Front Cover: Jane - Cole Jellyfish / Cone drop earrings

I am an artist and work in the medium of glass. I have always loved to make and create and glass is such a wonderful material to use. I love the vibrancy of colour that can de achieved, the way light transforms it, as well as the lustre, shine and smooth feel of it.

I graduated with my 3D design art degree 37 years ago and for many years worked mainly with sheet glass. I would slump, fuse and shape my forms using a kiln to heat and transform the flat glass into new and exciting vessel forms.

But more recently I have concentrated on the manipulation of glass rods and strips using a propane gas flame. This flameworking technique allows me to make and create in a more spontaneous way. I will start with one idea but it will often transform as I work on the piece into something else.

I love the serendipity of it and the kind of meditation that the focus on the glass in the flame demands. Colour, nature and particularly wave forms are a large part of my inspiration and each bead I make is composed of the beauty of glass itself combined with my concentrated thought, creativity and passion.

I will often combine copper and silver wire, semi-precious stones and pearls with my glass. I like to think of my unique glass bead jewellery as wearable art. I am very lucky to live in the beautiful West Sussex countryside and to be able to work from my home studio in Partridge Green.