slumping course was introduced to the idea of glass beads. Intrigued that the glass scraps from fusing could be made into beads, she signed up for a lampworking class in May 2003.

At the end of the course Denise was hooked and was making beads on her Hot Head at home. The course whet her appetite to learn more and many hours of reading and internet surfing followed. A particularly favourite book was Passing the Flame by Corina Tettinger as "it has everything you need".

Denise now has a Lynx torch and a Woodrow Kiln. Working only walking distance from Woodrow made the Kiln choice fairly obvious.

"...my beginner beads are enough to encourage any disheartened beginner."

Denise Smith Dec 04

Glass beads have yet to take over all of Denise's waking hours. She has two gorgeous sons, Nathan (aged 11) and Curtis (aged 8) and a very successful family picture framing business.

Denise's Favourites

Colour: Mango Coral (Moretti 591420) and Bullseye's Light Pink Striker

Bead Style: The encased floral beads. "I think these are what most beginners are drawn to, I just never got over it".

Bead Artist: There are so many great artists that Denise felt it was hard to single any one artist out. "Whimzicalities creations [aka Lost Marbles] are wonderful, Tink's hollows and vessels [of Black Swamp Glassworks] are awesome and I love Jennifer Geldard's stuff".

Tool: "..my nappy pin (I first picked this up before I had any tools and now find it easier to use than a purpose made pick) and my handmade brass tool (scrap of brass in scalpel handle).

January 2005

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