Web of Techniques - Who Taught/Inspired You?

Heather/Ericaceae · #1 2007-03-14, 11:52am

I've been thinking of how I learned different techniques, or got new ideas that moved me forward. I try to give credit whenever possible, but I thought it would be fun for us to make lists of what we've learned from whom!

I took an advanced class with Nicole Carson from BC in 2005 - got some great tips on encasing, stringer-pulling, and posture!

Jim Smircich's website and first CD taught me a ton about surface tension, reactions and dimpled ends. Elongated barrels are still my fave.

Mary Moth - What can I say? A better handle on around the world encasing, deeper plunging, new earthy combinations in floral beads, leaf beads and loop-making. All key to my core work!!!

Amy Trescott of Forever Grateful - She probably doesn't know this but I was very inspired by her squiggly, meandering way of applying stringer. I started taking that approach on my floral bases a few years ago.

Cosmo/Mr Smiley and others on that one thread - huge help with cold fuses that allowed my nacent off-mandrel work to move forward a little.

Carolyn/Fireglass: Just a ton of inspiration for florals. To me she is the pinnacle of complex florals, and her stamens are just stunning. My admiration for her work drives me to try brighter combinations, different layers, etc.

Flame-on Linda - Some early inspiration for reactive combinations in Moretti. My early, uninformed experiments were really nasty, but it pushed me to learn!

Corina's "Not Witchcraft" challenge - lots of stuff "clicked" for me from that cool collection.

The lovely folks in the Faux-boro thread - and I beleive the original discovery was by Andrea Guarino?

Margaret Zinser - Twisty beads

Mike A, Dale, Mark W, Schermo, and others - Safety and set-up. Couldn't have done it ("it" still being a bare-bones studio, but with all basic safety elements!) without ya'll.

Jennifer Geldard and Alex M - How to blow shard-bubbles!

There's a ton more - I learned so much in general about how to control stringer, use metals, organize, find tools, choose torches and kilns, etc from everyone here on LE and other forums. Let's have a big ol' love-in - shout it out to the folks you've learned from - let them know!

-Heather

swanseafarm · #2 2007-03-14, 12:15pm

I learned just about everything I know from one person and I also stumbled onto and figured out many things by experimenting.

Lori Robbins - First lessons getting me started www.lorirobbins.com
Corina - murrini cane

Hayley · #3 2007-03-14, 12:48pm

I just returned from a three-day class with Kimberly Affleck this past weekend and I learned SO MUCH!!! She is an awesome teacher on top of being an amazing artist. If any of you have an opportunity to take a class from her, do NOT pass it up!!!!

mtbeader · #4 2007-03-14, 8:21pm

I have to add to what Hayley posted, I also took Kim's class and she is a very talented and most generous teacher. It was a great class and I loved every minute of it.
Carol

WildBird · #5 2007-03-15, 11:12am

Before I even read any of the previous replies to this thread, I was thinking,
"I learned so much from Kimberly Affleck when I went to Italy 2 summers ago." And yes, she is a most generous person and instructor. She made a real impact on me early in my flameworking learning.
And if it wasn't for Corinna's books and Cindy's books, I don't think I would have even known what to do in the beginning.
Tim at Frantz Art Glass is also a most generous instructor and full of so much information that you just don't find anywhere else.

My search now is to find the right instructor for my learning style to help me with florals/encasing techniques.
Thank you Heather for your mentionings because it my help me find that teacher.

WildBird

smpeoples · #6 2007-03-15, 4:44pm

I have only taken 2 classes and they were both recently. The first one was with Kimberly Affleck at The Vinery. I can't even begin to describe what a wonderful teacher she is. She taught us so many wonderful things. She was so generous with anything we wanted to learn!! The next class was just this past weekend at The Gathering Place with Jennifer Geldard(what a great place to take a class, Portia really spoils you) . She was awesome!! I learned so many wonderful tips and tricks. She was also so generous teaching anything we wanted to learn!! I now look at beads that I did not like how they were turning out in a different way. I feel so blessed to have taken classes from such wonderful teachers.
I also have Cindy and Corina's books they were such a great help when I was not able to have any classes in my area. I still refer to them often!!
Sue

Midnight Skye · #7 2007-03-16, 6:45am

I took many private lessons from Chris Fisher. She is a true master and a great teacher. Her help, guidance and suggestions have been invaluable to me. I also have a few books and read the tutorials section of this website religiously. I also have a few artists that I look at their beads for inspiration. I contacted one of them and she has been very generous in sharing some of her techniques. I ordered some enamels and am anxious to try them out now

Dia-T · #8 2007-03-16, 8:49am

I would have to say the first influence was Cindy Jenkins and her Making Glass Beads book. That book kept me going for a year.
After that Margie Shanahan, Sharon Peters, and Pam Dugger all three are really great teachers.
But most recently I have been able to get past my current plateau by reading some of the great tutorials here and on Wet Canvas. They have answered so many question I didn't even know I had.
Thank you to all the artist that have posted tutorials.
Also Jennifer Bull my business partner, she pushes me to be better.
Dia

Cosmo · #9 2007-03-16, 11:20am

I had my first class (and first exposure to glass at all) in October of 2004 with Marilyn Lipschultz.

Shortly after that I ran into Kenan Tiemeyer and had the chance to do a one-on-one class with him about a year later. I am still in awe of the control he has over silver and gold.

Now, I'm heavily influenced by the likes of Banjo, Bearclaw, Eusheen, Nomad, Clinton, Pakoh, Nate Miers, Matt & Misha, Chris Roesinger, and others...

Heather/Ericaceae · #10 2007-03-16, 3:01pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midnight Skye

I took many private lessons from Chris Fisher. She is a true master and a great teacher. Her help, guidance and suggestions have been invaluable to me. I also have a few books and read the tutorials section of this website religiously. I also have a few artists that I look at their beads for inspiration. I contacted one of them and she has been very generous in sharing some of her techniques. I ordered some enamels and am anxious to try them out now

Chris! Of course - her amazing glass characteristics list is incredibly useful and educational. http://www.chrisfisherart.com/Morett...ic%20Chart.htm
That also reminds me of Kitty's great reference pages, too. I check them all the time! http://www.listen-up.org/kitty/

Keep the learning and inspirations coming! It's so cool to hear how people have helped others move forward. Cheers!

-Heather

ukiacat · #11 2007-03-16, 4:31pm

Quote:

Carolyn/Fireglass: Just a ton of inspiration for florals. To me she is the pinnacle of complex florals, and her stamens are just stunning. My admiration for her work drives me to try brighter combinations, different layers, etc.

AMEN! AMEN! Carolyn/Fireglass used to post on Wet Canvas and she and Grace Edwards [Lauscha Lady] were/are my inspiration for sure! Mary Moth has been an inspiration and generous teacher in many areas but for me it was her encasing tips that meant the most.

I took a class taught by Jim Smircich and one taught by Leah Fairbanks and both were really excellent teachers. I learned so much from them both.

I want to take a Kimberly Affleck class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J

twiggyinaz · #12 2007-03-16, 11:38pm

I have never taken a class...

BUT... of all the people that I have met online and in person, Kimberly Affleck has been the most inspiring. I fell in love with her beads, then I used her twisy tutorial, and when I made that twisty, that is when the light came on for me.

I finally felt the glass move and understood why the surface tension was my friend, not foe... and I actually made my first useable twisty on the first try.

I got to meet her in Tucson and she was warm, friendly, sincere and gave me some great advice for a beginner. Her advice was right on the nail.

Kim, I hope you read all the great testimonials in here, you deserve to know how positive of an influence you are, when you are done here, go eat some chocolate.

Heather/Ericaceae · #13 2007-03-18, 3:58pm

Bump! I'm interested in hearing from some of the people quoted here as actual or virtual mentors - who are their inspirations?

All answers are good - I know there are more learning-connections out there!

AvenueBeads · #14 2007-03-23, 1:52pm

I have a short list

Naturally Cindy Jenkins book was my first teacher. Cindy McEwen was my very first in person teacher who showed me the beginners stuff and help lay the foundation to my new addiction.

Dustin Tabor has probably been my biggest influence so far. He's a great teacher and was a lot of fun to learn from.

Another person I can't go without mentioning is Portia Mandel. She has taught me a lot and is the most wonderful person I've ever met. She makes some truly inspiring beads to boot.

~Joe~