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February 2015  

Welcome New Members! 
Welcome to all the ISGB members who joined in January:
 
Arizona
Jean Donaldson
Keri Zarcone

California
Beth Morse

Florida
Linda Dworkin

India
Tsering Paldon
Dhondup Lhamo

Michigan
Susan Haddix

New Hampshire
Sally Mack

New Mexico
Calla Fette

North Carolina
John C. Campbell Folk School

Ontario
Judy Daly-Reganti

Pennsylvania
Amy Lemaire
 



Rakow Research Library

A world of glass knowledge is at your fingertips. Check out the Rakow Research Library at Corning Museum of Glass! 

Click Here

 



Board Meeting Minutes
Want to keep up with what's happening in ISGB? Board Minutes are available on the forum or you can request a copy from your Regional Director.

 


Bead Release Archives
Bead Release Archives
Looking for a back issue of the Bead Release electronic newsletter? 

Click Here! 

 


 

Contact Us 

 

ISGB

Sarah Riggle, Administrator

85 East Gay Street

Suite 707

Columbus, OH 43215

614.222.2243

[email protected]

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Beads of CourageUse your creativity to help a child through a tough time.
Beads of Courage!

 

 

President's Message
by Angie RameyPresident

   

Hi, Everyone!

 

February is an exciting month for our organization this year! The Gathering booklet releases, and for the first time, we'll actually be opening registration in February for Gathering XXIII, Forging Connections, Celebrating Community. The booklet team has worked incredibly hard, and I think you'll all be amazed at how much information we've packed into 32 pages. Albuquerque is going to be phenomenal! There is so much to see and do in the area, and we've tried hard to plan activities that truly offer something for everyone, and we sincerely hope that all of you will plan to join us in New Mexico this summer.

 

I know many of you are digging out from huge snowstorms, but spring really is right around the corner! So I hope February finds you dreaming of new designs and making plans for spring shows, vacations, gardening, and most of all Albuquerque!

 

Flame on,

 

Angie

 
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Teaching Beadmaking 

by Amanda Muddimer, International Regional Director

 

When am I good enough to teach ?

 

A question I am sure we have all asked ourselves and one that actually is very difficult to answer, and one in which everyone will have a different opinion.

 

However many hours you have tucked under your belt - being an experienced bead maker does not necessarily make a good teacher of lamp work. Being able to make glass beads does not necessarily mean that sharing your skills with others will be that easy.

 

Before teaching it is important to consider a few questions.  

  • Do I have adequate facilities to offer bead making safely.
  • Do I have enough knowledge myself to be professional in my approach to teaching bead making ?

The ISGB guidelines for the teaching of bead making are an invaluable resource for anyone thinking of or already teaching lamp work.

 

The guidelines are invaluable not only to use as a guide for your own teaching, but also as a measure of just how much you yourself know and therefore will be able to 'share' with students if you are considering teaching.

 

When teaching beginners, a bead making teacher should take the time to ensure that health, safety and studio set up has been fully explained.

 

Your own studio should be an accurate representation of a safe studio.

 

There is nothing more exciting than sharing bead making skills with complete beginners, students want to be able to make nice beads in as short a time as possible. Many students are keen to run before they can walk and as teachers this can be challenging.

 

Take the time to ensure that basic skills are fully understood and confidently used before progressing to further techniques.

 

In an ideal world ( although location often makes this impossible ) when teaching beginners I prefer to break the tutorial sessions down into small 'chunks' of tuition encouraging practice between times, and build new skills upon these sessions. this gives the student time to reinforce what they learn with practice at home.

 

Encourage the importance of 'understanding ' and this being the 'key' to being a better bead maker.

 

Take the time test your students knowledge of 'why' something is happening or 'how' it happened as this will increase their skill levels enormously.

 

Dumping' techniques on students and them being able to repeat them without that understanding can be restricting and prohibit personal development of skills and individuality.

 

As a bead maker and teacher with plenty of teaching experience I have found that a successful class builds on skills repeated during the lesson and built upon with each demonstration.

 

Repetition of techniques increases that 'understanding' so that when the ultimate goal has been reached and the student leaves the class you can be sure that what has been learnt will enable them to not only confidently repeat and practice those techniques and make the beads you have demonstrated but in time to be able to take the skills and use them to develop their own ideas based on what was learnt in class.

 

Teaching is extremely rewarding and satisfying and it makes me very happy!
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How To Plan A Bead Retreat
by Kiersten Kern, East Central Regional Director

 

Are you in a creative slump? Has it been a while since you have been around some glass artists? Well, maybe you need to plan a bead retreat! Retreats are a great way to get a group of like-minded artists together to share ideas, techniques, and creative energy.

 

In September 2014, I planned the annual retreat for the East Central Region, we had 12 glass artists of all skill levels come for the day at ABR Imagery in Bloomington, Indiana to learn, meet new artists and share. It was a fun day with several members doing demonstrations, sharing tips, exchanging information, goodie bags and a great raffle, not to mention shopping at ABR!

 

Here are some tips to help you plan your next retreat.

 

  1. Secure a location- you want to choose a location that has all the amenities you will require, a large enough space and a place that is centrally located with lodging near by. The East Central retreat was held at ABR Imagery. Ross is a corporate member of ISGB and has a teaching space available for rent. We had access to torches, kilns and lots of glass.
     
  2. Secure a date- you will want to choose a date that does not conflict with any large bead or art shows. It is important to give yourself and others enough time to make plans for the retreat. Choosing a date about 6 month to a year ahead of time will allow for the attendees to plan the retreat into their schedules.
     
  3. Figure out expenses- factor in the cost per person the host location will be charging you, lunches, drinks and snacks for the day, and decide if you want to include some of the fees to be donated to an organization such as the ISGB or Beads of Courage- then you can add that into the fee you charge the attendees.
     
  4. Demos- contact bead artists in your area and those whose work you admire to see if they would be interested in doing a demonstration at the retreat. You can either offer to pay them or discount their retreat. This cost will also need to be included in #3.
     
  5. Announce/advertise- once you have figured out all the above information, it is time to announce to your retreat. Be sure to use social media to get the word out along with bead related forums, local bead groups and with the location the retreat will be held at.
     
  6. Legal- you will want to check with the facility where your event will be held to see what legal forms they will require the participants to sign. You may also want to have some help from a lawyer to be sure that you are within the law. Requirements may vary by region.
     
  7. Have fun!

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HOT Tips
Kiersten Kern, East Central Regional Director 
 

Relieving Tension During Lampworking by Anita Farrah, Southwest Region

 

To relieve tension in your back, shoulders, and neck during lampworking you can do the Standing Cat Cow Pose:  Be sure to turn your torch off before doing this.

Stand with your feet "sitting bones" width apart (a little less than hip width), place your hands on thighs, bend your knees slightly and bend forward at the waist (in a squatting position). On an inhale, starting at your sacrum, round your sacrum up, concave your back (as if a beach ball could rest there), and then lift up your head. On an exhale, starting at the sacrum, round the sacrum down, lift your back up (like an angry cat), and lower your head. Do these movements several times, using your breath as a guide. Do several repetitions. See the full yoga article in the Glass Bead Evolution Volume 2-Issue 3 for more info.

 

Anita Farrah is a lampworker and certified yoga teacher

 

 

Transparent Bead Tip by Dawn Ceccacci, East Central Region  

 

To make a transparent bead, such as an aquarium bead, have a smoother hole, run your thumb and index finger up and down the dried bead release on your mandrel. This takes off all the little bumps of bead release that make indentations in the glass so when you clean your bead it looks nice and smooth. 

 

If you have a hot tip you would like to share with our membership, please email it to Kiersten Kern. Thanks!

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Industry News & Opportunities
Kendra Bruno, Executive Director
 
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