The Woman to Blame Lampwork Beads

Squirrel mooning cat.

What the heck is lampwork?

Lampworking is glassworking using a torch to melt and shape the glass. It is also known as flameworking or torchworking, as the modern practice no longer uses oil-fueled lamps. Although the art form has been practiced since ancient times, it flowered in Murano, Italy in the 1300s, and spread from there to the rest of Europe. In the 1850's lampwork incorporated into glass domed paperweights, primarily in France, became a popular art form, still collected today. In addition to artwork, lampworking is used to create scientific tools, particularly for chemistry. Early lampworking was done in the flame of an oil lamp, with the artist blowing air into the flame through a pipe. Most artists today use torches that burn either propane or natural gas for the fuel gas, with either air or pure oxygen as the oxidizer.

The Woman to Blame Lampwork Beads

lampwork beads made by me in my home studio

Monday, March 5, 2007

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