KAY BASIAGO
TONEY, ALABAMA
FLAMEWORKED GLASS BEADS JEWELRY |
| I have been a working artist most of my life. Having received a BA degree
with double major in Studio Art and German Language & Literature, with a
minor in Secondary Education, at Elmira College, Elmira, New York, I began
my artist life as a potter. In 1985, I moved to North Alabama where I opened
my studio, Eureka Design, Inc. I made and sold stoneware dinnerware for 12
years. All the while my interest in hot glassworking grew. I studied both
clay and glass at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. While there I
was most influenced by instruction with flameworker, Brian Kerkvliet (1992).
Later I went to Florida to study with Robert Mickelsen. I have studied cane
making and murrini fabrication with Dinah and Patti Hulet, and with Loren
Stump. Advanced flameworking techniques were fine-tuned with instruction
from Pat Sage and Tom Holland and with Stevi Belle. A glass latheworking
workshop inspired the making of my own wedding goblets.
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| Fascination with making glass beads has lead
me to designing finished pieces of jewelry. I strive to make my beads become
gem-like in combination with metal components. I learn techniques as needed
to express ideas. I have studied metalsmithing at Arrowmont School of Crafts
in Tennessee. In 2002, I studied PMC, (Precious Metal Clay), with
instructor, Barbara Becker Simon. March 2003 I received Certification in PMC
enabling me to teach PMC classes. I studied wire weaving with Cindy Moore at
J.C.Campbell School in Brasstown, NC (7/2004). In Sept ’04, I took a
silversmith course at William Holland Lapidary School, North Georgia.
Incorporating metals, (wire and foils), into
glasswork has lead me to focus on my “Life’s Silver Lining” bead style
series of work. This style is constantly being refined and continues
evolving.
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| The “Chrysalis” necklace grew from this
series of work and it speaks particularly well about the characteristics of
glass as a medium for expression: something waiting, fragile, yet strong,
and flowing, soon to take wing and fly. I let the creative process expose
the unconscious problem solving we all go through.
The necklace beads were made first and the
design of this necklace developed in the assembling of these beads and
resulting redesigning efforts. The pendant bead evolved through 6 attempts
with lots of thought processing between each effort until the “right”
coloration revealed itself. Recognizing this, happens after annealing and
the bead has cooled to room temperature. With the necklace waiting for its
pendant, the final challenges of integration required “jewelry making”
considerations to complete the creative statement.
I have been selling my flameworked glass
bead jewelry at more selective fine arts and crafts shows in the southeast
for the past 14 years, as well as through representation at many galleries
in the southeastern USA.
I am a member of the Alabama
Designer/Craftsmen, The American Craft Council, and the International
Society of Glass Beadmakers. I also teach workshops several times a year at
my studio.
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