Beads of Glass – Janet Brown taught herself the art of making lampwork glass beads. Lampwork refers to the kerosene lamps that were flame-fed by foot-cranked pedals. Since then the flame has been replaced by the more predictable heat of a propane torch, but the name still retains its roots.

As a full-time (and then some) licensed clinical social therapist and mother of four, Janet Brown had long wanted an artistic outlet to recharge her own psyche. Then nearly a year-and-a-half ago she started a new form of therapy, creating lampwork glass beads. “My 9 to 5 work is rewarding but very emotionally taxing,” she said. “It takes from my bucket. Creating beads is what keeps me in balance. It fills my bucket.”

Janet’s conduit to creativity started with the rather innocent purchase of a bracelet at a Kayenta Art Fair in October 2002. What happened next was “a lovely little journey” of immersing herself in books, Web sites and in the end, to become a self-taught glass bead maker.

Because of the luminescent, even transcendent quality of lampwork beads, it is understandable why one might be drawn to learn more about the art form, purchase a few more pieces, maybe buy a book or two. But like much glasswork, the process of creating the beads is much more complicated, even hazardous; and could lure few but a brave soul like Janet to actually try a hand at the creation process.

“This isn’t a hobby that I think just everyone is ready to jump into,” she explained. “The start up for supplies and equipment is an investment of a few thousands dollars, and since you’re working with heat and dangerous gases, you need to get everything just right.”

Janet’s husband, who she affectionately refers to as a “gear head,” was a huge asset in setting up her garage-studio. The torches used to create the beads are fueled by propane and oxygen and burn at temperatures of 1600 degrees F and hotter. “He helped take the fear out of getting into the technical aspect and he’s just very supportive of helping me find an artistic outlet,” she said.

Having found her medium and establishing the means, Janet stuck her toe in to test the water and found herself swimming in a sea of glass. “The amazing thing about the world of glass is that there are so many variables to explore. It’s unpredictable, it’s open to manipulation and it’s created layer by layer by layer,” she explains

As Janet has mastered the manipulation of nature’s laws, she has produced spectacular results and a financially successful art career. She currently sells her beads through her company, Beadlebeads, to jewelry designers all over the world via the Internet and does limited jewelry design for local sales. She has created original and popular concepts that have kept her beads selling faster than she can make them in the 10 hours a week she devotes to her craft. For example, her Mommy & Me beads pair 10 large beads with 10 identical smaller beads. She also has made other orders for sister beads, weddings and the like.

In addition, she is passing on the art of lampwork to others through classes in her studio. After they take her beginners class, students may come back to rent studio time instead of making the steep investment into their own equipment. “I think as women we’re just innately fascinated by sparkles and jewels. And it’s exciting for these women to say,’ I made this.’ It’s an added reward,” said Janet.

She credits part of her quick rise to success as a result of her long-standing love affair with the arts and her experience during undergraduate fine arts studies. However, there is more than an eye for color and talent for precision that is evident in Janet’s work. She invests so much of her energy and love into the process as well as the end product.

“I think we all have something we love. It’s private and personal and it keeps you at peace with your world. For me that is sitting at my torch,” Janet said. “It’s what keeps that internal lamp lit."