Artists' Quarter

I have lived in North Yorkshire for the past 15 years. I live in a very small village in the countryside, not far from the beautiful City of York. Prior to that I lived in Lincolnshire and Cornwall, where I lived near the sea.

As I looked out of my window I could see and hear the waves crashing. I was so lucky. Now I have the squawking of geese and the rumble of tractors! Still very peaceful, I love working from home, it's where my studio is... it's where the glass is!

I have been a fully qualified veterinary nurse for the past five years. I realised university wasn't for me, so when I left school I decided to pursue a career working with animals. Now I am a self-employed locum veterinary nurse, filling in for veterinary nurses in the North Yorkshire area when required.

Clare wearing some of her beads.

This enables me to spend time developing my passion, lampworking. I stumbled across the unusual subject by contacting a jewellery maker in the area, requesting information on courses. She was mainly a lampworker, making and selling glass beads, it sounded fun!

I set to work researching the subject, trawling the internet for glass suppliers, buying and setting up equipment. It was a bit daunting at the beginning, a blow torch running on propane and oxygen! Craft, Design and Technology was my one of my favourite subjects, so 'boys toys' didn't really scare me!

I have been a lampwork artist now for seven months, I am still learning the array of skills and techniques required to make my glass beads. I am completely addicted!

I'm a member of an organisation called Self Representing Artists. It  is a group of glass artists from all over the world who are dedicated to the art of lampworking, an ancient art form that flourished in Italy in the 1300s.

My heart and soul goes into making each and every bead. They are a reflection of how I am feeling at that moment, the glass captures emotion and expressions, its reactions and flow amaze me. I sell my beads to be used in jewellery projects or I proudly create unique pieces of jewellery from them.

Lampworking is great therapy I find it so relaxing, time just flies by! I can be in my studio for hours, I get hypnotized by the glass!   

I am inspired by completely diverse objects, from pictures of African tribes to the clouds in the sky! I love music, especially live music at festivals, my favourite being Leeds Festival, I've been for a number of years now! I love the bright colours and incorporate the colour combinations into my work. 

Textures also play a large part, from smooth glass to glass dots and silver mesh, my beads are so tactile. I love being able to create unique gifts for my family and friends, it's so much more meaningful.

Clare